Ammonia cracking, decomposing ammonia into its constituent nitrogen and hydrogen molecules, is gaining traction as an emerging source for cleaner hydrogen. However, this reaction is very endothermic and requires heat and high temperature. In a proprietary technology developed by Duiker…
Nanomox (London, U.K.; www.nanomox.net) has invented a synthesis platform for metal oxides where multifunctional ionic liquids enable high selectivity for specialized morphologies. While the technology can be tailored for a large number of metals, the company is currently targeting zinc…
Minimizing cost is the key parameter for the viability of direct-air-capture (DAC) systems that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The startup company Sustaera Inc. (Research Triangle Park, N.C.; www.sustaera.com) has built a prototype DAC system that it says can…
A new approach to advanced recycling combines heterogeneous catalysis with electromagnetic induction, enabling the conversion of polyolefin-rich waste streams into versatile materials. Developed by bobine (Strasbourg, France; www.bobine-chemistry.com), this fully electric technology can help decarbonize the production of olefins like…
A new demonstration facility in northern Iceland will integrate geothermal energy with a solid-oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) to produce green hydrogen, representing a key step toward lower-cost sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This Thermal Hybrid Production System, developed by Syntholene Energy…
Extracting lithium from currently underutilized brines, such as geothermal and oilfield brines, will be necessary to meet the growing demand for lithium in energy-storage applications in the future. Technical hurdles for extracting lithium from these sources include the relatively low…
Current recycling methods for recovering platinum-group metals (PGMs) from catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) used in proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and fuel cells incinerate the highly valuable membrane material, requiring the manufacture of new material and the management of hydrogen fluoride offgas…
Olefin epoxidation is an important reaction for making a range of industrial intermediates in processes for epoxy coatings, polyurethanes, polyester textiles, surfactants, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals and others. Conventional olefin epoxidation involves organo-peroxides or organo-halogen oxidants, which present safety and environmental…
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a class of biodegradable plastic materials that can be produced via a range of biological processes. Due to their versatile production pathways and physical properties, they have become an emerging alternative to fossil-based plastics. A new production…
Fast-growing power densities within the server racks at new data centers often generate enough heat to quickly overwhelm legacy air- and liquid-cooling methods, and managing the thermal load is becoming a constraint for the data-center infrastructure that supports AI. A…