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boria improves yield of middle distillate
F O C U S separate solid state catalyst. The liquid composition consists of a bleaching agent and one or more inorganic or organic acids. HAPPI, Household & Personal Products Industry, Mar 2010, 47 (3), 22
Bio-based adipic acid milestone by Verdezyne US firm Verdezyne has successfully realized a proof of concept in its development project by demonstrating manufacture and recovery of adipic acid generated by a yeast microorganism from an alkane feedstock. This marks the company’s first milestone towards demonstrating a 100% feedstock-flexible fermentation method for adipic acid production. Adipic acid is a key starting material for polyamides and polyurethanes production. Verdezyne’s adipic acid production route has at least 20% cost advantage compared with conventional petroleum-based route. Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2010, 117 (3), 14
ENVIRONMENT BASF emissions control catalyst plant in Russia successfully completes first year of operation On 17 Mar 2010 BASF Catalysts marked the first anniversary of its mobile emissions catalyst plant in Krasnogorsk. The plant is part of BASF’s global strategy to serve the world’s established and emerging markets for advanced emission control technologies. Mikhail Rodkin (Director, Environmental Catalysis Research at BASF Catalysts) said that BASF sees Russia as an important part of the group’s global growth strategy for emission control technologies (in which it is already a technology and market leader). As with BASF’s other mobile emissions catalysts sites around the world, the Krasnogorsk site features state-ofthe-art manufacturing capabilities as well as a sophisticated quality control lab to serve automotive manufacturers. Press release from: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0)621 600. Website: http://www.basf.com (17 Mar 2010)
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IBM and Stanford tout catalysts for creating recyclable, biodegradable polymers A catalyst technology that provides potential for new polymers and plastic recycling methods has been developed by IBM and researchers from Stanford University. The researchers say the organocatalysis process will make possible the fabrication of new types of biodegradable, biocompatible polymers. According to a paper published in the Macromolecules journal, the environmentally benign organic catalysts can turn renewable resources into products that can rival currently available materials produced using traditional catalysts. In the paper, researchers also detailed recycling methods that would permit a closed-loop life cycle while reducing environmental impact. Further, the team has come up with a strategy to produce cyclic polyesters and new families of biocompatible polymers for medical applications. The new catalysts are particularly advantageous to PET recycling since they can depolymerize PET more rapidly using less energy compared with standard technologies. The scientists will work with colleagues at the King Adbulaziz City for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia to develop the PET recycling process. Plastics News, 11 Mar 2010 (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
PATENTS Alumina/boria improves yield of middle distillate The aim of this cracking catalyst is to increase the yield of middle distillate. The catalyst is a mixture of USY, exchanged with platinum, with alumina-boria. US 7,700,818, Nippon Oil Corp, Tokyo, Japan, 20 Apr 2010
Nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst The aim of this catalyst is to decompose nitrous oxide in the temperature range 800-1000° C. The preferred material is cobalt aluminate
on ceria containing up to 2% of zirconia. US 7,700,519, Yara International ASA, Oslo, Norway, 20 Apr 2010
Conversion of aliphatic ethers to alpha olefins The conversion of ethers to alcohols over a gamma alumina catalyst, whilst minimising isomerisation, is well known. This patent teaches that the selectivity at high conversions is improved if the alumina contains lanthana. US 7,700,817, NOVA Chemicals (International) SA, Canada, 20 Apr 2010
Fuel cell catalyst To minimise the platinum content of fuel cell catalysts whilst maintaining their activity has long been an objective of fuel cell developers. In this invention, the platinum is alloyed with copper and dispersed into particles of less that 35 Angstroms in diameter. US 7,700,521, Symyx Solutions Inc, Sunnyvale, CA, USA & Honda Giken KKK, Tokyo, Japan, 20 Apr 2010
Improved MTO catalyst compositions The methanol-to-olefins process is well established and typically uses a SAPO-type molecular sieve, but this suffers from coking and catalyst ageing. These problems can be minimised by formulating the catalyst with a co-catalyst which is a mixed metal oxide having redox functionality under the process conditions. The mixed metals exemplified are Ce/Zr, La/Mn/Co. US 7,700,816, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 20 Apr 2010
Conversion of methane to methanol The established process, used since the 1920s, is capital-intensive and uses high pressures. The proposed alternative process, based on an invention by Dow Global Technologies published in 2002 (US 6,452,058), would avoid these problems. There are three stages: oxidative chlorination to give methylene chloride; hydrolysis of the methylene chloride to formaldehyde; and hydrogenation of the formaldehyde to
