Last month, construction was completed on the world’s first commercial plant to produce a next-generation solid fuel, called Bio-cokes, at Takatsuki, Japan. The renewable material is produced from forest residues and can be used as an alternative to coal-based coke…
A team led by Rice University (Houston; www.rice.edu) researcher Michael Deem has assembled a database of 2.6 million possible unique zeolites — porous silicate minerals often used as catalysts or molecular sieves. The database of potential structures could inform efforts…
Underground pipes A hand-held device for locating buried pipe will be commercialized by Sensit Technologies (Valparaiso, Ind.; www.gasleaksensors.com) under license from Gas Technology Institute (GTI, Des Plaines, Ill.; gastechnology.org.). GTI says the technology is expected to save industry millions…
Scaleup is set for two technologies that facilitate the capture of carbon dioxide from fluegas by substituting oxygen for combustion air. Oxycombustion, as it is called, results in a much smaller fluegas stream, containing up to 90% CO2; part of…
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL; Livermore, Calif.; www.llnl.gov) have created a nanocrystalline diamond aerogel. The new aerogel was produced by compressing a standard carbon-based aerogel precursor in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell, which consists of two opposing diamonds.…
Along with an innovative elastomeric compound, scientists at Federal Mogul Corp. (Southfield, Mich; www.federalmogul.com) have developed a rubber manufacturing process that eliminates the need for curing in a batch oven after molding. The proprietary compound, known as K16, is intended…
A research team from Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos, N.M.; www.lanl.gov) has developed a novel catalyst for the cathode of a fuel cell that avoids using expensive ($1,800/oz.) platinum metal. The cathode catalyst is on based carbon, partially derived…
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA; Ibaraki, www.jaea.go.jp) has enhanced the efficiency of a solvent-extraction process to separate organic solvents from water contaminated by radioactive waste. JAEA was able to reduce the toluene concentration from 5,000 parts per million (ppm) to…
A system that utilizes existing biological wastewater-treatment facilities for destruction of biodegradable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other organic hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) has been demonstrated at three U.S. petroleum-refining and chemical facilities, and the developer has plans to extend…
Spider silk has many unique properties that make it suitable for applications such as coatings and medical products. As a protein, the silk is remarkably stable and is only destroyed physically or digested and recycled by the spider. However, an…