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OrganoClick wins first order, plans production plant
FOCUS M for nine months of 2010 ($4.808 M in nine months of 2009). Verenium Corp is a pioneer in the development and commercialisation of high-performance enzymes for use in industrial processes. The financial figures for the company are presented in tables. Verenium financial reports 3Q and nine months of 2010, 9 Nov 2010 (Verenium Corp, 55 Cambridge Parkway, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. Tel: +1 617 674 5300. Website: http://www.verenium.com)
NEW PLANTS China’s Hubei Biocause to build crude C4 to C3 olefin conversion plant Hubei Biocause Pharmaceutical plans to construct an olefins conversion unit (OCU) in Jingmen, central Hubei province, at a cost of Yuan 302 M ($45.4 M). The 200,000 tonne/y plant will produce propylene using the process of catalytic cracking of crude C4. ICIS Chemical Business, 1 Nov 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Technologies selected for Pucheng project Pucheng Clean Energy Chemical Co (PCEC) will use a second-generation demonstration methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process, called DMTO-II, at its new polyolefins and MTO project in Pucheng, Shaanxi province, China. Chinese companies led by parent firm Shaanxi Coal Chemical Group developed the technology. The Unipol process from Univation Technologies will be used for a 300,000 tonne/y polyethylene plant, and a Lyondell Basell Industries technology will be adopted at a polypropylene unit. Startup of the plants is slated for 2013. ICIS Chemical Business, 8 Nov 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
NEW TECHNOLOGY Recent progress in catalytic technology in Japan – II (1994-2009) The Japanese chemical industry has been remarkably prolific in developing
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industrial catalytic processes. A tabulation lists 96 processes developed by 42 companies. Applied Catalysis A: General, 1 Dec 2010, 389 (1-2), 27-45
Nanodiamond excels as industrial catalyst Researchers at Shenyang National Laboratory for Material Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ridjer Boskovic Institute Zagreb, Croatia, and Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Germany are researching into the potential of nanodiamond as a catalyst for styrene manufacture. Studies show that nanodiamond is almost three times better than conventional potassium-iron as a catalyst for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene, the conventional method for producing styrene. Nanotechweb, 28 Oct 2010 (Website: http://nanotechweb.org)
Biofuels from biomass Workers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, have devised a two-stage process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into high-value hydrocarbons. Hydroprocessing, over a precious metal catalyst, yields a mixture of oxygenates which are converted to hydrocarbon gases using a zeolite catalyst. A company, Anellotech, has been created to commercialise the technology. Chemistry and Industry, 6 Dec 2010, (23), 8
Butadiene rubber industry should develop new and efficient catalysts The development in China of patented processes and catalysts for the production of cis-1,4-butadiene rubber (BR) is described. A current development focus is the use of neodymium catalysts to replace traditional titanium catalysts. Patented BR technology based on neodymium catalysts is soon to be commercialized by CNPC and the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry. Issues faced by Chinese companies seeking to commercialize rare earth-based BR technology include those of price, performance, quality, and supply. Chinese BR capacity rose to about
625,000 tonne/y in 2009 and accounted for around 20% of the global total. Startup of new BR units by Sinopec Fujian Refining & Chemical Co Ltd (50,000 tonne/y) and CNPC Sichuan Petrochemical (150,000 tonne/y) will increase Chinese BR capacity to over 800,000 tonne/y. However, a somewhat slower increase in downstream demand will result in an oversupply situation. The impact of alternative products and raw material supplies are also considered. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Oct 2010, 21 (19), 49
Sinopec developed new titanium catalyst for polyesters A new catalyst, containing titanium, has been developed in China by Sinopec Tianjin Petrochemical Co. The catalyst has been developed as a replacement for a more toxic catalyst (containing antimony) used in polyester production and it has been successfully utilised at the company’s 60,000 tonne/y polyester plant. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2010, 21 (21), 19
Bio-based fuels and feedstocks Biofuel and biofeedstock production processes developed by scientists promised to deliver both economic and environmental advantages. A catalytic glycerol-to-propylene process developed by a chemical engineering professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia offers several benefits, such as lower operating temperature and pressure, more efficient conversion, and fewer byproducts. Food and agricultural company Cargill is keen on producing propylene glycol using a proprietary process that can boost production efficiency by increasing yields and generating fewer by-products. SABIC has come up with a new process to produce polybutylene terephthalate (PET)- based resins and polyesterbased elastomers using PET waste, primarily from plastic bottles. Chemical Business (India), Aug 2010, 24 (8), 11-12
