- Email: [email protected]
Biofuel Crops: Production, Physiology, and Genetics
F O C U S as acrylic acid, butanediol, and others used in paints, coatings, textiles and diapers. Novomer and its partners have the ability to reach pilot scale (2000 tonne/y) in 2015, and full commercial scale in 2017. This, in turn, could result in the first US acrylic acid plant built in over 10 years. The process being developed by Novomer and the low cost of feedstocks (waste CO2 and large volume shale gas) could allow US providers to become global low-cost leaders in chemical intermediates and reduce the dependence on crude oil markets. Novomer estimates cost savings as much as 20-40% compared to existing technologies. Novomer’s process offers increased energy productivity of chemical manufacturing by 30-70%; reduced CO2 footprint by 40-110% (depending on target chemical); energy savings of more than 20 trillion BTU/y within 10 years; and total sequestration of waste gases with only moderate temperature requirements. Original Source: Coatings World, Nov 2013, 18 (11), 42-43 (Website: http://www.coatingsworld.com) © Rodman Publishing 2013
Novomer gas process cuts chemical cost Novomer has developed a catalytic process that it claims could make the production of acrylic acid and butanediol cheaper and more ecofriendly. The process uses ethylene oxide derived from cheap shale gas as a feedstock, along with carbon monoxide. According to Novomer CEO Jim Mahoney, the process could cut the cost of producing acrylic acid and butanediol by 20-40% compared to conventional technology and make it more energy efficient. The secret is Novomer’s proprietary catalyst, which has more than 99% selectivity. Original Source: TCE (formerly The Chemical Engineer), Nov 2013, (869), 24-25 (Website: http://www.tcetoday.com) © Institution of Chemical Engineers 2013
German research cooperation develops innovative technology for making syngas from carbon dioxide and hydrogen The Linde Group, BASF, and ThyssenKrupp are developing a twostage process technology that will FEBRUARY 2014
O N
C ATA LY S T S
allow the use of climate gas carbon dioxide on an industrial scale. BASF’s subsidiary hte AG and scientific institutions VDEhBetriebsforschungsinstitut in Düsseldorf and TU Dortmund University provide support to the companies in conducting the study. The method involves processing of natural gas at high temperature to achieve hydrogen and carbon. Hydrogen obtained from the first step is then reacted with carbon dioxide to generate syngas, a raw material that can be used in producing fuels. The project receives funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the ‘Technologies for Sustainability and Climate Protection – Chemical Processes and Use of CO2’ scheme. It already started on 1 Jul 2013 and is expected to end after three years. Original Source: Green Chemistry Network Newsletter, 30 Sep 2013, (44), 19 (Website: http://www.greenchemistrynetwork.org) © Green Chemistry Network 2013
Catalysts boosted by simple textiles
Catalyst for making ethylene oxide The established catalyst for epoxidising ethylene is silver metal supported on alumina. This patent specifies that when the silver solution, which may contain promoters, is contacted with the support, it must be heated rapidly. US 8,629,079, BASF SE, Germany, 14 Jan 2014
Ethylene epoxidation The established epoxidation reaction (see previous item) is catalysed by chlorine in forms not containing hydrogen (eg diatomic chlorine, perhalogenated hydrocarbons), especially when the catalyst contains rhenium. US 8,624,045, Scientific Design Co Inc, Little Ferry, NJ, USA, 7 Jan 2014
Isomerization of alpha olefins The supported catalyst contains palladium and selenium and/or tellurium. US 8,624,075, BASF SE, Germany, 7 Jan 2014
A team of chemists working at the Max-Planck-Institut for Coal Research in Germany has developed a new procedure for using catalysts by immobilizing them on nylon textiles. The researchers used one of the catalysts fabricated to synthesize a pharmaceutical agent. This method could potentially make chemical production a quicker and cheaper process. Original Source: Materials World, Nov 2013, 21 (11), 13 (Website: http://www.iom3.org) © The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) 2013
PATENTS Catalyst for making PET Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is made from ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephthalate, using a catalyst. Known catalysts include compounds of Sb, Ge, Ti, and Zn. There are problems with all of them. This new catalyst, zinc borate made by reacting boric acid with a zinc salt in a glycolic solvent, overcomes these problems. US 8,629,234, Saudi Basic Industries Corp, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 14 Jan 2014
Production of lactic acid from biomass Biomass is converted directly into lactic acid using a tungsten catalyst supported on oxides of Zr, Al, Ti, or Nb. US 8,624,058, CNRS, Paris, and IFP Energies Nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, 7 Jan 2014
Production of syngas from methanol Syngas is normally made from methanol using a catalyst containing copper and zinc on an alumina support. This improved version uses a ceria-zirconia support. It gives less by-products. US 8,623,927, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd, Ulsan, and Korea Research Institute of Chemical technology, Daejon, Korea
BOOKSHELF Biofuel Crops: Production, Physiology, and Genetics If I had discovered this book before I completed the December special
7
F O C U S
O N
C ATA LY S T S
Bioprocessing Technologies in Biorefinery for Sustainable Production of Fuels, Chemicals, and Polymers
Several pages are devoted to the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from the elements.
