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Processing & Handling

February Letters

Another corrosion-resistant material deserves a mention In the December 2007 article, The Heat Is On (pp. 24–28) I take issue with the statement next to the Pfaudler photo, “Tantalum and glass-lined steel are the two most corrosion resistant materials used…

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Chementator: One less step to make activated carbon with dispersed metal nanoparticles    

Nanostructured microporous carbons containing well-dispersed metal nanoparticles have the potential to improve the performance of fuel cells or catalysis. However, traditional techniques for embedding metal particles in porous carbons (post-synthesis treatment either by impregnation, adsorption, or ion exchange) can lead…

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Chementator: Maintain pH, even at cyrogenic temperatures, with this buffer  

Biotechnology samples, such as proteins, nucleic acids, biological specimens and pharmaceuticals, are typically stored frozen to extend their shelf life. However, a problem that has plagued researchers for decades is that the buffers used to maintain the pH of the…

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Chementator: Super-oleophobic materials promise revolutionary membranes  

A team of researchers from MIT’s (Cambridge, Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-540) chemical and mechanical engineering departments, in association with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.), has developed oil-repellent surfaces with likely separations and safety applications for the…

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Chementator: Pumping hot oil  

PCM (Paris, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-541) has introduced what is claimed to be the world’s first all-metal progressing cavity pump (PCP). PCM Vulcain is capable of pumping extremely hot (350°C) and viscous fluids, making it particularly suitable for the thermal recovery of…

Newsfront: Cleaning up with Catalysts  

As long as the chemical process industries (CPI) have existed, catalysts have been backstage supporting, if not leading, their progress. And, as much of the chemical industry’s current research efforts center around producing cleaner products, such as transportation fuels and…

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Engineering Practice: Corrosion Resistance Using Rock and Glue

Low-cost, corrosion-resistant castings are being produced using epoxy and mineral aggregates Stainless steel, painted and plated cast-iron and steel structures are being replaced at a fraction of the cost with high-precision polymer castings (PPCs). PPCs can usually be cast to…

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Engineering Practice: Seal-Fluid-Circulation Devices: Understanding the Differences

Knowing the options in fluid-circulation designs helps in the selection process Over the past few decades, hundreds of seal geometries and a fair number of seal categories have evolved. Recently, the distinction between single- and dual-mechanical seals has been brought…

Focus on Mixers

Less "Balling" of Dry Powder with This Mixer Outfitted with three independent agitators, the Triple Action Disperser promises a low energy and fast method for mixing high-quality dry powders into liquid dispersions. Its design allows for a controllable vortex and…

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Chementator: Using Living Plants to Synthesize Metallic Nanoparticles      

Metallic nanoparticles are usually produced by wet chemical methods, often using toxic and flammable substances, or by physical methods such as evaporation and laser ablation. A group from the Laboratory for Sustainable Technology, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, at…