OrganoClick wins first order, plans production plant OrganoClick, Sweden, has received its first order in a sales and distribution
JANUARY 2011
FOCUS agreement with ML Wood Protection and is therefore looking at sites in Stockholm for the construction of a 7000 tonne/y plant for the production of cellulose materials with entirely new properties. The company’s laboratories and offices will be relocated to this site. A new SKR 15.5 M share issue will allow production to start as early as 1Q 2011. OrganoClick uses organic acids and catalysts to esterify and functionalize the glucose molecules in cellulose fibres which could, for example, make paper packaging, textiles, and wood stronger, stiffer, or water repellant. The agreement will be worth at least SKR 10 M in 2011 when OrganoClick’s partly owned daughter company OrganoWood will supply ML Wood Protection with several hundred tonnes of a fluid-based wood preservative product which can be used in pressure impregnation to protect against wood rot. It involves the coupling of minerals to cellulose fibres. As the mineral is flame retardant the product can also be used to make wood constructions flame resistant. OrganoClick has 6 employees and in 2011 will recruit process chemists, marketing personnel, etc. The company’s ambition is to build a new industrial company with its own production, marketing, sales, and development. Kemivarlden Biotech med Kemisk Tidskrift, Nov 2010, (11), 7 (in Swedish)
ENVIRONMENT More climate protection thanks to major reduction in nitrous oxide Bayer MaterialScience is driving forward the modernization of its production sites to make them more environmentally friendly. The conversion of a large chemical plant in Dormagen means the company is now able to virtually eliminate the site’s emissions of nitrous oxide, a gas that is harmful to the climate. The innovative EnviNOx process from Uhde was recently installed at the site for use in the manufacture of nitric acid. The process uses catalysis to convert nitrous oxide, a by-product far more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide, into nitrogen and water. Conversion work on the
JANUARY 2011
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Dormagen plant operated by chemical company INEOS was carried out at a cost of €6.5 M and is expected to reduce nitrous oxide emissions by 98% to 99%. Chlorine production more eco friendly: Bayer Material Science also uses an innovative, environmentally friendly process for the extremely energy-intensive production of chlorine, another essential basic chemical. This is known as oxygen-depolarized cathode technology, an electrolysis process developed in conjunction with partners for the production of chlorine from common salt. The first industrialscale facility of this kind is scheduled to go on stream at the Uerdingen site in 2011. This new technology reduces energy consumption, and thus greenhouse gases, by up to 30%. Emissions of CO2 equivalents are expected to decrease by 250,000 tonnes by 2020. Bayer MaterialScience has been utilizing oxygen-depolarized cathode technology for the energyefficient recovery of chlorine from hydrochloric acid since 2003. Press release from: Bayer AG, 51368 Leverkusen, Germany. Tel: +49 214301. Fax: +49 214 305 8923. Website: http://www.bayer.com (Nov 2010)
PATENTS New catalysts for generating hydrogen from borohydrides Aqueous solutions of borohyrides, which yield hydrogen gas under the influence of catalysts, could provide hydrogen for fuel cells. The usual catalysts are transition metals (especially Raney nickel), platinum metals, and some amines. A new class of catalysts has now been discovered – organic pigments having low energy unoccupied molecular orbitals. Examples are pyranthrenedione, quinacridone, and indigo. The catalyst is immobilised on a rigid support and partially immersed in the borohydride solution as required. (This connection between colour and catalysis is novel and curious – Ed). US 7,842,276, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA, 30 Nov 2010
Catalyst for oxidising mercury vapour Metallic mercury vapour, which is present in exhaust gases from coal
combustion, needs to be oxidised if it is to be efficiently scrubbed. A suitable oxidation catalyst is molybdenum vanadate supported on a ceramic honeycomb. If the honeycomb also contains titanium and tungsten it will also remove NOx. US 7,842,644, Babcock-Hitachi KK, Tokyo, Japan, 30 Nov 2010
Carbonylation catalyst Several processes have been developed for carbonylating methanol to produce acetic acid. They use carbon monoxide and a catalyst containing a platinum group metal. In this patent the catalyst is a tungstophosphoric acid containing rhodium and an alkali metal promoter. It is claimed to be more efficient, and that the capital and energy costs of the plant are lower than those of the established processes. US 7,842,833, BP Chemicals Ltd, Middlesex, UK, 30 Nov 2010
ALPO4 and SAPO zeotypes having narrow crystal size distributions ALPO4 and SAPO-34 zeotypes are used as catalysts in methanol-toolefins processes. The selectivity and durability of these catalysts are improved if they have narrow, controlled crystal size distributions. This can be achieved by holding the temperature of the reaction mixture between 25° and 50° until gel formation is complete. US 7,842,640, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 30 Nov 2010
