Processing & Handling
Chementator: Sonopolymerization as a means to manufacture composite nanoparticles
Many methods have been developed for the encapsulation of "active" materials within a carrier nanoparticle, such as a polymer. These composite structures can be used in many biomedical, cosmetics, and food processing applications for the controlled release of pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals,…
Chementator: A less expensive way to make conductive coatings
Cambrios Technologies Corp. (Sunnyvale, Calif.; www.cambrios.com) has formed a strategic partnership with Chisso Corp. (www.chisso.co.jp) and Sumitomo Corp. (both Tokyo; www.sumitomocorp.co.jp) for commercialization of Cambrios’ first product, ClearOhm coating material. Targeted for the liquid crystal display (LCD) market, ClearOhm is…
Chementator: High-throughput screening accelerates glycerol-to-chemicals research
Arkema (Colomes, France; www.arkema.com) and hte (Heidelberg, Germany; www.hte-company.de) have successfully concluded a research collaboration aimed at identifying new catalysts for the conversion of glycerol — a byproduct of biodiesel production — to acrolein (2-propenal) and acrylic acid. The collaboration,…
Chementator: A palladium catalyst makes primary amines in aqueous NH3
Primary amines are made in high yield by a palladium-catalyzed allylic amination reaction developed by Shu Kobayashi, a chemistry professor at the University of Tokyo (Japan; www.chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp.). The reaction uses aqueous ammonia as the nitrogen source — the first time…
Chementator: Multiscale reactors come of age for making fine chemicals
In the framework of the Impulse project (Integrated Multiscale Process Units with Locally Structured Elements; CE, April 2005, p. 19), researchers from the Industrial Chemistry Group at RWTH Aachen University (Germany; www.itmc.rwth-aachen.de) have developed a continuous production plant capable of…
Chementator: A process to make butadiene from under-utilized cracker C4 fractions
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. (MCC; Tokyo, Japan; www.m-kagaku.co.jp) has developed a new technology for producing 1,3-butadiene (butadiene) from waste butenes using a self-developed, proprietary catalyst. The process has been pilot tested (200-ton/yr capacity) at MCC’s Mizushima site in Japan, and the…
Chementator: A new feedstock for carbon and graphite electrodes: coal
A less-expensive way of making the raw materials for carbon anodes (for aluminum smelting) and graphite electrodes (used to make steel in electric arc furnaces) has been developed by West Virginia University (UWV; Morgantown, W.Va.; www.wvu.edu). The conventional starting materials…
Chementator: Photocatalysts for decomposing VOCs
A photocatalyst that is more active for decomposing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with visible light than existing catalysts has been developed by researchers from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO; Kawasaki City, Japan) in a project lead…
Tank-bottom valves now available in larger widths
Vesta Tank Bottom Valves are used to shut off liquid media at vessels or tanks. Preferably installed at the lowest point of the tank bottom, their characteristic feature is shut-off at tank bottom level without any sump. The pocket-free design…
A centrifuge pump allows users to analyze heavy particles
The Analysette 22 MicroTec Plus is the latest generation of this company’s particle measurement technology. The instrument covers a range of 0.08 to 2,000 µm with a resolution of up to 108 measuring channels. The wet dispersion unit is equipped…