January Chementator briefs

  New cellulase enzyme Last month, Codexis, Inc. (Redwood City, Calif.; www.codexis.com) introduced the CodeXyme Cellulase enzyme product line for converting biomass to sugar. The company is in its final stages of customizing the enzymes with currrent partners, and plans to have commercial samples available in the second half of this year. Microbial control Dow Microbial Control (www.dowmicrobialcontrol.com), a business group of The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) launched Bioban 551S, a new generation of in-can preservatives based on the companys new antimicrobial active ingredient MBIT [2-methyl-1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one]. Bioban 551S is a water-based, solvent-free solution that can be used for preserving paint and latex. It has excellent chemical and thermal stability, does not release formaldehyde and its active ingredients do not contain organohalogens or heavy metals, says the manufacturer. Acoustic flooring Engineers at TMAT Acoustic Technologies (Derbyshire, U.K.; www.tmatuk.com) have developed a process for making polyurethane acoustic insulation for flooring in vehicles and machinery. Using a proprietary catalyst, along with an improved mold design, the TMAT process controls polymer viscosity tightly,…