Compact reactor for the F-T process The Fischer-Tropsch process, in which methane is converted to higher hydrocarbons, has two stages: steam reforming to produce syngas (endothermic), and synthesis (exothermic). In this version of the process the two stages are thermally coupled, the second providing heat for the first. The tubular reactors are lined with catalyst and a heat exchange fluid passes between them. US 7,842,256, CompactGTL PLC, Oxfordshire, UK, 30 Nov 2010
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NEW PLANTS China’s Hubei Biocause to build crude C4 to C3 olefin conversion plant Hubei Biocause Pharmaceutical plans to construct an olefins conversion unit (OCU) in Jingmen, central Hubei province, at a cost of Yuan 302 M ($45.4 M). The 200,000 tonne/y plant will produce propylene using the process of catalytic cracking of crude C4. ICIS Chemical Business, 1 Nov 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
Technologies selected for Pucheng project Pucheng Clean Energy Chemical Co (PCEC) will use a second-generation demonstration methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process, called DMTO-II, at its new polyolefins and MTO project in Pucheng, Shaanxi province, China. Chinese companies led by parent firm Shaanxi Coal Chemical Group developed the technology. The Unipol process from Univation Technologies will be used for a 300,000 tonne/y polyethylene plant, and a Lyondell Basell Industries technology will be adopted at a polypropylene unit. Startup of the plants is slated for 2013. ICIS Chemical Business, 8 Nov 2010 (Website: http://icischemicalbusiness.com)
NEW TECHNOLOGY Recent progress in catalytic technology in Japan – II (1994-2009) The Japanese chemical industry has been remarkably prolific in developing
6
ON
C ATA LY S T S
industrial catalytic processes. A tabulation lists 96 processes developed by 42 companies. Applied Catalysis A: General, 1 Dec 2010, 389 (1-2), 27-45
Nanodiamond excels as industrial catalyst Researchers at Shenyang National Laboratory for Material Sciences at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Ridjer Boskovic Institute Zagreb, Croatia, and Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Germany are researching into the potential of nanodiamond as a catalyst for styrene manufacture. Studies show that nanodiamond is almost three times better than conventional potassium-iron as a catalyst for the dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene, the conventional method for producing styrene. Nanotechweb, 28 Oct 2010 (Website: http://nanotechweb.org)
Biofuels from biomass Workers at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, have devised a two-stage process for converting lignocellulosic biomass into high-value hydrocarbons. Hydroprocessing, over a precious metal catalyst, yields a mixture of oxygenates which are converted to hydrocarbon gases using a zeolite catalyst. A company, Anellotech, has been created to commercialise the technology. Chemistry and Industry, 6 Dec 2010, (23), 8
Butadiene rubber industry should develop new and efficient catalysts The development in China of patented processes and catalysts for the production of cis-1,4-butadiene rubber (BR) is described. A current development focus is the use of neodymium catalysts to replace traditional titanium catalysts. Patented BR technology based on neodymium catalysts is soon to be commercialized by CNPC and the Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry. Issues faced by Chinese companies seeking to commercialize rare earth-based BR technology include those of price, performance, quality, and supply. Chinese BR capacity rose to about
625,000 tonne/y in 2009 and accounted for around 20% of the global total. Startup of new BR units by Sinopec Fujian Refining & Chemical Co Ltd (50,000 tonne/y) and CNPC Sichuan Petrochemical (150,000 tonne/y) will increase Chinese BR capacity to over 800,000 tonne/y. However, a somewhat slower increase in downstream demand will result in an oversupply situation. The impact of alternative products and raw material supplies are also considered. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Oct 2010, 21 (19), 49
Sinopec developed new titanium catalyst for polyesters A new catalyst, containing titanium, has been developed in China by Sinopec Tianjin Petrochemical Co. The catalyst has been developed as a replacement for a more toxic catalyst (containing antimony) used in polyester production and it has been successfully utilised at the company’s 60,000 tonne/y polyester plant. China Chemical Reporter, 6 Nov 2010, 21 (21), 19
Bio-based fuels and feedstocks Biofuel and biofeedstock production processes developed by scientists promised to deliver both economic and environmental advantages. A catalytic glycerol-to-propylene process developed by a chemical engineering professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia offers several benefits, such as lower operating temperature and pressure, more efficient conversion, and fewer byproducts. Food and agricultural company Cargill is keen on producing propylene glycol using a proprietary process that can boost production efficiency by increasing yields and generating fewer by-products. SABIC has come up with a new process to produce polybutylene terephthalate (PET)- based resins and polyesterbased elastomers using PET waste, primarily from plastic bottles. Chemical Business (India), Aug 2010, 24 (8), 11-12
OrganoClick wins first order, plans production plant OrganoClick, Sweden, has received its first order in a sales and distribution
JANUARY 2011
