Polybutadiene (PB) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) are widely used polymers in a number of products (including vehicle tires, kitchen appliances, computer hardware, toys and others), but are not generally recycled. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL; Oak Ridge,…
Coveralls for chemical and fire protection This company’s recently launched Tychem® 6000 SFR is a lightweight, hooded garment (photo) designed to help protect people working in challenging environments against multiple chemical and flash-fire hazards. Tychem garments may be suitable for…
Decreasing the dependence on expensive platinum-group metals like iridium is vital for the expansion of “green” hydrogen production via proton-exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. Efforts to develop lower-iridium catalytic components for electrolysis have typically focused on mixing iridium into a…
Effective measurement of corrosion on process equipment and plant structures offers several benefits to plant operators. These include providing early warnings about damaging process conditions that could lead to corrosion-induced failures, establishing correlations between changes in process parameters and their…
One way to develop safer, more-sustainable chemical processes is to substitute potentially harmful chemicals with less-risky alternatives. Organic solvents, which are widely used in industrial processes, can pose health, safety and environmental risks. Researchers at Rice University (Houston, Tex.; www.rice.edu)…
Aluminum smelting operations require molten cryolite, also commonly called bath, to serve as the electrolyte and dissolve alumina. A typical smelter produces excess bath over time, and there are few markets for reuse or recycle of this material, especially as…
For product developers, understanding a substance’s biodegradability is essential in many applications to ensure compliance with toxicity and environmental regulations. Aropha, Inc. (Cleveland, Ohio; www.aropha.com) has developed a platform for biodegradability testing that reaches far beyond the typical breadth of…
Enhanced measurement capabilities offer more reliable control to boost quality, reduce waste and ensure safety As optimization, sustainability and safety initiatives continue to be a driving force in the chemical process industries (CPI), accurate, responsive and reliable temperature measurements are…
The industrial production of aluminum involves electrolysis of alumina (Al2O3) in molten cryolite, a mineral used as a solvent for the aluminum oxide raw material. Over time, the cryolite accumulates impurities, such as sodium, lithium and potassium ions, which degrade…
Plant Watch Saint-Gobain Ceramics to construct catalyst carriers plant in New York March 11, 2025 — Saint-Gobain S.A. (Courbevoie, France; www.saint-gobain.com), through its subsidiary Saint-Gobain NorPro, intends to build a new manufacturing facility in Wheatfield, N.Y. With an investment of…