Chemical Engineering
Celanese completes divestiture of Micromax business to Element solutions
Celanese Corp. (Dallas, Tex.) announced that it has completed the divestiture of the Micromax® business to Element Solutions Inc. Celanese received approximately $500 million in cash from the transaction, and the proceeds will be deployed to support the Company’s deleveraging…
Chiyoda awarded EPC contract for Idemitsu Kosan’s solid-electrolyte plant
Chiyoda Corp. (Yokohama, Japan) has been awarded an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract by Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu) for a large solid electrolyte pilot plant, aimed at the practical application of All-Solid-State lithium-ion batteries. A strategic partnership has…
Covestro completes major debottlenecking project at TDI plant in Shanghai
Covestro AG (Leverkusen, Germany) has successfully completed a major debottlenecking project at its TDI (toluene diisocyanate) production facility in Shanghai, China. The company has increased the annual production capacity from 310,000 to 370,000 metric tons, representing a 20 percent expansion…
New transparent insulator material could improve heat efficiency of buildings
Buildings lose considerable heating and cooling energy through their windows, so window coatings with low thermal conductivity would improve efficiency. However, finding insulating materials that are also transparent is a challenge. A team of researchers at the University of Colorado…
A water-durable construction material that also sequesters CO2
A new structural material builds upon the promise of enzyme-enhanced CO2 mineralization to overcome decarbonization challenges in the construction industry. Researchers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI; Worcester, Mass.; www.wpi.edu), led by Nima Rahbar, head of WPI’s Department of Civil, Environmental…
Novel nanobubble generator enters commercial service at Saudi Aramco site
In late December 2025, a system that uses electric fields — rather than mechanical means — to generate nanometer-sized gas bubbles entered operation at a commercial site in Saudi Arabia. The nanobubble-generating technology was developed by the startup company AquaB…
Novel gasification scheme piloted for recycling of absorbent hygiene products
Post-consumer absorbent hygiene products (AHPs), such as infant diapers, feminine hygiene products and adult incontinence products, present unique challenges for recycling, because they contain compound materials like superabsorbent polymers and non-woven fabrics, as well as bio-hazardous waste, which are difficult…
Business News: February 2026
Plant Watch Solstice announces manufacturing expansions in Germany and the U.S. January 15, 2026 — Solstice Advanced Materials (Morris Plains, N.J.; www.solstice.com) has completed two significant manufacturing expansions: a recently completed €5.5-million expansion of its stannous fluoride manufacturing facility in…
Smart Technologies for CPI Flow-Measurement Challenges
Diagnostics, self-monitoring and digital communication detect flowmeter issues, provide insight Accurate flow measurement is the backbone of chemical process optimization. Today’s flowmeters are being enhanced with smart technologies and other advances designed to overcome flow monitoring challenges in the chemical…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Discharging Solids from Bins and Hoppers
The chemical and physical properties of some solid materials render them prone to restricted flow and flow stoppages when discharging from bins and hoppers. This one-page reference outlines common solids-flow problems, as well as strategies and devices that can aid…