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Business roundup: Haldor Topsoe to supply catalyst to HS Orka
FOCUS Ford, Los Alamos win $6 M R&D grant Ford Motor Company and Los Alamos National Laboratory have secured approximately $6 M in funding from the US Department of Energy for use in the development of a fuel cell catalyst manufacturing process for higher purity, cheaper, durable and more active catalysts.
Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2016, 11 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/ nl/fcb/home.asp) © Elsevier Ltd 2016.
Elevance advances metathesis route Elevance Renewable Sciences, an Illinois, US-based start-up that transforms natural oils into specialty chemicals via metathesis, has scaled up its second generation metathesis technology. The technology, known as ethenolysis, reacts oils with ethylene with the aid of tungsten and molybdenum catalysts made by Switzerland's XiMo. The study was partly invested by United Soybean Board and Versalis, which is currently constructing a facility in Italy to react natural oils and butene.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 25 Jan 2016, 94 (4), 16 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
DuPont, ADM unveil route to biobased polyester Agricultural products leader, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and DuPont have introduced a technology to produce furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME), a methyl ester of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), out of fructose. The two companies intend to react the chemical with 1,3-propanediol to create new biobased packaging polymer. Dutch company Avantium has been promoting FDCA as a raw material to generate polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a biobased substitute to the traditionally used packaging polyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET). At present, DuPont is developing a new type of polymer through the reaction of FDME with 1,3-propanediol produced at its Tennessee joint venture with Tata & Lyle. The novel polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF) has better gas barrier properties than PET. DuPont and ADM were working independently to create a method of producing FDME. The process, which is cheaper than existing processes to generate FDCA, involves chemical catalysis to transform methanol and fructose to FDME. Meanwhile, ADM and DuPont intend to construct a 60-tonne/y demonstration unit at ADM's complex in Decatur, IL, US. Avantium, Danone and Coca-Cola have been jointly developing PEF. They will release the details of their plan to build
4
ON
C ATA LY S T S
the first commercial-scale FDCA facility in late 1Q 2016.
sulfur from CO2 that emits from the ground during steam generation.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 25 Jan 2016, 94 (4), 6 (Website: http:// cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 2 May 2016, 94 (18), 17 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
Johnson Matthey announces opening of new electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC)
Catalyst targets fine chemicals
Johnson Matthey, the UK's leading specialty chemicals company, is proud to announce the opening of the new electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC) in Harwell's Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, UK. ePSIC is a world-class centre for the study of nanoscale materials. It is a result of the unique collaboration launched in 2014 between Johnson Matthey, the University of Oxford and Diamond Light Source. The partnership represents industry, academia and a dedicated research facility coming together to provide unrivalled facilities for research across the physical sciences in the UK. The state-of-the-art facility will house Johnson Matthey's new Atomic Resolution Microscope, an advanced electron microscope provided by JEOL UK, which will allow researchers to actually 'see' and analyse individual atoms within materials. This cutting-edge technology significantly enhances the development of new materials. By being able to analyse atoms individually in this way and through this unique collaboration with other leading research groups to develop the measurement technologies needed, Johnson Matthey's scientists can understand how to design new and improved materials which in turn can be used to address key global challenges including clean air, zero emission transport and sustainable energy. Projects are underway that will enable the enhanced design of new materials for catalytic converters to tackle emissions of harmful NOx from vehicles. Johnson Matthey's scientists will also use the facility to provide insight to enable the development of improved materials to power electric cars and convert sunlight into energy. Johnson Matthey's new microscope at the ePSIC represents a multi-million pound investment by the company and is illustrative of its overall commitment to research and development. Johnson Matthey currently employs 1600 people focused purely on R&D and spent £188YM, or 6% of total sales, in 2015-2016 on R&D to develop new products and improving existing technologies.
Original source: Johnson Matthey, 5 Sep 2016, (Johnson Matthey, website: http://www. matthey.com) © Johnson Matthey plc 2016.
