Plant Watch Mitsui Chemicals to increase production capacity for polyurethane dispersions August 11, 2023 — Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan; www.mitsuichemicals.com) will increase its production capacity for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) at the company’s Shimizu site. This expansion will approximately double…
Modern solutions help processors achieve water-related goals in a more proactive, cost-effective way Although water reuse and recycling began as a necessity in regions where water scarcity was a significant challenge, the increasing cost of water coupled with aggressive sustainability…
There are several established technologies to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, including membranes and adsorbents. However, such purification media can pose disposal challenges due to the potential for further PFAS contamination stemming from the spent media. Now,…
With the Texoversum (photo), Reutlingen University (Germany; www.reutlingen-university.de) has put into operation a training and innovation center for the textile industry that is unique in Europe. The almost 2,000-m2 textile-like façade of the new building combines the innovative power of…
Plant Watch UBE to expand silicon nitride plant July 13, 2023 — UBE Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.ube.com) plans to expand the silicon nitride production facility at its chemical complex in Ube, Japan. The facility is scheduled to go online in…
One of the major byproducts of the nuclear fission process used for power generation is 137Cs, a radioactive isotope of Cs that has a half-life of 30 years and is often removed from nuclear-power-plant wastewater via selective adsorption using ion…
For intelligent textiles to function effectively, they need to be strong, stretchable and electrically conductive. However, fabricating fibers that possess these three properties has been challenging. Drawing inspiration from how spiders spin silk to make webs, an international team of…
Last month, Circa Group A/S (Oslo, Norway; www.circa-group.com) applied for patents for two new solvents for CO2 capture processes. The solvents, named Furatech:1 and Furatech:2, were developed over the last 12 months as part of the company’s platform molecule, levoglucosenone…
ISOPROPANOL Cepsa Química, S.A. (Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, Spain; www.cepsa.com) is constructing the first production plant to produce isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol), from renewable or circular materials, which the company says will make it the most competitive, innovative and environmentally…
It is well known that mercury is not only toxic, but is also highly mobile. As a result, Hg emissions from both industrial processes (gold mining, combustion of fossil fuels, cement production, waste incineration and more), as well as natural…