Gevo, Inc. (Englewood, Col.; www.gevo.com) has begun the retrofit of its ethanol facility in Luverne, Minnesota, to produce biobased isobutanol. This milestone brings the company one step closer to commercial-scale production. The retrofit, which is expected to be complete by…
Along with an innovative elastomeric compound, scientists at Federal Mogul Corp. (Southfield, Mich; www.federalmogul.com) have developed a rubber manufacturing process that eliminates the need for curing in a batch oven after molding. The proprietary compound, known as K16, is intended…
A research team from Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos, N.M.; www.lanl.gov) has developed a novel catalyst for the cathode of a fuel cell that avoids using expensive ($1,800/oz.) platinum metal. The cathode catalyst is on based carbon, partially derived…
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA; Ibaraki, www.jaea.go.jp) has enhanced the efficiency of a solvent-extraction process to separate organic solvents from water contaminated by radioactive waste. JAEA was able to reduce the toluene concentration from 5,000 parts per million (ppm) to…
A system that utilizes existing biological wastewater-treatment facilities for destruction of biodegradable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other organic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) has been demonstrated at three U.S. petroleum-refining and chemical facilities, and the developer has plans to extend…
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI; Tokyo, www.mhi.co.jp) says it has established technology to produce bioethanol for automobile use by using soft-cellulose, such as wheat straw and rice straw, as raw materials. MHI estimates the fuel cost for a full-scale production…
A novel method for treating industrial liquid waste employs supercritical water infused with oxygen to destroy organic compounds. Developed by Innoveox (Paris; www.innoveox.com) and based on technology patented by the French government research organization CNRS (www.cnrs.fr), supercritical water oxidation (SCWO)…
A team from CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (Melbourne, Australia; www.csiro.au) has developed a new technique for growing smart materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which can be used in pollution control, or as catalysts, or for transporting drugs in…
The Chilean economy is one of the most dynamic in Latin America. The country has enjoyed steady growth over the last 10 years. The Global Competitiveness Report for 2009–2010, a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum, ranks Chile…
Edwards (Crawley, U.K.; www.edwardsvacuum.com) has opened its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Cheonan, Korea to serve its Korean and other global customers. The U.K. Business Secretary, Vince Cable and Edwards CEO, Matthew Taylor, officially opened the site in the presence…