Sustainability
Chemical Recycling: A Deep Dive on Depolymerization
Looking at the challenges and benefits of various recycling technologies, this article uses polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as an example to analyze the economics and design considerations for depolymerization processes Plastics are a valuable commodity in society and provide versatile materials…
Pilot plant produces climate-friendly cement clinker
Concrete production is responsible for 6–9% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. “The largest contribution to that comes from the production of cement, a precursor product,” says Peter Stemmermann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry (ITC) at the Karlsruhe Institute of…
Cyanobacteria mineralize CO2 into biogenic construction materials
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS; www.ikts.fraunhofer.de) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology (FEP; both Dresden, Germany; www.fep.fraunhofer.de) are introducing an eco-friendly, biologically induced method of producing biogenic construction materials as…
A proof-of-concept “BionicHydrogenBattery”
At a press conference during Achema 2024, Festo SE & Co. KG (Esslingen, Germany; www.festo.com) presented the BionicHydrogenBattery — a new concept for the simple storage and safe transportation of hydrogen. Currently, H2 can only be stored and transported safely…
Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into a range of chemicals
At Achema in June, GIG Karasek GmbH (Gloggnitz, Austria; www.gigkarasek.com) introduced the ECO2Cell, an electrochemical CO2-recycling technology that utilizes proprietary catalysts to convert captured carbon dioxide into a range of chemicals. Using only water, CO2 and electricity as process inputs,…
New bio-based concrete admixture is scaling up production
A new biomass-based liquid admixture for concrete uniquely combines the benefits of traditional performance-enhancing additives with decarbonization. Hydrous bio-graphene oxide (hBGO), developed by AlterBiota (Edwardsville, Nova Scotia, Canada; www.alterbiota.com), is a stable, high-solids dispersion that helps to improve strength and…
Técnicas Reunidas joins consortium focused on recycling of mixed composites
The COMAR project is focused on the search of new ways to recycle and reuse waste coming from composites based on thermostable and vitrimeric matrices, through different chemical recycling techniques such as pyrolysis and solvolysis. With its participation in the…
CF Industries taps ExxonMobil for CO2 transport and storage project in Mississippi
CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (Deerfield, Ill.) announced that it is moving forward with a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project at its Yazoo City, Mississippi, Complex that is expected to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted to the atmosphere from the…
Solid-Oxide Breakthroughs Promise Cleaner Hydrogen Production
Solid-oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC) and solid-oxide fuel-cell (SOFC) technologies are poised to change the face of power generation and hydrogen production. SOEC offers intrinsically higher efficiencies than other electrolysis technologies, such as alkaline, polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) or anion-exchange membrane…
Euglena, Petronas and Eni announce JV for biofuels production in Malaysia
Euglena Co., Ltd. (Tokyo), Petroliam Nasional Berhad of Malaysia (Petronas), and Enilive SpA of Italy, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eni SpA, fave made a final investment decision for a project (hereinafter "the Project") to construct and operate a biofuel…