Electrically conductive plastics have been available for several years, but the use of carbon black as the conductive agent in the plastic resins limits their use to low-conductivity applications. Now, newly commercialized plastic pellets impregnated with metal-coated carbon nanofibers allow…
The New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO, Kawasaki, Japan; www.nedo.go.jp) and the Japan Research Association of Artificial Photosynthetic Chemical Process (ARPChem) achieved a world-leading solar-energy conversion efficiency of 2% in the photocatalytic splitting of water to make H2…
A new process for partially devulcanizing and functionalizing micronized rubber powders (MRP) may allow the use of higher levels of the material than originally allowed in vehicle tires and other applications. Currently, MRP from end-of-life rubber is being used in…
A safe, low-cost technology for supplying H2 to fuel-cell powered vehicles is being developed by researchers at Nisshin Kasei Co. (Osaka, Japan; www.nisshinkasei.co.jp). Unlike alternative methods that store H2 by adsorption on solid materials at high pressure, Nisshin is utilizing…
Plans are underway to build a pilot plant for a fast-pyrolysis process that will convert 10 ton/d of biomass into bio-oil and bio-char. The bio-oil can be used as renewable fuel oil or catalytically upgraded to transportation fuels, while the…
At Achema 2015 (June 15–19; Frankfurt, Germany), KSB AG (Frankenthal, Germany; www.ksb.com) will launch a new smartphone application (app) that enables non-specialists to quickly determine the power consumption of a pump during operation. Within seconds, the user can know if…
Scientists from Singapore, including Vivek Vasantha from A*STAR – The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (www.a-star.edu.sg) – developed a new block copolymer that can change its structure when placed in an electrolyte solution, such as salt water. The monomers…
In late April, Unifrax I LLC (Tonawanda, N.Y.; www.unifrax.com) and Haldor Topsøe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) signed a partnership agreement to begin a joint global effort to commercialize an innovative new line of catalytic filter candles. This new product family…
Researchers from the Dept. of Chemical Engineering of KU Leuven (Belgium; www.cit.kuleuven.be), in collaboration with KU Leuven chemists, have discovered a method to separate two rare-earth elements — europium and yttrium — with ultraviolet (UV) light. The study, published earlier…
The amino acid L-arginine plays a crucial role in our neurological and cardiovascular systems. It is sometimes consumed as a dietary supplement and its efficient industrial-level production is essential for its commercialization. L-arginine is a product of microbial fermentation and…