In The News
August Chementator Briefs
Graphene from dry ice Researchers at Northern Illinois University (NIU; DeKalb, Ill.; www.niu.edu) discovered a new method for producing graphene that involves burning pure magnesium metal in dry ice. The method, which is capable of producing large quantities of…
BASF and CSM explore a bio-based succinic acid JV
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) and Purac (www.purac.com), a subsidiary of CSM N.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.csmglobal.com), today announce the start of negotiations to form a joint venture (JV) for the production of bio-based succinic acid. The companies have been…
A touch of gold makes a swell absorbent foam
The properties of gold nanoparticles could be combined with those of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to provide a sustainable and practical solution for water treatment, according to a team from the Jawaharlal Nehru Center for Advanced Scientific Research (Bangalore, India; www.jncasr.ac.in). The…
This new membrane bioreactor cuts energy costs and boosts throughput
GE Power & Water (Trevose, Penn.; ge.com) has introduced an improved membrane bioreactor (mbr) technology whose productivity is said to be 15% higher than that of its predecessor for wastewater treatment plants. The new system, called LEAPmbr, was derived from…
Practice Green Chemical Engineering
Almost by definition, chemical engineering is a “green” discipline today, as it so often involves efforts to optimize chemical processes in order to reduce the amount of energy and raw materials that are used and the amount of waste that…
Outotec to deliver world’s largest iron-ore pelletizing plant in Brazil
Plant Watch Outotec to deliver the world’s largest iron-ore pelletizing plant in Brazil June 30, 2011— Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) has agreed to deliver an iron-ore pelletizing plant to Samarco Mineração S.A. The new plant will be installed at…
A step forward for an energy-saving desalination process
An alternative desalination process that reduces energy consumption by over 50% compared to best available technology (BAT) has been successfully piloted by the Industry Sector of Siemens AG (Munich, Germany; www.siemens.com), in collaboration with Singapores national water agency, PUB, and…
Green honors
In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.; www.epa.gov) announced the winners of the 2011 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Winners of the Challenge, which promotes R&D of less hazardous alternatives to existing technologies that reduce or eliminate…
Commercial launch of a new asymmetric hydrogenation catalyst
The Fine Chemicals Div. of Takasago International Corp. (Takasago; Tokyo, Japan; www.takasago.com) has commercialized a new, highly efficient asymmetric hydrogenation catalyst for producing chiral alcohols — key chemicals for the production of pharmaceuticals, fragrances and agrochemicals. The ruthenium-complex catalyst is…
BASF to optimize and consolidate its PAM-bead production
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will consolidate the production of polyacrylamide (PAM) beads into its Bradford, U.K. facility, where the company operates a backward-integrated production plant with worldwide supply capability. Significant investment will be made to increase and upgrade the…