Latest News
Facts At Your Fingertips: Discharging Solids from Bins and Hoppers
The chemical and physical properties of some solid materials render them prone to restricted flow and flow stoppages when discharging from bins and hoppers. This one-page reference outlines common solids-flow problems, as well as strategies and devices that can aid…
Business News: February 2026
Plant Watch Solstice announces manufacturing expansions in Germany and the U.S. January 15, 2026 — Solstice Advanced Materials (Morris Plains, N.J.; www.solstice.com) has completed two significant manufacturing expansions: a recently completed €5.5-million expansion of its stannous fluoride manufacturing facility in…
A water-durable construction material that also sequesters CO2
A new structural material builds upon the promise of enzyme-enhanced CO2 mineralization to overcome decarbonization challenges in the construction industry. Researchers from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI; Worcester, Mass.; www.wpi.edu), led by Nima Rahbar, head of WPI’s Department of Civil, Environmental…
New transparent insulator material could improve heat efficiency of buildings
Buildings lose considerable heating and cooling energy through their windows, so window coatings with low thermal conductivity would improve efficiency. However, finding insulating materials that are also transparent is a challenge. A team of researchers at the University of Colorado…
Smart Technologies for CPI Flow-Measurement Challenges
Diagnostics, self-monitoring and digital communication detect flowmeter issues, provide insight Accurate flow measurement is the backbone of chemical process optimization. Today’s flowmeters are being enhanced with smart technologies and other advances designed to overcome flow monitoring challenges in the chemical…
Quantum chemistry helps uncover path to safer ozone-based water disinfection
Ozone is seen an a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative to chlorine for water disinfection, but the efficient generation of ozone on-demand and at commercially relevant scales has been hindered by catalytic degradation problems. A team of researchers from…
Process achieves high yield and selectivity for converting polystyrene to toluene
Polystyrene (PS) is among the more difficult-to-recycle fractions of plastic waste, but could be a source of valuable aromatic petrochemicals, such as toluene. Prior approaches to convert PS to toluene have exhibited low yields and a range of products. Now,…
Subsurface synthesis could unlock a new source of ammonia
The search for a new ammonia-synthesis method has now driven research and development work underground, literally. Addis Energy (Somerville, Mass.; www.addisenergy.com) is launching a subsurface synthesis technology that takes advantage of geologic chemistry to produce ammonia. “Addis Energy’s process uses…
CPI support for data center expansion
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) technologies has presented the chemical process industries (CPI) with opportunities for improving process efficiency, asset maintenance, product development and plant safety. While not fully realized in the CPI, the potential…
Focus On: Motors and Drives
Variable-frequency drives designed for ease-of-use The EZ VFD® family of variable-frequency drives (photo) for¼- to 2-horsepower (hp) applications are feature-rich models designed for ease of installation and usage. They are plug-and-play for most applications and include easily adjusted trimpots for…