Business roundup: Haldor Topsoe to supply catalyst to HS Orka Haldor Topsoe will supply its novel selective oxidation catalyst SMC to Iceland-based geothermal energy firm HS Orka to eliminate
Japanese company Daicel's subsidiary Chiral Technologies is partnering with GreenCentre Canada to launch a new catalyst technology for synthesizing fine chemicals.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 2 May 2016, 94 (18), 16 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
BASF introduces Portable Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Catalyst Addition System for Refinery Catalysts in Europe BASF has introduced a newly patented Portable Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Catalyst Addition System for Refinery Catalysts. This new system allows refineries to conduct catalyst and co-catalyst trials, while minimizing the potential risks of changing to a new catalyst. The system is easy to use, requires only a small plot space, and does not require any special preparations to deliver reliable and precise additions. The truck with the portable loader arrives at the refiner, is put in position, raised upright, connected to the refiner unit, and is loaded with catalyst. All additions are controlled from the local control panel and no civil work of any kind is required. Currently, the portable FCC Catalyst Addition System is offered exclusively in Europe. The new offer is an additional service to the complete range of innovative FCC Catalysts, Co-Catalysts and Additives BASF offers to meet refiners' environmental and performance requirements. BASF has developed the portable FCC Catalyst System in cooperation with Nol-Tec Europe, a leading company in designing and producing of pneumatic conveying systems for bulk material handling.
Original source: BASF, 26 Sep 2016, (BASF, website: http://www.basf.com/) © BASF 2016.
Dry reforming puts CO2 to work German industrial gas and engineering firm Linde has made a breakthrough in dry reforming, a method that reacts CO2 with methane to generate synthesis gas and could be used to introduce CO2 into the production of large-scale chemicals. In addition to dry forming, the firm's method also includes some steam in the reaction to increase the amount of H2 in the final syngas. Dry reforming is not new, but Linde's method would be its first commercial application. The firm is examining two
November 2016
Original Source: Fuel Cells Bulletin, Sep 2016, 11 (Website: http://www.elsevierscitech.com/ nl/fcb/home.asp) © Elsevier Ltd 2016.
Elevance advances metathesis route Elevance Renewable Sciences, an Illinois, US-based start-up that transforms natural oils into specialty chemicals via metathesis, has scaled up its second generation metathesis technology. The technology, known as ethenolysis, reacts oils with ethylene with the aid of tungsten and molybdenum catalysts made by Switzerland's XiMo. The study was partly invested by United Soybean Board and Versalis, which is currently constructing a facility in Italy to react natural oils and butene.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 25 Jan 2016, 94 (4), 16 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
DuPont, ADM unveil route to biobased polyester Agricultural products leader, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) and DuPont have introduced a technology to produce furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME), a methyl ester of furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), out of fructose. The two companies intend to react the chemical with 1,3-propanediol to create new biobased packaging polymer. Dutch company Avantium has been promoting FDCA as a raw material to generate polyethylene furanoate (PEF), a biobased substitute to the traditionally used packaging polyester polyethylene terephthalate (PET). At present, DuPont is developing a new type of polymer through the reaction of FDME with 1,3-propanediol produced at its Tennessee joint venture with Tata & Lyle. The novel polytrimethylene furandicarboxylate (PTF) has better gas barrier properties than PET. DuPont and ADM were working independently to create a method of producing FDME. The process, which is cheaper than existing processes to generate FDCA, involves chemical catalysis to transform methanol and fructose to FDME. Meanwhile, ADM and DuPont intend to construct a 60-tonne/y demonstration unit at ADM's complex in Decatur, IL, US. Avantium, Danone and Coca-Cola have been jointly developing PEF. They will release the details of their plan to build
4
ON
C ATA LY S T S
the first commercial-scale FDCA facility in late 1Q 2016.
