Many in the chemical process industries (CPI) view generative artificial intelligence (genAI) as a powerful augmentation layer for the modern chemical workforce, and one that can unlock insights faster, lead to leaner operations and provide a more intuitive interface between…
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are a class of biodegradable plastic materials that can be produced via a range of biological processes. Due to their versatile production pathways and physical properties, they have become an emerging alternative to fossil-based plastics. A new production…
Flow batteries have been widely deployed in large-scale energy-storage applications in recent years, but the low energy density and high cost of the incumbent vanadium electrolyte limit the long-term return on investment of such systems. A new organic redox flow-battery…
A new process called BioSintering takes advantage of plant-based bio-active molecules to fuse together particles at mild temperatures, yielding an alternative material for conventional ceramic tiles with a much lower carbon footprint. Developed by Dekiln (Manchester, U.K.; www.dekiln.com), the technology…
Calcining limestone (CaCO3) to produce lime (CaO) is a key industrial process for making cement, steel and chemicals, among other uses. Lime production is a target for CO2-abatement efforts because it generates a great deal of CO2 emissions, not only…
Traditional methods for making graphite involve heating premium needle coke and coal-tar pitch at temperatures above 3,000ºC in a process that requires several days of heating and cooling. A new process developed by researchers at the National Energy Technology Laboratory…
Scaling up new technologies is a strategic challenge requiring foresight and disciplined execution. Success demands designing pilot plants with scalability in mind. Applying a set of principles outlined here can reduce risk, improve investor confidence and enhance the likelihood of…
When scaling up from laboratory experiments to full-scale production, there are a strong set of reasons for constructing intermediate pilot-scale plants, but there are also some scale-up situations where it may pay off to skip the pilot studies Pilot-plant studies…
Today, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB; Washington, D.C.; www.csb.gov) released its final investigation report into the July 2023 explosions, fires, and toxic ethylene oxide (EtO) release at the Dow Chemical Company’s (Dow) Louisiana Operations Glycol II plant…
Air Liquide S.A. (Paris) and Holcim (Zug, Switzerland) reach a new stage in their collaboration with the signing of an agreement to develop a state-of-the-art carbon capture solution for Holcim’s near-zero cement plant at Obourg in Belgium. Air Liquide has been…