Engineers at the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA; www.ucla.edu) have developed a new class of highly permeable reverse-osmosis (RO) membranes for water desalination that incorporates a “brush layer” of hydrophilic polymer chains anchored to the membrane surface. Brownian motion of…
By genetically modifying E. coli — introducing four enzymatic genes from bacteria of the Clostridium family — Mitsui Chemicals Corp. (Mitsui, Tokyo, www.mitsuichem.com) has increased the selectivity for fermenting glucose into isopropyl alcohol (IPA) from 40% to up to 70%.…
A low-cost method for fabricating microfluidic diagnostics devices using cotton, paper, or other multifilament threads has been developed by a team from Monash University (Melbourne, Australia; www.eng.monash.edu.au). The devices can be used to provide qualitative and, at least, semi-quantitative analyses…
Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) has acquired all shares in Edmeston AB (Gothenburg Sweden; www.edmeston.com), a company specializing in sulfuric acid production equipment and systems. The transaction is subject to completion of confirmatory due diligence, and it is expected to…
Together with E.ON AG (Düsseldorf; www.eon.com) and Hitachi Power Europe (Duisburg, Germany; www.hitachi-power.com), ThyssenKrupp VDM (Werdohl, all Germany; www.thyssenkruppvdm.com) has laboratory-developed a new material that, subject to successful testing, will represent a major step towards the construction of advanced 700°C…
Boliden AB (Stockholm, Sweden; www.boliden.com) has acquired Kemira’s sulfuric acid plant and business in Kokkola, Finland, effective as of 1st May 2010. The acquisition will enable Boliden to conduct its sulfuric-acid-manufacturing operations at Kokkola in-house, and thereby gain control over…
Neste Jacobs Oy (Porvoo, Finland; www.nestejacobs.com) and Eesti Energia (Tallinn, Estonia; www.energia.ee) agreed on building a shale oil condensation unit in Estonia. Neste Jacobs was selected to act as engineering partner for a new shale-oil condensation unit in Estonia. Neste Jacobs and…
Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) announces today that the construction of the Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) cogeneration plant at its industrial site in Bernburg, Germany, has been completed by the Tönsmeier Group and that the plant is now supplying energy for…
AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, the Netherlands;www.akzonobel.com) is to build an additional plant at its Ningbo multi-site for its Functional Chemicals business. The new €17 million project — part of a total investment of €275 million — will further expand the company’s rapidly…
Catalytic Distillation Technologies (CDTech; Pasadena, Tex.; www.cdtech.com) has been awarded a contract by TAIF-NK OAO for the license and basic engineering of an FCC- (fluid catalytic cracking) gasoline-treatment unit, as part of an upgrade at its refinery in Nizhnekamsk in the…