In The News
Chementator Briefs
Natural wax coating Researchers from Aalto University (Finland; www.aalto.fi) have developed a new way of making garments water-resistant, without using toxic chemicals. The treatment is non-toxic, and does not impair breathability. The coating uses carnauba wax from Brazilian palm-tree leaves.…
The New Era of Sustainable Supply Chains
To improve sustainability, materials manufacturers are welcoming new digital technologies and process innovations into their global supply chains From palm oil to plastics, the global supply chains of many critical raw materials are evolving as consumers and manufacturers increasingly seek…
Rechargeable MnO2-Zn batteries with a higher voltage
Researchers at the City University of New York Energy Institute (ccny.cuny.edu) have developed a low-cost battery based on manganese dioxide and zinc that reaches voltages of greater than 2 V, a first-time achievement that could allow batteries with these low-cost…
A control valve with built-in flowmeter
On September 19, Focus-On (Dordrecht, the Netherlands; www.focus-on-process.com) — a new, 50:50 joint-venture (JV) of Samson AG (Frankfurt am Main; www.samson.de) and Krohne GmbH & Co. KG (Duisburg, both Germany; www.krohne.com) — introduced its new “intelligent process node,” a device…
A new platform for atmospheric monitoring
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University (NTU; Singapore; www.ntu.edu.sg) have developed a device for atmospheric monitoring that can identify a wide range of airborne gases and chemicals instantly. The prototype device is portable and suitable for rapid deployment by agencies to…
Business News – November 2019
Plant Watch Arkema to expand PVDF plant in Changshu October 15, 2019 — Arkema (Colombes, France; www.arkema.com) will increase the capacity of polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) at its Changshu, China plant by approximately 50%. The expanded capacity is scheduled to come…
Making chemicals by artificial photosynthesis
Last month, Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) and Siemens AG (Munich, both Germany; www.siemens.com) launched a second phase of their joint research project, Rheticus II, which aims to develop a test plant that will use CO2 and water, as…
Reducing emissions from the manufacturing of carbon fibers
Carbon fibers are typically fabricated by the oxidation of a polymeric fiber, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) at 200–300°C, which generates a large amount of exhaust air containing several hundred parts per million (ppm) of hydrogen cyanide and ammonia. This is…
Symmetrical fuel-cell design simplifies CO2 conversion
A new carbon-utilization technology developed by SeeO2 Energy Inc. (Calgary, Alta., Canada; www.seeo2energy.com) takes advantage of thermodynamics in a high-temperature electrolyzer to efficiently convert carbon dioxide into CO and O2 with 100% selectivity. Based on the principle of a reversible…
Robots Enter the CPI
Long used for discrete manufacturing, robots are now making their way into product-development laboratories and even production sites Unlike some industrial sectors, such as mining and discrete manufacturing, where the use of robotics continues to streamline operations at the expense…