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Nickel photocatalyst produces hydrogen from water
F O C U S been tested commercially at Basell units in Italy and The Netherlands and will be ready for launch in 2003. Chemical and Engineering News, 13 May 2002, 80 (19), 12 & European Chemical News, 13 May 2002, 76 (2005), 29 & Chemical Market Reporter, 13 May 2002 (Website: http://www.chemexpo.com/cmronline) & Chemische Rundschau, 17 May 2002, 55 (10), 10 (in German)
EPDM: first grades based on metallocene DuPont Dow Elastomers has announced a new series of EPDM grades for 2H 2002, which are especially economical to process. They are made using a combination of metallocene catalyst technology and gas-phase polymerization. They will come onto the market under the name Nordel MG and will be available as granulate. The company says a 20% reduction in mixing times, a 510% bigger mixer load, and a reduction in energy consumption during mixing can be achieved. Kautschuk und Gummi, Kunststoffe, 27 May 2002, 55 (5), 262 (in German)
BASF considers PO unit based on novel process BASF has finished pilot scale trials at Ludwigshafen, Germany, on its direct oxidation process for making propylene oxide (PO) from propylene. This makes no by-products except water, in contrast with the normal coproduction of styrene. BASF is giving itself two years to decide on a 250,000 tonne/y plant using the process. BASF and Solvay have formed a 50:50 jv to build a 200,000 tonne/y hydrogen peroxide plant to supply the oxidising agent for the PO plant. The plant may be in the Nafta region or Asia, with start up in the beginning of 2007, with PO supplying polyurethane production. Other companies seeking a direct route to PO include Degussa-Hüls and Krupp Uhde. European Chemical News, 27 May 2002, 76 (2007), 30 & Chimie Hebdo, 27 May 2002, (173), 5 (in French)
New phenol process yet to go commercial The new phenol process developed by Solutia and the Boreskov Institute of Catalysts, Russia, has attracted the
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interest of industry but has not yet been applied commercially. The new process uses the direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol by nitrous oxide using a modified zeolite catalyst. There is no acetone by-product. Solutia has shelved plans for a new plant using the technology, that was due to have been completed in 2003. Asian Chemical News, 6 May 2002, 8 (356), 23
Nickel photocatalyst produces hydrogen from water Researchers at the Photoreaction Control Research Center at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan are developing a lightabsorbing material which offers the potential of photoelectrolysis to make hydrogen from water. Nickel, Mar 2002, 17 (3), 7 (Nickel Development Institute, 214 King St W, Suite 510, Toronto, Canada M5H 3S6. Tel: +1 416 591 7999. Fax: +1 416 591 7897, website: http://www.nidi.org)
Asahi Kogyosha, Noritake devise solvent-deodorizing system Asahi Kogyosha Co and Noritake Co’s jointly developed system uses a photocatalyst to remove odours from organic solvents used to produce semiconductor materials. The photocatalyst comprises a thin titanium-dioxide film applied to a ceramic material. The companies are aiming for sales of 50 systems in the first year of manufacture, at an estimated price of Yen 500,000–1 M. Nikkei Net, 13 May 2002 (Website: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/)
‘Smop’ up precious metals from catalyst processes Johnson Matthey has launched Smopex, a scavenging system that quickly and efficiently retrieves low levels of precious metals from catalyst liquors. Smopex is designed to accommodate metal binding properties into thin polyolefin fibres with highly accessible, active functional groups that enable better metal uptake. With Smopex, metal losses are down to a minimum, yield is higher, and the final product is cleaner. Manufacturing Chemist, May 2002, 73 (5), 6
ENVIRONMENT Ford to replace some PGMs by REOs Rare earth oxides will be utilised by Ford Motor Co to replace up to 50% of the platinum group metal content in the catalytic converters of vehicles made in North America. The firm hopes to minimise its exposure to unstable PGM spot prices. The technology will be employed in the company’s 2003 models that will start rolling off the production line in the coming months. Industrial Minerals, Jun 2002, (417), 16
Clean Diesel Technologies introduces Platinum Plus to biodiesel Clean Diesel Technologies says that recent tests of its now available Platinum Plus fuel-borne catalyst (FBC) show it can give significant reductions in the emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and soot, when added to a blend of biodiesel and standard No 2 diesel fuel. In tests with a heavy-duty diesel engine, Platinum Plus added to a 20% blend of biodiesel and No 2 diesel cut hydrocarbon emissions by 27%, carbon monoxide by 20%, and particulate matter by 24%, while showing no significant changes in NOx emissions and no loss of fuel economy or power. Additional testing on an ultra-low sulfur diesel mixed with 20% biodiesel and Platinum Plus demonstrated 39% particulate reduction compared with standard No 2 diesel. A reduction in particulate matter of over 85% and a 15% NOx reduction was achieved when this fuel was used in conjunction with a diesel particulate filter and engine timing changes. Press release from Clean Diesel Technologies Inc, 300 Atlantic Street, Suite 702, Stanford, CT 06901-2522, USA. Tel: +1 203 327 7050. Fax: +1 203 323 0461. (19 April 2002)
