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Thermally switchable solvents allow selective extraction of lithium from brine mixtures
Extracting lithium from currently underutilized brines, such as geothermal and oilfield brines, will be necessary to meet the growing demand for lithium in energy-storage applications in the future. Technical hurdles for extracting lithium from these sources include the relatively low…
Improved recycling process for PGMs in electrolyzers and fuel cells preserves fluorinated-membrane materials for recovery
Current recycling methods for recovering platinum-group metals (PGMs) from catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) used in proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and fuel cells incinerate the highly valuable membrane material, requiring the manufacture of new material and the management of hydrogen fluoride offgas…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Biocompatible materials
Biocompatible materials are designed and engineered to be introduced into the human body, either temporarily or permanently, as part of a medical device, to bring about therapeutic medical benefits. Biocompatible materials include various types of metals, ceramics, polymers and composite…
Induction-activated catalysis electrifies the production of olefins from plastic waste
A new approach to advanced recycling combines heterogeneous catalysis with electromagnetic induction, enabling the conversion of polyolefin-rich waste streams into versatile materials. Developed by bobine (Strasbourg, France; www.bobine-chemistry.com), this fully electric technology can help decarbonize the production of olefins like…
Business News: April 2026
Plant Watch Indorama Ventures to establish one of Africa’s largest recycling facilities for PET March 12, 2026 — Indorama Ventures Ltd. (Bangkok, Thailand; www.indoramaventures.com), Nigerian Breweries p.l.c. and Genesis Power & Energy Solutions Ltd. plan to establish one of Africa’s…
Plasmon-assisted electrochemistry allows a greener approach to olefin epoxidation
Olefin epoxidation is an important reaction for making a range of industrial intermediates in processes for epoxy coatings, polyurethanes, polyester textiles, surfactants, specialty chemicals, pharmaceuticals and others. Conventional olefin epoxidation involves organo-peroxides or organo-halogen oxidants, which present safety and environmental…
What HAZOP Information Really Represents — and How It Should Be Managed
HAZOP data management should be treated as a systemic process-safety issue, as it can be a significant and invisible source of inefficiency. This article describes the principles required to create HAZOP records that can stand on their own over time…
Nanostructured sorbent and electro-resistive heating lower costs for DAC system
Minimizing cost is the key parameter for the viability of direct-air-capture (DAC) systems that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The startup company Sustaera Inc. (Research Triangle Park, N.C.; www.sustaera.com) has built a prototype DAC system that it says can…
The Role of Flowability in Powder and Bulk-Solids Safety
Flow behavior of solid materials can have a significant impact on safety. These case studies illustrate how a better understanding of flow behavior can reduce safety risks At least 75% of chemical process and manufacturing operations involve bulk solids in…
Focus On: Software
Updated mobile app allows more from SCADA software This company redesigned the mobile app for its software-as-a-service (SaaS) supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software (photo). The new app is designed to allow operators and technicians to do more in…