sulfur from CO2 that emits from the ground during steam generation.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 25 Jan 2016, 94 (4), 6 (Website: http:// cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 2 May 2016, 94 (18), 17 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
Johnson Matthey announces opening of new electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC)
Catalyst targets fine chemicals
Johnson Matthey, the UK's leading specialty chemicals company, is proud to announce the opening of the new electron Physical Science Imaging Centre (ePSIC) in Harwell's Science and Innovation Campus in Oxfordshire, UK. ePSIC is a world-class centre for the study of nanoscale materials. It is a result of the unique collaboration launched in 2014 between Johnson Matthey, the University of Oxford and Diamond Light Source. The partnership represents industry, academia and a dedicated research facility coming together to provide unrivalled facilities for research across the physical sciences in the UK. The state-of-the-art facility will house Johnson Matthey's new Atomic Resolution Microscope, an advanced electron microscope provided by JEOL UK, which will allow researchers to actually 'see' and analyse individual atoms within materials. This cutting-edge technology significantly enhances the development of new materials. By being able to analyse atoms individually in this way and through this unique collaboration with other leading research groups to develop the measurement technologies needed, Johnson Matthey's scientists can understand how to design new and improved materials which in turn can be used to address key global challenges including clean air, zero emission transport and sustainable energy. Projects are underway that will enable the enhanced design of new materials for catalytic converters to tackle emissions of harmful NOx from vehicles. Johnson Matthey's scientists will also use the facility to provide insight to enable the development of improved materials to power electric cars and convert sunlight into energy. Johnson Matthey's new microscope at the ePSIC represents a multi-million pound investment by the company and is illustrative of its overall commitment to research and development. Johnson Matthey currently employs 1600 people focused purely on R&D and spent £188YM, or 6% of total sales, in 2015-2016 on R&D to develop new products and improving existing technologies.
Original source: Johnson Matthey, 5 Sep 2016, (Johnson Matthey, website: http://www. matthey.com) © Johnson Matthey plc 2016.
Business roundup: Haldor Topsoe to supply catalyst to HS Orka Haldor Topsoe will supply its novel selective oxidation catalyst SMC to Iceland-based geothermal energy firm HS Orka to eliminate
Japanese company Daicel's subsidiary Chiral Technologies is partnering with GreenCentre Canada to launch a new catalyst technology for synthesizing fine chemicals.
Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 2 May 2016, 94 (18), 16 (Website: http://cen.acs.org/index.html) © American Chemical Society 2016.
BASF introduces Portable Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Catalyst Addition System for Refinery Catalysts in Europe BASF has introduced a newly patented Portable Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Catalyst Addition System for Refinery Catalysts. This new system allows refineries to conduct catalyst and co-catalyst trials, while minimizing the potential risks of changing to a new catalyst. The system is easy to use, requires only a small plot space, and does not require any special preparations to deliver reliable and precise additions. The truck with the portable loader arrives at the refiner, is put in position, raised upright, connected to the refiner unit, and is loaded with catalyst. All additions are controlled from the local control panel and no civil work of any kind is required. Currently, the portable FCC Catalyst Addition System is offered exclusively in Europe. The new offer is an additional service to the complete range of innovative FCC Catalysts, Co-Catalysts and Additives BASF offers to meet refiners' environmental and performance requirements. BASF has developed the portable FCC Catalyst System in cooperation with Nol-Tec Europe, a leading company in designing and producing of pneumatic conveying systems for bulk material handling.
Original source: BASF, 26 Sep 2016, (BASF, website: http://www.basf.com/) © BASF 2016.
Dry reforming puts CO2 to work German industrial gas and engineering firm Linde has made a breakthrough in dry reforming, a method that reacts CO2 with methane to generate synthesis gas and could be used to introduce CO2 into the production of large-scale chemicals. In addition to dry forming, the firm's method also includes some steam in the reaction to increase the amount of H2 in the final syngas. Dry reforming is not new, but Linde's method would be its first commercial application. The firm is examining two
November 2016