56 contributors. A comprehensive account of modern biorefineries
T. Wirth (ed), 2013, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, ISBN 9783-527-33299-1, 465 pp, £125
BP Singh (ed), 2013, CAB International, Wallingford, UK, ISBN 978-1-84593-885-7, 525 pp, £125
Microreactors in Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, 2nd edn
A general but substantial review of the most promising of the catalytic processes involved.
23 contributors. A much enlarged edition with much industrial input.
BA Simmons (ed), 2011, RSC Publishing. Cambridge, UK, ISBN 978-1-84973-030-3,194 pp, £158
EVENTS
issue on lignocellulose I would have included it there. It has 59 contributors and describes all the potential sources of biofuels in detail. The historical introduction is particularly interesting, with many references. The final chapter describes feedstock preparation, size reduction, and pre-treatment. Highly recommended.
Yang, S-T, El-Enshasy, HA, and Thongchul, N (eds), 2013, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, USA, ISBN 978-0-470-54195-1, 465 pp, £97
Chemical and Biochemical Catalysis for Next Generation Biofuels
2 April 2014
Catalyst Awards Conference and Dinner New York City Website: http://www.catalyst.org
3-4 April 2014
Fuel Cells 2014 Science and Technology Amsterdam, The Netherlands Website: http://www.fuelcelladvances.com
22-23 April 2014
Bottom of the Barrel Technology Conference and Exhibition Moscow, Russia Website: http://www.europetro.com
24-25 April 2014
Operational Excellence in Oil, Gas, & Petrochemicals Moscow, Russia Website: http://www.europetro.com
Focus on Catalysts (ISSN 1351-4180) is published monthly by Elsevier Ltd. 2014 annual subscription rate: US$1409/€1248 (in Europe)/¥166,600 (in Japan) Material published in Focus on Catalysts includes abstracts sourced from Chemical Business NewsBase (CBNB) (E-mail: [email protected]) CBNB is available as part of a subscription to Ei’s EngineeringVillage discovery platform. Visit our website for more details: http://www.ei.org/engineering-village Enquiries, electronic access and samples E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.sciencedirect.com For orders for Europe, Middle East and Africa Journals Customer Service, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX1 5GB, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 843434. E-mail: [email protected] For orders for the Americas Journals Customer Service, 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, St Louis, MO 63146, USA. US Customers: Toll-free: +1 877 839 7126. Customers Outside US: Tel: +1 314 453 7076. E-mail: [email protected] For orders for other locations Journals Customer Service, 3 Killiney Road #08-01, Winsland House I, Singapore 239519. Tel: +65 6349 0222. E-mail: [email protected]
Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Global Rights Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 843830. Fax: +44 (0) 1865 853333. E-mail: [email protected]. You may also contact Global Rights directly through Elsevier’s home page (http://www.elsevier.com), by selecting ‘User Resources’, then ‘Support and Contact’, then ‘Permissions’. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Contact the publisher at the address indicated. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Typeset by Chat Noir Design, France Printed by Mayfield Press (Oxford) © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Novomer gas process cuts chemical cost Novomer has developed a catalytic process that it claims could make the production of acrylic acid and butanediol cheaper and more ecofriendly. The process uses ethylene oxide derived from cheap shale gas as a feedstock, along with carbon monoxide. According to Novomer CEO Jim Mahoney, the process could cut the cost of producing acrylic acid and butanediol by 20-40% compared to conventional technology and make it more energy efficient. The secret is Novomer’s proprietary catalyst, which has more than 99% selectivity. Original Source: TCE (formerly The Chemical Engineer), Nov 2013, (869), 24-25 (Website: http://www.tcetoday.com) © Institution of Chemical Engineers 2013
