- Email: [email protected]
Catalysis club of philadelphia award
N2
Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award Dr. John A. Sofranko is the recipient of the 1991 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award. This award is for outstanding contribution to the advancement of catalysis through scientific, technological or organizational leadership. Dr. Sofranko began his industrial career in 1979 at ARC0 Chemicals after receiving a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Rochester. He has achieved international recognition for his significant contributions to catalysis in the area of oxidative coupling of methane to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. especially ethene. Due to his pioneering work, methane activation has gained substantial research interest. Through his studies, he has shown that certain metal oxides are capable of catalyzing the oxidative coupling of methane via methyl radical intermediates that dimerize in the gas phase above the catalytic surface to form ethane. The ethane is subsequently thermally and oxidatively converted to ethylene. Approximately 75 catalysis and process patents have resulted from the work of his group at ARC0 Chemicals. Dr. Sofranko has served as chairman of the Catalysis Club of Philadelphia, and his excellent managerial skills are being recognized at ARC0 as evidenced by his assignment as manager of their polymer research division, where he supervises about seventy researchers.
BP Chemicals DMB Plant on stream at Grangemouth
it has been announced that the BP Chemicals new plant for 2,3-dimethylbutene 1 (DMB) has come on stream at Grangemouth, Scotland. Used as an interapplied catalysis -
Volume 75 No. 1 -
mediate in the manufacture of synthetic musks (as a ‘fixative’ for fragrances and flavours) DMB is now available for the first time in commercial quantities. Extensive market research with potential customers pinpointed synthetic musks as a major growth area, particularly in such applications as fabric softeners and other household products. In order to meet business requirements for speed of development, the pilot plant stage was omitted, technology being taken directly from the laboratory to commercial scale production. Dr. John Buchanan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, is quoted as saying: “This project is an excellent example of a specialty product development, using our feedstocks and proprietary technology to produce an innovative solution to serve a customer’s requirements. The outstanding co-operative effort between the Performance Chemicals business team, Hull R & D, the Grangemouth site and the Specialities Development Group has resulted in the fast track commissioning of production capacity for a new high value product.”
Production of Oiefinic Raw Materials via Catalytic Cracking
An industrial test unit for the production of the olefinic raw materials from the cracking of a wax oil; developed by the Beijing Research Institute of Petroleum Processing and designed by the Beijing Designing Institute, China, has been built and put into successful operation in the Jinan Refinery, China. This new cracking process is aimed to produce olefinic materials such as ethene, propene and butenes by using a new catalyst which differs from those conventionally used for catalytic cracking to produce mainly a gasoline fraction. It is claimed that this process can be per1 August 1991
Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award Dr. John A. Sofranko is the recipient of the 1991 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award. This award is for outstanding contribution to the advancement of catalysis through scientific, technological or organizational leadership. Dr. Sofranko began his industrial career in 1979 at ARC0 Chemicals after receiving a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Rochester. He has achieved international recognition for his significant contributions to catalysis in the area of oxidative coupling of methane to form higher molecular weight hydrocarbons. especially ethene. Due to his pioneering work, methane activation has gained substantial research interest. Through his studies, he has shown that certain metal oxides are capable of catalyzing the oxidative coupling of methane via methyl radical intermediates that dimerize in the gas phase above the catalytic surface to form ethane. The ethane is subsequently thermally and oxidatively converted to ethylene. Approximately 75 catalysis and process patents have resulted from the work of his group at ARC0 Chemicals. Dr. Sofranko has served as chairman of the Catalysis Club of Philadelphia, and his excellent managerial skills are being recognized at ARC0 as evidenced by his assignment as manager of their polymer research division, where he supervises about seventy researchers.
BP Chemicals DMB Plant on stream at Grangemouth
it has been announced that the BP Chemicals new plant for 2,3-dimethylbutene 1 (DMB) has come on stream at Grangemouth, Scotland. Used as an interapplied catalysis -
Volume 75 No. 1 -
mediate in the manufacture of synthetic musks (as a ‘fixative’ for fragrances and flavours) DMB is now available for the first time in commercial quantities. Extensive market research with potential customers pinpointed synthetic musks as a major growth area, particularly in such applications as fabric softeners and other household products. In order to meet business requirements for speed of development, the pilot plant stage was omitted, technology being taken directly from the laboratory to commercial scale production. Dr. John Buchanan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, is quoted as saying: “This project is an excellent example of a specialty product development, using our feedstocks and proprietary technology to produce an innovative solution to serve a customer’s requirements. The outstanding co-operative effort between the Performance Chemicals business team, Hull R & D, the Grangemouth site and the Specialities Development Group has resulted in the fast track commissioning of production capacity for a new high value product.”
Production of Oiefinic Raw Materials via Catalytic Cracking
An industrial test unit for the production of the olefinic raw materials from the cracking of a wax oil; developed by the Beijing Research Institute of Petroleum Processing and designed by the Beijing Designing Institute, China, has been built and put into successful operation in the Jinan Refinery, China. This new cracking process is aimed to produce olefinic materials such as ethene, propene and butenes by using a new catalyst which differs from those conventionally used for catalytic cracking to produce mainly a gasoline fraction. It is claimed that this process can be per1 August 1991