FOCUS agreement with ML Wood Protection and is therefore looking at sites in Stockholm for the construction of a 7000 tonne/y plant for the production of cellulose materials with entirely new properties. The company’s laboratories and offices will be relocated to this site. A new SKR 15.5 M share issue will allow production to start as early as 1Q 2011. OrganoClick uses organic acids and catalysts to esterify and functionalize the glucose molecules in cellulose fibres which could, for example, make paper packaging, textiles, and wood stronger, stiffer, or water repellant. The agreement will be worth at least SKR 10 M in 2011 when OrganoClick’s partly owned daughter company OrganoWood will supply ML Wood Protection with several hundred tonnes of a fluid-based wood preservative product which can be used in pressure impregnation to protect against wood rot. It involves the coupling of minerals to cellulose fibres. As the mineral is flame retardant the product can also be used to make wood constructions flame resistant. OrganoClick has 6 employees and in 2011 will recruit process chemists, marketing personnel, etc. The company’s ambition is to build a new industrial company with its own production, marketing, sales, and development. Kemivarlden Biotech med Kemisk Tidskrift, Nov 2010, (11), 7 (in Swedish)
ENVIRONMENT More climate protection thanks to major reduction in nitrous oxide Bayer MaterialScience is driving forward the modernization of its production sites to make them more environmentally friendly. The conversion of a large chemical plant in Dormagen means the company is now able to virtually eliminate the site’s emissions of nitrous oxide, a gas that is harmful to the climate. The innovative EnviNOx process from Uhde was recently installed at the site for use in the manufacture of nitric acid. The process uses catalysis to convert nitrous oxide, a by-product far more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide, into nitrogen and water. Conversion work on the
JANUARY 2011
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Dormagen plant operated by chemical company INEOS was carried out at a cost of €6.5 M and is expected to reduce nitrous oxide emissions by 98% to 99%. Chlorine production more eco friendly: Bayer Material Science also uses an innovative, environmentally friendly process for the extremely energy-intensive production of chlorine, another essential basic chemical. This is known as oxygen-depolarized cathode technology, an electrolysis process developed in conjunction with partners for the production of chlorine from common salt. The first industrialscale facility of this kind is scheduled to go on stream at the Uerdingen site in 2011. This new technology reduces energy consumption, and thus greenhouse gases, by up to 30%. Emissions of CO2 equivalents are expected to decrease by 250,000 tonnes by 2020. Bayer MaterialScience has been utilizing oxygen-depolarized cathode technology for the energyefficient recovery of chlorine from hydrochloric acid since 2003. Press release from: Bayer AG, 51368 Leverkusen, Germany. Tel: +49 214301. Fax: +49 214 305 8923. Website: http://www.bayer.com (Nov 2010)
PATENTS New catalysts for generating hydrogen from borohydrides Aqueous solutions of borohyrides, which yield hydrogen gas under the influence of catalysts, could provide hydrogen for fuel cells. The usual catalysts are transition metals (especially Raney nickel), platinum metals, and some amines. A new class of catalysts has now been discovered – organic pigments having low energy unoccupied molecular orbitals. Examples are pyranthrenedione, quinacridone, and indigo. The catalyst is immobilised on a rigid support and partially immersed in the borohydride solution as required. (This connection between colour and catalysis is novel and curious – Ed). US 7,842,276, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA, 30 Nov 2010
Catalyst for oxidising mercury vapour Metallic mercury vapour, which is present in exhaust gases from coal
combustion, needs to be oxidised if it is to be efficiently scrubbed. A suitable oxidation catalyst is molybdenum vanadate supported on a ceramic honeycomb. If the honeycomb also contains titanium and tungsten it will also remove NOx. US 7,842,644, Babcock-Hitachi KK, Tokyo, Japan, 30 Nov 2010
Carbonylation catalyst Several processes have been developed for carbonylating methanol to produce acetic acid. They use carbon monoxide and a catalyst containing a platinum group metal. In this patent the catalyst is a tungstophosphoric acid containing rhodium and an alkali metal promoter. It is claimed to be more efficient, and that the capital and energy costs of the plant are lower than those of the established processes. US 7,842,833, BP Chemicals Ltd, Middlesex, UK, 30 Nov 2010
ALPO4 and SAPO zeotypes having narrow crystal size distributions ALPO4 and SAPO-34 zeotypes are used as catalysts in methanol-toolefins processes. The selectivity and durability of these catalysts are improved if they have narrow, controlled crystal size distributions. This can be achieved by holding the temperature of the reaction mixture between 25° and 50° until gel formation is complete. US 7,842,640, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 30 Nov 2010
Compact reactor for the F-T process The Fischer-Tropsch process, in which methane is converted to higher hydrocarbons, has two stages: steam reforming to produce syngas (endothermic), and synthesis (exothermic). In this version of the process the two stages are thermally coupled, the second providing heat for the first. The tubular reactors are lined with catalyst and a heat exchange fluid passes between them. US 7,842,256, CompactGTL PLC, Oxfordshire, UK, 30 Nov 2010
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