Electrochem Technologies & Materials Inc. (Montreal, Canada; www.electrochem-technologies.com) has recently patented its process for the production and recycling of all vanadium electrolytes (VE) used in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). This electrochemical technology offers a sound and profitable alternative to…
Egg white is one of the most important protein ingredients for the food industry, with a market of 1.6-million ton/yr in 2020 and projected to grow in the future. Searching for sustainable alternatives to animal-based proteins has been of growing…
Honeywell UOP (Des Plaines, Ill.; www.honeywell.com/uop) recently began offering a post-combustion carbon-capture system based on new advanced solvent technology that allows for improved carbon-capture economics for hard-to-abate industries, such as steelmaking, rotary kiln operations (such as cement-making) and natural-gas power…
A new demonstration plant near Bakersfield, Calif. will produce carbon-negative “green” H2 from woody biomass waste, such as agricultural residues from orchard trees and walnut shells. Developed by Mote, Inc. (Los Angeles, Calif.; www.motehydrogen.com), with engineering partners Fluor Corp. (Irving,…
Thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) are typically copolymers of a plastic and a rubber that have both thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. The best-known TPEs include styrenic block polymers, which contain molecular blocks of polystyrene (which is hard) and polydiene (which is rubbery).…
Engineering design is underway for a new plant for making renewable dimethyl ether (rDME) from biogas produced by agricultural digesters or derived from landfills. Project developer Oberon Fuels (San Diego, Calif.; www.oberonfuels.com) is basing the new plant on its existing…
Drive & Charge The R&D teams from Holcim Ltd. (Zug, Switzerland; www.holcim.com) and Magment GmbH (Oberhaching, Germany; www.magment.co) have developed a unique concrete with high magnetic permeability, which enables electric vehicles to recharge wirelessly while in motion. Known as inductive…
Decomposing limestone (CaCO3) into quicklime (burnt limestone; CaO) releases significant CO2 emissions, both from the combustion of fuel needed to heat the kiln to temperatures over 1,000°C, and by the release of CO2 from the reaction itself (CaCO3 → CaO…
A group of researchers from the University of Arizona (Tucson; www.arizona.edu), led by chemistry and biochemistry professor Jeff Pyun, are aiming to make use of sulfur waste streams from petroleum refineries. To meet environmental regulations, sulfur must be removed from…
A new solid form of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is showing promise as a highly effective antimicrobial agent. PCT Ltd. (Little River, S.C.; www.para-con.com) and Onza Corp. (Denver, Colo.; www.onzacorp.com) achieved what is said to be the industry’s first-ever successful “crystallization”…