German research cooperation develops innovative technology for making syngas from carbon dioxide and hydrogen The Linde Group, BASF, and ThyssenKrupp are developing a twostage process technology that will FEBRUARY 2014
O N
C ATA LY S T S
allow the use of climate gas carbon dioxide on an industrial scale. BASF’s subsidiary hte AG and scientific institutions VDEhBetriebsforschungsinstitut in Düsseldorf and TU Dortmund University provide support to the companies in conducting the study. The method involves processing of natural gas at high temperature to achieve hydrogen and carbon. Hydrogen obtained from the first step is then reacted with carbon dioxide to generate syngas, a raw material that can be used in producing fuels. The project receives funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) under the ‘Technologies for Sustainability and Climate Protection – Chemical Processes and Use of CO2’ scheme. It already started on 1 Jul 2013 and is expected to end after three years. Original Source: Green Chemistry Network Newsletter, 30 Sep 2013, (44), 19 (Website: http://www.greenchemistrynetwork.org) © Green Chemistry Network 2013
Catalysts boosted by simple textiles
Catalyst for making ethylene oxide The established catalyst for epoxidising ethylene is silver metal supported on alumina. This patent specifies that when the silver solution, which may contain promoters, is contacted with the support, it must be heated rapidly. US 8,629,079, BASF SE, Germany, 14 Jan 2014
Ethylene epoxidation The established epoxidation reaction (see previous item) is catalysed by chlorine in forms not containing hydrogen (eg diatomic chlorine, perhalogenated hydrocarbons), especially when the catalyst contains rhenium. US 8,624,045, Scientific Design Co Inc, Little Ferry, NJ, USA, 7 Jan 2014
Isomerization of alpha olefins The supported catalyst contains palladium and selenium and/or tellurium. US 8,624,075, BASF SE, Germany, 7 Jan 2014
A team of chemists working at the Max-Planck-Institut for Coal Research in Germany has developed a new procedure for using catalysts by immobilizing them on nylon textiles. The researchers used one of the catalysts fabricated to synthesize a pharmaceutical agent. This method could potentially make chemical production a quicker and cheaper process. Original Source: Materials World, Nov 2013, 21 (11), 13 (Website: http://www.iom3.org) © The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) 2013
PATENTS Catalyst for making PET Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is made from ethylene glycol and dimethyl terephthalate, using a catalyst. Known catalysts include compounds of Sb, Ge, Ti, and Zn. There are problems with all of them. This new catalyst, zinc borate made by reacting boric acid with a zinc salt in a glycolic solvent, overcomes these problems. US 8,629,234, Saudi Basic Industries Corp, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 14 Jan 2014
Production of lactic acid from biomass Biomass is converted directly into lactic acid using a tungsten catalyst supported on oxides of Zr, Al, Ti, or Nb. US 8,624,058, CNRS, Paris, and IFP Energies Nouvelles, Rueil-Malmaison, 7 Jan 2014
Production of syngas from methanol Syngas is normally made from methanol using a catalyst containing copper and zinc on an alumina support. This improved version uses a ceria-zirconia support. It gives less by-products. US 8,623,927, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd, Ulsan, and Korea Research Institute of Chemical technology, Daejon, Korea
BOOKSHELF Biofuel Crops: Production, Physiology, and Genetics If I had discovered this book before I completed the December special
7
F O C U S
O N
C ATA LY S T S
Bioprocessing Technologies in Biorefinery for Sustainable Production of Fuels, Chemicals, and Polymers
Several pages are devoted to the direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide from the elements.