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Bio-based adipic acid milestone by Verdezyne US firm Verdezyne has successfully realized a proof of concept in its development project by demonstrating manufacture and recovery of adipic acid generated by a yeast microorganism from an alkane feedstock. This marks the company’s first milestone towards demonstrating a 100% feedstock-flexible fermentation method for adipic acid production. Adipic acid is a key starting material for polyamides and polyurethanes production. Verdezyne’s adipic acid production route has at least 20% cost advantage compared with conventional petroleum-based route. Chemical Engineering (New York), Mar 2010, 117 (3), 14
ENVIRONMENT BASF emissions control catalyst plant in Russia successfully completes first year of operation On 17 Mar 2010 BASF Catalysts marked the first anniversary of its mobile emissions catalyst plant in Krasnogorsk. The plant is part of BASF’s global strategy to serve the world’s established and emerging markets for advanced emission control technologies. Mikhail Rodkin (Director, Environmental Catalysis Research at BASF Catalysts) said that BASF sees Russia as an important part of the group’s global growth strategy for emission control technologies (in which it is already a technology and market leader). As with BASF’s other mobile emissions catalysts sites around the world, the Krasnogorsk site features state-ofthe-art manufacturing capabilities as well as a sophisticated quality control lab to serve automotive manufacturers. Press release from: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen, Germany. Tel: +49 (0)621 600. Website: http://www.basf.com (17 Mar 2010)
MAY 2010
O N
C ATA LY S T S
IBM and Stanford tout catalysts for creating recyclable, biodegradable polymers A catalyst technology that provides potential for new polymers and plastic recycling methods has been developed by IBM and researchers from Stanford University. The researchers say the organocatalysis process will make possible the fabrication of new types of biodegradable, biocompatible polymers. According to a paper published in the Macromolecules journal, the environmentally benign organic catalysts can turn renewable resources into products that can rival currently available materials produced using traditional catalysts. In the paper, researchers also detailed recycling methods that would permit a closed-loop life cycle while reducing environmental impact. Further, the team has come up with a strategy to produce cyclic polyesters and new families of biocompatible polymers for medical applications. The new catalysts are particularly advantageous to PET recycling since they can depolymerize PET more rapidly using less energy compared with standard technologies. The scientists will work with colleagues at the King Adbulaziz City for Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia to develop the PET recycling process. Plastics News, 11 Mar 2010 (Website: http://www.plasticsnews.com)
PATENTS Alumina/boria improves yield of middle distillate The aim of this cracking catalyst is to increase the yield of middle distillate. The catalyst is a mixture of USY, exchanged with platinum, with alumina-boria. US 7,700,818, Nippon Oil Corp, Tokyo, Japan, 20 Apr 2010
Nitrous oxide decomposition catalyst The aim of this catalyst is to decompose nitrous oxide in the temperature range 800-1000° C. The preferred material is cobalt aluminate
on ceria containing up to 2% of zirconia. US 7,700,519, Yara International ASA, Oslo, Norway, 20 Apr 2010
Conversion of aliphatic ethers to alpha olefins The conversion of ethers to alcohols over a gamma alumina catalyst, whilst minimising isomerisation, is well known. This patent teaches that the selectivity at high conversions is improved if the alumina contains lanthana. US 7,700,817, NOVA Chemicals (International) SA, Canada, 20 Apr 2010
Fuel cell catalyst To minimise the platinum content of fuel cell catalysts whilst maintaining their activity has long been an objective of fuel cell developers. In this invention, the platinum is alloyed with copper and dispersed into particles of less that 35 Angstroms in diameter. US 7,700,521, Symyx Solutions Inc, Sunnyvale, CA, USA & Honda Giken KKK, Tokyo, Japan, 20 Apr 2010
Improved MTO catalyst compositions The methanol-to-olefins process is well established and typically uses a SAPO-type molecular sieve, but this suffers from coking and catalyst ageing. These problems can be minimised by formulating the catalyst with a co-catalyst which is a mixed metal oxide having redox functionality under the process conditions. The mixed metals exemplified are Ce/Zr, La/Mn/Co. US 7,700,816, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 20 Apr 2010
Conversion of methane to methanol The established process, used since the 1920s, is capital-intensive and uses high pressures. The proposed alternative process, based on an invention by Dow Global Technologies published in 2002 (US 6,452,058), would avoid these problems. There are three stages: oxidative chlorination to give methylene chloride; hydrolysis of the methylene chloride to formaldehyde; and hydrogenation of the formaldehyde to
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