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Clariant to establish catalyst R&D centre in China
F O C U S licensing processes for the onpurpose production of linear butenes and butadiene. BASF has developed process technology and catalysts as well as the extraction technologies, while Linde is providing its expertise for the integration, optimization, and commercialization of the process. The new process will deliver an onpurpose route from butane to butadiene via butenes. Currently, the industry relies mainly on butadiene as a co-product from naphtha-cracking to ethylene. The shift to lighter cracker feedstock results in reduced volumes of co-products. Therefore the onpurpose production of higher olefins is gaining more and more importance. Original Source: BASF, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 9 Jun 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com). Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 9-15 Jun 2014, 285 (22), 6 (Website: http://www.icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2014. Original Source: Linde AG, Website: http://www.linde.com (3 Jun 2014) © The Linde Group 2014
Bihua Environmental Engineering is the first in China to develop nanophotocatalytic air purification products Beijing Bihua Environmental Engineering Co Ltd, the first company in China to explore and develop nano photocatalyst technology, has successfully applied the technology to its indoor and outdoor air purification products. Products developed using the technology have demonstrated excellent results in terms of their antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as their air purification, pollution prevention and self-cleaning capabilities. The world leading technology company has received a patent from the Chinese government and the products that are manufactured as a result of the technology have proven to be among the most performing in terms of air purification. Original Source: Beijing Bihua Environmental Engineering Co Ltd, 2014. Found on PR Newswire, 17 Jun 2014, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Calysta and NatureWorks enter into R&D collaboration for producing lactic acid from methane Calysta Inc recently announced it has successfully fermented methane into lactic acid, under a research AUGUST 2014
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collaboration with NatureWorks. Lactic acid is the building block for NatureWorks’ Ingeo lactide intermediates and polymers used in consumer and industrial products worldwide. The joint development programme, which started in Jun 2013 between Calysta and NatureWorks, is focused on creation of a commercially viable methane-tolactic-acid process. The key aims are providing a structurally simplified, lower cost Ingeo production platform and diversifying NatureWorks feedstock portfolio. If successful, the technology could directly access carbon from methane produced from society’s organic wastes in wastewater treatment, landfill decomposition, and anaerobic digestion. While the critical lab scale first stage of the project has confirmed methane conversion to lactic acid, much additional development work remains. A full demonstration of commercial feasibility may require up to five years of development effort. The companies will share commercialization rights for select products developed under the agreement. Original Source: Calysta Inc, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 23 Jun 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com). Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 23 Jun 2014, 92 (25), 15 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2014
Chemtura to increase prices for certain polymerization co-catalysts On 17 Jun 2014, Chemtura Corporation announced a price increase of up to 30% on the base price of certain polymerization cocatalysts. The price increase will be implemented globally on 1 Jul 2014, or as contracts allow. Customers will be contacted individually regarding the specifics of the price increase as it applies to their products or regions. The products affected by this price increase are magnesium alkyls and solvent solutions of the full range of metal alkyls. These price increases are necessary to sustain investment in Chemtura Organometallics but are not expected to have a material effect upon the consolidated profitability and cash flows of Chemtura Corporation. Original Source: Chemtura, website: http://www.chemtura.com (17 Jun 2014) © Chemtura Inc 2014
Clariant to establish catalyst R&D centre in China On 25 Jun 2014, Clariant, a world leader in speciality chemicals, announced that its Business Unit Catalysts will establish a state-of-theart research centre in Shanghai, China. The R&D centre is expected to begin operation by 2015 with the goal of developing catalytic solutions tailored to Chinese market requirements and enhancing technical service support to Chinese customers. The new catalyst R&D centre in Shanghai will further strengthen Clariant’s technology portfolio and service offerings for coal-to-chemicals applications and provide a complete range of solutions for the market. Clariant has already established an excellent technology position on catalysts for coal-to-chemicals applications through decades of R&D efforts and collaboration with its process technology partners. The China R&D centre will also develop new catalysts for selected base metal hydrogenation applications for the fast growing speciality chemicals industry in China. Besides R&D and technical service, the centre will provide support to Clariant’s catalysts production sites in China. Original Source: Clariant, website: http://www.clariant.com (25 Jun 2014) © Clariant 2014
