Chementator
Making hydrogen directly from Si nanoparticles
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…
Pilot plant slated for a fast-pyrolysis process that converts biomass into fuels
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…
A smart app for pump monitoring
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…
Smart polymers enhance coatings to reduce fouling
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…
Catalytic hot-gas filters reduce dust and pollutants
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…
Separating rare earth metals with UV light
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…
A step forward for the bio-production of L-arginine
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…
Economically generating hydrogen with SOECs
Toshiba Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.toshiba.co.jp) has started up a highly efficient electrolyzer for the generating hydrogen. The system is based on ceramic, solid-oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), and is said to consume less power than alternative technologies, such as alkaline electrolysis…
May Chementator Briefs
A natural fungicide An international research team, led by Yoshikazu Ohya at the University of Tokyo (www.ib.k.u-tokyo.ac.jp), has discovered a new chemical compound that inhibits the growth of pathogenic fungi. The new compound, called poacic acid, was isolated from hydrolyzed…
Nanolaminated alloys grow parts for enhanced corrosion resistance
By controlling material interfaces at the nano-scale, Modumetal Inc. (Seattle, Wash.; www.modumetal.com) has developed a method for creating a new class of alloys with precisely defined properties through nanolamination. In this process, a part, such as a valve or fastener,…