Scientists from the A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research) Institute for Chemical and Engineering Sciences (Singapore; www.a-star.edu.sg) have shown that a copper catalyst can incorporate CO2 into organic molecules under mild conditions, opening the way to an inexpensive, nontoxic…
A nonionic surfactant that is derived from renewable chemicals can outperform common solvents in a range of applications, including industrial cleaning, adhesive removal, degreasing, paint and coating removal, and others. The molecule (N,N-dimethyl-9-decenamide), marketed as Steposol MET-10U, is the first…
The first phase of a study on the feasibility of producing methane from CO2 has been completed by Hitachi Zosen Corp. (Tokyo; www.hitachizosen.co.jp) and Daiki Ataka Engineering Co. (Daiki Ataka) a subsidy of Hitachi Zosen, in collaboration with PTT Exploring…
A newly developed proprietary terpolymer from GE Water and Process Technologies (Trevose, Pa.; www.gewater.com) has been shown to provide improved scale control on heat-transfer surfaces in low- to intermediate- (up to 900 psig) pressure-steam boilers. Deposit formation on heat-transfer and…
Shinji Inagaki and colleagues at Toyota Central R&D Labs, Inc. (Nagakute City, Japan; www.tytlabs.com) have synthesized an entirely new immobilization support that can be used to recycle and reuse metalo-organic-complex catalysts, which are widely used for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals…
Production of monoethylene glycol (MEG) from waste carbon dioxide has been validated in a demonstration-scale reaction cell developed by Liquid Light Corp. (Monmouth Junction, N.J.; www.llchemical.com). The company says the catalytic-electrochemistry-technology platform used to make MEG can also produce a…
Lithium is an element of growing importance for the production of batteries and nuclear fuels. Because Japan relies completely on imports of this material, with the majority coming from South America, the country is looking for alternative sources for this…
Last month, Alfa Laval AB (Lund, Sweden; www.alfalaval.com) introduced a new range of tantalum heat exchangers that offer the corrosion resistance of a solid-tantalum heat exchanger, but at a much lower investment cost. The heat exchangers are made of stainless…
Separation of micron-sized oil droplets from water is difficult by conventional methods. A Chinese team has developed an oleophilic array of conical needle structures that can continuously collect micron-sized oil droplets from an oil-water mixture with high efficiency and high…
Ammonia synthesis Last month, Haldor Topsøe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) introduced a new ammonia-synthesis catalyst. Tradenamed KM 111, the new catalyst is a magnetite-based catalyst developed for optimal performance in the lower beds of NH3 converters. The KM 111 catalyst…