Exelus, Inc. (see also story on p. 11) has demonstrated a process that makes styrene monomer (SM) by the side-chain alkylation of toluene with methanol — an energy-neutral process — instead of the conventional dehydrogenation-of-ethylbenzene route, which is energy-intensive and…
Two specimens made from Basell Corp.’s Hostalene GM5010 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) that were installed in October 1956 are still in service, according to Ulrich Schulte, head of the application and technical service for Basell’s Pipe and Sheet business unit and…
Surfaces treated with Top on Top — a new surface refinement technology developed by Degussa AG (Düsseldorf, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-552) — are easy to clean and remain clean for months, according to Degussa. The product consists of two components that when…
Up to now, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been produced from hydrocarbons in large, high-temperature furnaces operating in an inert-gas atmosphere. A simpler system that requires only a liquid reagent instead of multiple gas cylinders, has been commercialized by Microphase Co.,…
Excelsyn Molecular Development (Holywell, U.K.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-541) has made a “major” advance in its development of improved technology to produce the unnatural amino acid tert-L-leucine (tert-butyl glycine; TBG) — a precursor for synthesizing promising new drug candidates. Transaminase technology is a…
An innovative design of a pulsed-electric-field (PEF) treatment unit for the inactivation of Escherichia coli bacteria has been developed by associate professor Mohammed Farid and Sally Alkhafaji at the Chemical and Materials Engineering Department of the School of Engineering, the…
Since 2002, the need for electronics-grade phosphoric acid as an etching agent for semiconductors in flat screens (liquid-crystal displays) has increased five fold, according to Thierry Vassalo, general manager at Febex S.A. (Box, Switzerland; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-545). In order to reduce manufacturing…
Reinforced PVC makes a kink-free hose Kink- and crush-resistant Vardex hose (photo) for both pressure and vacuum applications is now available from this manufacturer. Made of clear PVC with steel wire reinforcement, Vardex is suitable for either fluid…
Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, Tenn.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-549) has launched its next-generation PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin, tradenamed ParaStar, which is made using the company’s proprietary IntegRex technology (CE, October 2004, p. 15). ParaStar is a drop-in replacement for standard PET on bottle-manufacturing…
The fortunes of many an industrial sector have risen and fallen in the face of fluctuating oil and gas prices. Today, the industrial gas industry’s fortunes are being buoyed — in a roundabout way — by the…