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Spark ablation technology cuts iridium use by 90% in PEM water electrolysis
Proton-exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis holds significant promise for “green” hydrogen production, but broader adoption hinges on reducing dependence on costly platinum-group metals, such as iridium. A new production method for ultra-thin nanoporous layers developed by VSParticle B.V. (VSP; Delft,…
Field trials demonstrate the ability of novel scavenger to remove H2S from natural gas
Field demonstration trials of a novel method for removing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from natural gas were recently completed in the Permian basin (Texas, USA). The trials demonstrated the ability of the technology, known as ECOTREAT®, to remove H2S from gas…
Business News: August 2026
Plant Watch Air Liquide to supply ultra-high-purity gases to semiconductor fab in Arizona July 16, 2026 — Air Liquide S.A. (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) announced a new investment of over $160 million to build, own and operate a new large-scale production…
Drum Screen Evolution: Eliminating Trunnion Wheels Reduces Downtime and Cost
Through a trunnion-free drum-screen technology, fine screening applications with high solids loading can achieve their goals while controlling costs and reducing risk For fine screening and small-particle removal in applications like wastewater treatment, few technologies offer as much value as…
Taming reactive radicals to streamline C-glycoside drug synthesis
Many widely used pharmaceuticals depend on a carbohydrate class known as C-glycosides, which are metabolically stable and acid-resistant. Although they can be made from common sugars like dextrose, C-glycosides have proven difficult to synthesize due to the preponderance of hydroxyl…
Autonomous chemistry system identifies high-performing and tunable catalysts
Researchers at North Carolina State University (NCSU; Raleigh; www.ncsu.edu) and the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill; www.unc.edu), with the support of Eastman Chemical Co. (www.eastman.com), have developed a closed-loop autonomous catalysis platform for identifying high-performing catalyst formulations and for…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Comparing Steam and Heat-Transfer-Fluid Utility Systems
While modern steam systems trace their history to James Watt’s steam engine in 1776, heat-transfer-fluid (HTF) systems are more recent, dating to 1926 with the use of diphenyl oxide as a heat recovery agent in power plants [1]. This one-page…
Microwave irradiation and ion exchange lower cost of battery upcycling
Approaches for recycling cathode active materials from used lithium-ion batteries generally face a tradeoff wherein recovering materials with the widest range of possibilities for re-use, such as pyrometallurgical methods, generally require high energy and long process times, while direct-recycling approaches…
The Hidden Constraint: How Decarbonization is Reshaping Steam Systems
Steam systems are among the most deeply integrated — yet routinely overlooked — utility systems in the CPI. As decarbonization initiatives take off, steam systems are impacted in ways that can influence project feasibility, operability and economics Steam systems have…
Application-Specific Valves Deliver Reliability
Engineering valves for a specific application increases performance in challenging and complex chemical processes Valves play a critical role in the chemical process industries (CPI). They help manage capital-intensive operations, protect equipment and support environmental compliance. Rather than relying on…