56 contributors. A comprehensive account of modern biorefineries
T. Wirth (ed), 2013, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, ISBN 9783-527-33299-1, 465 pp, £125
BP Singh (ed), 2013, CAB International, Wallingford, UK, ISBN 978-1-84593-885-7, 525 pp, £125
Microreactors in Organic Chemistry and Catalysis, 2nd edn
A general but substantial review of the most promising of the catalytic processes involved.
23 contributors. A much enlarged edition with much industrial input.
BA Simmons (ed), 2011, RSC Publishing. Cambridge, UK, ISBN 978-1-84973-030-3,194 pp, £158
EVENTS
issue on lignocellulose I would have included it there. It has 59 contributors and describes all the potential sources of biofuels in detail. The historical introduction is particularly interesting, with many references. The final chapter describes feedstock preparation, size reduction, and pre-treatment. Highly recommended.
Yang, S-T, El-Enshasy, HA, and Thongchul, N (eds), 2013, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ, USA, ISBN 978-0-470-54195-1, 465 pp, £97
Chemical and Biochemical Catalysis for Next Generation Biofuels
2 April 2014
Catalyst Awards Conference and Dinner New York City Website: http://www.catalyst.org
3-4 April 2014
Fuel Cells 2014 Science and Technology Amsterdam, The Netherlands Website: http://www.fuelcelladvances.com
22-23 April 2014
Bottom of the Barrel Technology Conference and Exhibition Moscow, Russia Website: http://www.europetro.com
24-25 April 2014
Operational Excellence in Oil, Gas, & Petrochemicals Moscow, Russia Website: http://www.europetro.com
Focus on Catalysts (ISSN 1351-4180) is published monthly by Elsevier Ltd. 2014 annual subscription rate: US$1409/€1248 (in Europe)/¥166,600 (in Japan) Material published in Focus on Catalysts includes abstracts sourced from Chemical Business NewsBase (CBNB) (E-mail: [email protected]) CBNB is available as part of a subscription to Ei’s EngineeringVillage discovery platform. Visit our website for more details: http://www.ei.org/engineering-village Enquiries, electronic access and samples E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.sciencedirect.com For orders for Europe, Middle East and Africa Journals Customer Service, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX1 5GB, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 843434. E-mail: [email protected] For orders for the Americas Journals Customer Service, 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, St Louis, MO 63146, USA. US Customers: Toll-free: +1 877 839 7126. Customers Outside US: Tel: +1 314 453 7076. E-mail: [email protected] For orders for other locations Journals Customer Service, 3 Killiney Road #08-01, Winsland House I, Singapore 239519. Tel: +65 6349 0222. E-mail: [email protected]
Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Global Rights Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 1DX, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 843830. Fax: +44 (0) 1865 853333. E-mail: [email protected]. You may also contact Global Rights directly through Elsevier’s home page (http://www.elsevier.com), by selecting ‘User Resources’, then ‘Support and Contact’, then ‘Permissions’. Derivative Works Subscribers may reproduce tables of contents or prepare lists of articles including abstracts for internal circulation within their institutions. Permission of the publisher is required for resale or distribution outside the institution. Permission of the publisher is required for all other derivative works, including compilations and translations. Electronic Storage or Usage Permission of the publisher is required to store or use electronically any material contained in this journal, including any article or part of an article. Contact the publisher at the address indicated. Except as outlined above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher. Notice No responsibility is assumed by the publisher for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions or ideas contained in the material herein. Typeset by Chat Noir Design, France Printed by Mayfield Press (Oxford) © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved