Latest News: Technologies
Chementator Briefs
Fe-free HTS catalyst Last month at the Nitrogen + Syngas 2016 conference (Berlin, Germany; February 29–March 3), Haldor Topsøe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) introduced SK-501 Flex, a new high-temperature shift (HTS) catalyst with the unique ability to operate at any…
A new catalyst may reduce costs of catalytic converters
Conventional catalytic converters in automobiles are based on heterogeneous catalyst systems with precious metals (such as Pt and Pd), rare earth elements and Ce (in the form of CeO2). However, the cost and limited resources of such metals is driving…
Recovering rhenium photochemically
Professor Hisao Hori and his research group at Kanagawa University (Hiratsuka City, Japan; www.kanagawa-u.ac.jp) have reported what is said to be the first photo-induced recovery of rhenium from aqueous solutions — an achievement with implications for an inexpensive way to…
Metal-organic-framework adsorbent promise to cut costs for capturing and storing flare gas
A process for the separation and recovery of stranded and associated natural gas is being developed by Framergy, Inc. (Wilmington, Del.; www.framergy.com), with support from the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I program. The company is…
Bio-based heat-transfer fluid for solar-thermal applications
A recently introduced heat-transfer fluid is made from corn sugar, rather than from petroleum. Known as So-Blu, the fluid was developed through a joint effort of Dupont Tate & Lyle BioProducts (Loudon, Tenn.; www.duponttateandlyle.com) and SolarUS Inc. (Branford, Conn.; www.solarus.com),…
A technique for making superhydrophobic metals
A scalable technology for allowing the cost-effective manufacture of superhydrophobic metallic coatings has been demonstrated in the laboratory. The method could have applications for heat exchangers, condensers, high-temperature and high-conductivity applications and other types of equipment. The startup company Maxterial…
Engineering bacteria to tolerate higher temperatures
Vigorous microbial growth in bioreactors raises cell density, which is a source of heat stress and can hinder production efficiency. To address the issue, scientists have tried introducing genes for heat-shock proteins (HSPs) into workhorse industrial bacteria like Escherichia coli,…
A new process to make olefins from syngas
Light olefins, such as ethylene and propylene, are primarily made by the catalytic cracking of crude oil. Alternatively, two other methods were developed during the time of high oil prices, both of which convert synthesis gas (syngas) to olefins: the…
First commercial-scale gas fermenter in U.S. to break ground
The first commercial-scale, natural-gas-fermentation facility in the U.S. will break ground by the end of 2016, according to Alan Shaw, CEO of Calysta Inc. (Menlo Park, Calif.; www.calysta.com). In a collaboration with agricultural giant Cargill Inc. (Minneapolis, Minn.; www.cargill.com), Calysta…
Making H2 and graphite from methane
Sydney University’s Laboratory for Sustainable Technology (Sydney, Australia; www.sydney.edu.au) and the technology-commercialization-firm Hazer Group (Perth, Australia; www.hazergroup.com.au) are collaborating to scale up the Hazer Process, which uses an iron-ore catalyst to produce hydrogen and graphite from natural gas. Natural gas…