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This process improves blends of starch-based plastic with conventional polyolefins
Thermoplastic starch, a biodegradable polysaccharide, is an attractive material for environmentally friendly plastics, but its cost and molecular properties have prevented it from being used in thin films. A process for a new starch plastic resin allows the material to…
Process improves usefulness of carbon nanotubes for battery applications
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been touted as game-changing nanomaterials in a wide variety of areas, but their actual commercial success has been less than expected thus far. To a large extent, the difficulty has centered around the tendency of CNTs…
Protecting oxidation-prone materials with a crust of salt
High-temperature synthesis of ceramics and other materials normally requires a cost-intensive inerting atmosphere to prevent oxidation. Now, researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany; www.fz-juelich.de) have developed a process — the molten salt shielded synthesis/sintering (MS3) process — that used molten salts…
U.S. Refining Industry Reckons with Uncertain Energy Future
Many indicators point to current success and prosperity for U.S. petroleum refineries, but simultaneously, the industry is facing a future of massive changes in energy and transportation By many measures, the U.S. petroleum-refining industry is succeeding and prospering. According to…
Smart Sensors Enable Industry 4.0
Coupled with advanced analytics and networking capabilities, today’s smart sensors help processors optimize the facility Picture a piece of equipment not just monitoring its own health, but also automatically ordering the part it requires and, when it notes that the…
Focus on Weighing
This load cell is robust and hygienic The UltraPure single-point load cell (photo) is a comprehensive solution for hygienic process weighing and measurement of liquid level, mix ratios, dosage or batching, and is suitable for weighing on small hoppers and…
Facts at your Fingertips: Low-Temperature Handling
Processes involving extremely low temperatures present unique process design and safety challenges. This one-page reference outlines considerations for low-temperature operations. Direct contact Extremely low temperatures can rapidly freeze human tissue. Contact between a worker’s bare skin and a low-temperature vapor,…
Technology Profile: Polyethylene Furanoate Production
This column is based on “Polyethylene Furanoate Production — Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/polyethylene-furanoate-production-cost. Polyethylene furanoate (PEF) is a polymer synthesized from the copolymerization of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) with monoethylene glycol (MEG).…
Maintenance: Pursuing Improvements in Rotating Machinery
The variety of rotating equipment used in chemical manufacturing creates the need for diverse maintenance methods. Using new techniques can greatly improve the reliability and performance of all types of rotating machines The processes that are required to manufacture chemicals…
Maintenance Strategies in the Era of IIoT
The shift from reactive to prescriptive maintenance can be greatly aided by advanced digital tools and the implementation of an effective pilot program To be successful in today’s industrial business environment, companies in the chemical process industries (CPI) must maximize…