October chementator briefs 

Retarded polymerization A latent-acid catalyst that can be added to highly reactive pre-polymer resins enabling them to be stored for at least three months prior to controlled polymerization at 120°C has been commercialized by Bac2 (Southampton, U.K.; http://www.bac2.co.uk). Alternative catalysts typically retard violent polymerization reactions for just a few hours, or require activation temperatures above 200°C — levels that are impractical for most polymer manufacturing processes, says the company. Dubbed CSR10, the catalyst is expected to be particularly useful where polymeric pre-mix production is performed far away from molding operations, because it enables safer transportation and storage of the bulk materials and reduces handling costs, says the firm. Salt anticaker Last month, AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; http://www.akzonobel.com) introduced mTA, a new anti-caking agent for salt. The product — a complex of iron and meso-tartrate — is recommended for membrane chlorine electrolysis, instead of the current ferrocyanide. The company says that using mTA eliminates the risk of forming explosive nitrogen trichloride, lowers power consumption and increases the lifetime of membranes and electrodes.…