Latest News
Improved version of PFAS capture-and-destruction technology commissioned in Germany
Following regulations for drinking water, increasingly stringent limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in industrial wastewater are anticipated, necessitating improved technology to handle higher rates of removal, as well as to destroy the compounds in concentrated samples. Gradiant (Boston,…
MOF story shows science’s strengths
In October, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize for chemistry to three pioneers who were instrumental in the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Richard Robson (University of Melbourne; www.unimelb.edu.au), Susumu Kitagawa (Kyoto University; www.kyoto-u.ac.jp and…
Considerable scaleup underway for continuous carbon-fiber recycling
Carbon-fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are used in a broad range of products, including automotive parts, construction materials and many others. Economically recycling these materials has proven challenging due to their multi-material makeup. Typically, they are chopped into pellets or strips…
Decarbonizing with Large-Scale Heat Pumps
Decarbonizing industrial process heat is challenging. Heat pumps offer a path to convert previously unused waste heat into low-carbon steam Industrial operations are notoriously difficult to decarbonize, but a project currently underway in Germany illustrates that there are viable pathways…
First continuous and scalable ambient pathway to electrically conductive plastics
Electrically conductive plastics, also known as conjugated polymers, bring many cutting-edge benefits for flexible sensors, medical devices, energy-storage systems and more. They are currently produced at relatively small volumes and come with extremely high prices. A novel technology discovered at…
CO2-utilization technology makes renewable acrylonitrile
Nearly all of the currently produced building-block chemical acrylonitrile (AN) results from the ammoxidation of propylene, a process that requires precise heat control and generates several toxic side products, such as hydrogen cyanide. The startup company Mars Materials (Houston, Tex.;…
Focus On: Industrial Housekeeping
A hazardous-materials storage system with climate control The WHS hazardous-material storage system (photo) features intelligent air conditioning to combat extreme weather, and to allow storage of substances that must be stored under precise temperature conditions. The integrated heating and cooling…
Software Features Empower Process Optimization
AI, machine learning and predictive analytics encourage faster, data-driven decision making To help offset the loss of experienced operators and optimize operations, advanced features, such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and predictive analytics, are being applied to software…
Advanced Mixing Technologies for Efficient Lithium Processing
In lithium processing, advanced mixing technologies — applied across the crystallization, carbonization and decomposition steps — can serve as critical enablers in meeting efficiency, scalability and sustainability demands Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is a key raw material in the production of…
Business News: November 2025
Plant Watch World-scale black pellet plant begins commercial operation in Vietnam October 14, 2025 — Idemitsu Kosan Co. (Tokyo; www.idemitsu.com) has commenced commercial operation of its newly constructed plant in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, to produce black pellets (BP), a…