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Latest News: Technologies

Nanoparticles improve lubricant performance in friction and wear prevention

Nanoscale materials have been added to engine lubricants to enhance performance for some time, but the use of such materials has been limited by their inability to remain suspended in the oils, and by their tendency to darken the color…

New investment announced in platform technology for bio-based monomers

Zymergen (Emeryville, Calif.; www.zymergen.com) recently announced $300 million in new investments for the company’s fermentation-based platform technology that generates novel bio-based monomers for specialty products applications. Combining synthetic biology with machine-learning-enhanced automated screening, Zymergen’s technology has demonstrated the capability to…

Acetylene-selective MOFs for ethylene purification

Ethylene is an important petrochemical, but it may contain traces of acetylene that can destroy the catalysts used in downstream processes. The separation of ethylene and acetylene is difficult, and the main method, distillation, is energy intensive. A potential alternative…

A sandwich catalyst boosts H2 production

Platinum has been the main catalyst for hydrogen-producing reactions, but it has a low affinity for water molecules. This results in a slow rate of water electrolysis. Attempts have been made to combine metal-sulfide with platinum nanoparticles that promote water…

First full integration of hydrogen production, distribution, storage and use is underway

The recently launched H2@Scale project is integrating a number of elements necessary for the commercial-scale integrated production and use of renewable hydrogen. Hosted by the University of Texas at Austin (www.utexas.edu) and funded through the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy…

Chementator Briefs

Ethylene Last month, Linde GmbH (Pullach, Germany; www.linde.com) and Shell (den Hague, the Netherlands; www.shell.com) announced an exclusive collaboration agreement on ethane-oxidative dehydrogenation (E-ODH) technology for ethylene production. The catalytic process is an alternative route to ethane steam cracking, offering…

A fast-acting, durable self-disinfecting polymer

A patented polymer material developed by Kraton Corp. (Houston; www.kraton.com) has shown rapid antimicrobial capabilities with expected long-lasting self-disinfecting efficacy. Currently pursuing regulatory review in the U.S. and other select countries for use as an antimicrobial agent, Biaxam is a…

A microwave-plasma process that efficiently makes hydrogen and acetylene

A new modular process based on microwave-plasma reactors aims to efficiently convert natural gas into acetylene and H2 without combustion or CO2 formation. Transform Materials LLC (Riviera Beach, Fla.; www.transformmaterials.com) has designed a reactor that overcomes some of the previous…

A more efficient way to upgrade lignin bio-oils

Lignin bio-oil is a common waste stream formed during the production of cellulose and ethanol from biomass. Due to its high oxygen and low hydrogen content, lignin bio-oil must be upgraded via hydrogenation and deoxygenation before it can be used…

New process efficiently filters hormones from water

Drinking water can be contaminated with micropollutants, including steroid hormones that are used as medical substances and contraceptives. Although their concentration in wastewater may be only a few nanograms per liter, this small amount can already damage human health and…