Chemical Engineering
Saint-Gobain finalizes sale of HKO textile and insulation business
Saint-Gobain S.A. (Courbevoie, France) has completed the sale of HKO in Germany and its arm in France Deltec – its business manufacturing technical textile components for high-temperature insulation mainly for automotive and industrial applications – to a fund managed by…
Sandvik to divest its Additive Manufacturing business to Mimir
Sandvik AB (Stockholm, Sweden) has signed an agreement to divest its business unit Additive Manufacturing to Mimir, a global investment firm based in Sweden. Additive Manufacturing, which is reported in business area Machining, manufactures metal powders used in areas such…
Honoring distinctive work in the chemical process industries
For over 120 years, Chemical Engineering magazine has highlighted state-of-the-art technologies and prioritized practical engineering expertise to help advance the chemical process industries (CPI). In holding with this storied tradition, the Chemical Engineering team is proud to announce the new…
Business News: June 2026
Plant Watch BASF commissions new fermentation plant in Ludwigshafen May 11, 2026 — BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) announced that its Agricultural Solutions business commissioned a new fermentation plant for biological and biotechnology-based products at the Ludwigshafen site. The products…
A scalable method for recovering molybdenum from end-of-life catalysts
Molybdenum is a crucial element in many industrial catalysts used in the production of steels, alloys and specialty chemicals. Much of the global supply chain for molybdenum relies on mining operations in China and Russia, so various efforts are underway…
Methane-to-bioplastics technology takes advantage of wastewater off-gases
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biodegradable polymers that are positioned as a promising alternative to conventional plastics. They can be produced from a variety of biological and renewable feedstocks. Mango Materials (MM; Vacaville, Calif.; www.mangomaterials.com) produces PHAs at a pilot plant and…
Targeted magnetic system recovers valuable iron phosphate from sewage sludge
Many wastewater-treatment plants rely on iron-based coagulation to remove phosphorus from water. Following treatment with iron-based coagulants, most iron present in the sewage sludge is in the form of an iron-phosphate mineral known as vivianite. A patented technology called ViviMag…
Micro-architectural alterations remove hurdles that hinder hydrogen fuel cells
Hydrogen fuel cells, which use hydrogen and oxygen to generate clean electricity and pure water, are considered among the most promising clean energy sources. However, the accumulation of liquid water inside hydrogen fuel cells is a major roadblock to efficient…
Delayed coking process converts biomass to graphite at reduced temperatures and generates fuels
Demand for synthetic graphite, a top-priority critical material in the U.S., is increasing because of its use in lithium-ion battery anodes and in steel-making. To meet the increased demand, while also cultivating a domestic source of synthetic graphite (most of…
Zwitterions enhance ion transport for polymer-based electrolyte material
Batteries with solid-state electrolyte materials, rather than liquids or gels, are a goal of technology developers because of their advantages for battery safety, durability and reduced charge times. Certain ceramic-based electrolytes have shown the ability to transport ions quickly, but…