Japan Energy’s technology removes more sulphur from diesel Japan Energy Corp’s new technique involves replacing the single cobaltmolybdenum catalyst in the desulfurization equipment with a double-layer structure of cobaltmolybdenum and nickel-molybdenum. This allows the desulfurization
JULY 2002
EPDM: first grades based on metallocene DuPont Dow Elastomers has announced a new series of EPDM grades for 2H 2002, which are especially economical to process. They are made using a combination of metallocene catalyst technology and gas-phase polymerization. They will come onto the market under the name Nordel MG and will be available as granulate. The company says a 20% reduction in mixing times, a 510% bigger mixer load, and a reduction in energy consumption during mixing can be achieved. Kautschuk und Gummi, Kunststoffe, 27 May 2002, 55 (5), 262 (in German)
BASF considers PO unit based on novel process BASF has finished pilot scale trials at Ludwigshafen, Germany, on its direct oxidation process for making propylene oxide (PO) from propylene. This makes no by-products except water, in contrast with the normal coproduction of styrene. BASF is giving itself two years to decide on a 250,000 tonne/y plant using the process. BASF and Solvay have formed a 50:50 jv to build a 200,000 tonne/y hydrogen peroxide plant to supply the oxidising agent for the PO plant. The plant may be in the Nafta region or Asia, with start up in the beginning of 2007, with PO supplying polyurethane production. Other companies seeking a direct route to PO include Degussa-Hüls and Krupp Uhde. European Chemical News, 27 May 2002, 76 (2007), 30 & Chimie Hebdo, 27 May 2002, (173), 5 (in French)
New phenol process yet to go commercial The new phenol process developed by Solutia and the Boreskov Institute of Catalysts, Russia, has attracted the
6
O N
C ATA LY S T S
interest of industry but has not yet been applied commercially. The new process uses the direct hydroxylation of benzene to phenol by nitrous oxide using a modified zeolite catalyst. There is no acetone by-product. Solutia has shelved plans for a new plant using the technology, that was due to have been completed in 2003. Asian Chemical News, 6 May 2002, 8 (356), 23
Nickel photocatalyst produces hydrogen from water Researchers at the Photoreaction Control Research Center at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology in Japan are developing a lightabsorbing material which offers the potential of photoelectrolysis to make hydrogen from water. Nickel, Mar 2002, 17 (3), 7 (Nickel Development Institute, 214 King St W, Suite 510, Toronto, Canada M5H 3S6. Tel: +1 416 591 7999. Fax: +1 416 591 7897, website: http://www.nidi.org)
Asahi Kogyosha, Noritake devise solvent-deodorizing system Asahi Kogyosha Co and Noritake Co’s jointly developed system uses a photocatalyst to remove odours from organic solvents used to produce semiconductor materials. The photocatalyst comprises a thin titanium-dioxide film applied to a ceramic material. The companies are aiming for sales of 50 systems in the first year of manufacture, at an estimated price of Yen 500,000–1 M. Nikkei Net, 13 May 2002 (Website: http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/)
‘Smop’ up precious metals from catalyst processes Johnson Matthey has launched Smopex, a scavenging system that quickly and efficiently retrieves low levels of precious metals from catalyst liquors. Smopex is designed to accommodate metal binding properties into thin polyolefin fibres with highly accessible, active functional groups that enable better metal uptake. With Smopex, metal losses are down to a minimum, yield is higher, and the final product is cleaner. Manufacturing Chemist, May 2002, 73 (5), 6
ENVIRONMENT Ford to replace some PGMs by REOs Rare earth oxides will be utilised by Ford Motor Co to replace up to 50% of the platinum group metal content in the catalytic converters of vehicles made in North America. The firm hopes to minimise its exposure to unstable PGM spot prices. The technology will be employed in the company’s 2003 models that will start rolling off the production line in the coming months. Industrial Minerals, Jun 2002, (417), 16
Clean Diesel Technologies introduces Platinum Plus to biodiesel Clean Diesel Technologies says that recent tests of its now available Platinum Plus fuel-borne catalyst (FBC) show it can give significant reductions in the emissions of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and soot, when added to a blend of biodiesel and standard No 2 diesel fuel. In tests with a heavy-duty diesel engine, Platinum Plus added to a 20% blend of biodiesel and No 2 diesel cut hydrocarbon emissions by 27%, carbon monoxide by 20%, and particulate matter by 24%, while showing no significant changes in NOx emissions and no loss of fuel economy or power. Additional testing on an ultra-low sulfur diesel mixed with 20% biodiesel and Platinum Plus demonstrated 39% particulate reduction compared with standard No 2 diesel. A reduction in particulate matter of over 85% and a 15% NOx reduction was achieved when this fuel was used in conjunction with a diesel particulate filter and engine timing changes. Press release from Clean Diesel Technologies Inc, 300 Atlantic Street, Suite 702, Stanford, CT 06901-2522, USA. Tel: +1 203 327 7050. Fax: +1 203 323 0461. (19 April 2002)
Japan Energy’s technology removes more sulphur from diesel Japan Energy Corp’s new technique involves replacing the single cobaltmolybdenum catalyst in the desulfurization equipment with a double-layer structure of cobaltmolybdenum and nickel-molybdenum. This allows the desulfurization
JULY 2002