Although wastewater streams with high organic content — such as those from breweries and dairy facilities — can be difficult to treat and expensive to dispose of, there is potential to valorize their carbon content with the right process. Based…
The electrolytes used in nearly all lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries are carbonate-based, which makes them flammable and prone to degradation mechanisms, including side reactions, which can result in gas evolution and the formation of undesirable chemicals like hydrogen fluoride. A…
With a recent round of investment funding, UP Catalyst (Tallinn, Estonia; www.upcatalyst.com) plans to build a pilot plant for a process that converts waste carbon dioxide into a range of solid carbon materials, such as carbon nanotubes, (CNTs), graphite and…
Removing per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) from surface and groundwater has become an environmental and public health imperative, but methods for doing so are often complicated and costly, and may not destroy the molecules. Researchers at the University of British…
Acrylic acid, a commodity chemical used widely in superabsorbent polymers, paints, coatings, adhesives and more, is typically produced from fossil-based propylene at relatively high temperatures. As part of an initiative supported by the U.S. Dept. of Defense, funding was recently…
Electrifying industrial heat Calectra (Oakland, Calif.; www.calectra.com) has received $1.6 million in pre-seed funding and $400,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Government and New York State to support its work on decarbonizing industrial process heat. Heavy industrial processes, like…
Because of their excellent mechanical properties, light weight and biodegradability, cellulose nanofibers (CNF) are attractive materials for next-generation reinforced biomaterials and bioplastics. However, the method for separating cellulose to make CNF, known as fibrillation, is energy-intensive, which limits applications for…
The destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) presents unique issues in wastewater treatment, as these substances are persistent in many treatment environments, and PFAS-laden purification media is challenging to dispose of. Now, InEnTec Inc. (Richland, Wash.; www.inentec.com) says that…
The solvent N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) has been used to coat anodes and cathodes in lithium-ion batteries, but it has been shown to be a reproductive toxin, necessitating controlled handling and recycling within a closed system, which adds complexity and cost to…
Tire recycling The Mitsubishi Chemical Group (MCG; Tokyo, Japan; www.mcgc.com) has demonstrated chemical recycling of end-of-life tires (ELTs) using the coke ovens at its Kagawa Plant (Sakaide City, Kagawa Prefecture). The company is able to feed crushed ELTs as raw…