In The News
Recycling mixed medical waste with steam cracking
Currently, medical waste streams are complicated to recycle because these single-use products — such as facemasks, syringes, nitrile gloves and non-woven gowns — consist of multiple materials and must be considered contaminated with potentially infectious particles. Now, researchers at Chalmers…
Comprehensive destruction of airborne contaminants in a compact bioreactor
There are many categories of air contaminants that may be encountered in industry, from volatile organic compounds to aerosols to viruses, as well as a range of particulate matter and ultra-fine particles, which also vary greatly in size and properties.…
Plant Watch: October 2024
Plant Watch SK Energy to start commercial production of SAF September 16, 2024 — SK Energy, a subsidiary of SK Innovation Co. (Seoul, South Korea; www.skinnovation.com), announced the completion of South Korea’s first dedicated production line for sustainable aviation fuel…
First industrial demonstration of plasma-based CO2 conversion
Plasma technology is being explored as an avenue for many molecular conversions, such as methane reforming. Now, for the first time, a plasma-based CO2-conversion technology is being demonstrated industrially. The proprietary technology, developed by D-CRBN (Antwerp, Belgium; www.d-crbn.com), is being…
Biofuels production via co-fermentation of sugar and CO2 takes a step forward
Co-fermentation processes that can consume both sugars and CO2 are emerging as a promising technology to enhance product yield and reduce emissions in biofuels production. A team of scientists at Oklahoma State University (Stillwater, Okla.; www.okstate.edu) are working to accelerate…
Generalizable deep-learning technique for elucidating catalyst reaction mechanisms
Artificial intelligence techniques have great potential in generating insights into catalytic reaction mechanisms, opening the door to more selective and efficient catalysts. However, using machine-learning (ML) in a general way to study chemical reactions is challenging because broad approaches aimed…
Two-dimensional template increases stability of perovskite photovoltaics
Using halide perovskites for photovoltaic (PV) solar-energy cells could dramatically reduce production costs compared to silicon-based PV cells, because perovskites are solution-processible at relatively low temperatures. However, long-term stability of these materials has been a significant challenge. Now, a research…
This electrolysis reactor requires no external electricity source
Electrolyzers are the key technology for producing “green” hydrogen using renewable energy. However, a new reactor platform aims to facilitate electrolysis without the need for any external electricity. The Electroless Coupled Exchange Reduction Oxidation technology platform (eXERO), developed by Utility…
Taking Control of Chemical Dusts
Equipment innovations and monitoring solutions help chemical processors create more effective dust collection systems Uncontrolled dust can lead to several complications, including health and safety concerns, product quality problems, regulatory compliance issues and legal ramifications. Although dust should not be…
Chementator Briefs
Methane pyrolysis catalyst Catalytic methane pyrolysis (CMP) is an attractive route to producing hydrogen, because rather than generating CO2, the process produces solid carbon, which can be made in valuable forms that could offset the cost of hydrogen production. However,…