Collaboration on aviation fuel from agricultural waste Europe’s DONG Energy and renewable fuels producer Neste Oil have established a collaboration to develop a cost-effective technology for production of renewable diesel and aviation fuel from agricultural residues. The technology will utilize DONG Energy’s Inbicon technology for the first part of the process to pretreat biomass and produce cellulosic sugars, which will then be converted into microbial oil with Neste Oil’s technology. The technologies have passed the laboratory and pilot phases, and will now be tested on a larger scale. Inbicon’s demonstration facility in Kalundborg, Denmark, will be utilized to optimize the biomass pre-treatment to complement Neste Oil’s microbial oil process. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Apr-May 2014, 30 (4), 6 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2014
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Bihua Environmental Engineering is the first in China to develop nanophotocatalytic air purification products Beijing Bihua Environmental Engineering Co Ltd, the first company in China to explore and develop nano photocatalyst technology, has successfully applied the technology to its indoor and outdoor air purification products. Products developed using the technology have demonstrated excellent results in terms of their antibacterial and antifungal properties as well as their air purification, pollution prevention and self-cleaning capabilities. The world leading technology company has received a patent from the Chinese government and the products that are manufactured as a result of the technology have proven to be among the most performing in terms of air purification. Original Source: Beijing Bihua Environmental Engineering Co Ltd, 2014. Found on PR Newswire, 17 Jun 2014, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com)
Calysta and NatureWorks enter into R&D collaboration for producing lactic acid from methane Calysta Inc recently announced it has successfully fermented methane into lactic acid, under a research AUGUST 2014
O N
C ATA LY S T S
collaboration with NatureWorks. Lactic acid is the building block for NatureWorks’ Ingeo lactide intermediates and polymers used in consumer and industrial products worldwide. The joint development programme, which started in Jun 2013 between Calysta and NatureWorks, is focused on creation of a commercially viable methane-tolactic-acid process. The key aims are providing a structurally simplified, lower cost Ingeo production platform and diversifying NatureWorks feedstock portfolio. If successful, the technology could directly access carbon from methane produced from society’s organic wastes in wastewater treatment, landfill decomposition, and anaerobic digestion. While the critical lab scale first stage of the project has confirmed methane conversion to lactic acid, much additional development work remains. A full demonstration of commercial feasibility may require up to five years of development effort. The companies will share commercialization rights for select products developed under the agreement. Original Source: Calysta Inc, 2014. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 23 Jun 2014, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com). Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 23 Jun 2014, 92 (25), 15 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2014
Chemtura to increase prices for certain polymerization co-catalysts On 17 Jun 2014, Chemtura Corporation announced a price increase of up to 30% on the base price of certain polymerization cocatalysts. The price increase will be implemented globally on 1 Jul 2014, or as contracts allow. Customers will be contacted individually regarding the specifics of the price increase as it applies to their products or regions. The products affected by this price increase are magnesium alkyls and solvent solutions of the full range of metal alkyls. These price increases are necessary to sustain investment in Chemtura Organometallics but are not expected to have a material effect upon the consolidated profitability and cash flows of Chemtura Corporation. Original Source: Chemtura, website: http://www.chemtura.com (17 Jun 2014) © Chemtura Inc 2014
Clariant to establish catalyst R&D centre in China On 25 Jun 2014, Clariant, a world leader in speciality chemicals, announced that its Business Unit Catalysts will establish a state-of-theart research centre in Shanghai, China. The R&D centre is expected to begin operation by 2015 with the goal of developing catalytic solutions tailored to Chinese market requirements and enhancing technical service support to Chinese customers. The new catalyst R&D centre in Shanghai will further strengthen Clariant’s technology portfolio and service offerings for coal-to-chemicals applications and provide a complete range of solutions for the market. Clariant has already established an excellent technology position on catalysts for coal-to-chemicals applications through decades of R&D efforts and collaboration with its process technology partners. The China R&D centre will also develop new catalysts for selected base metal hydrogenation applications for the fast growing speciality chemicals industry in China. Besides R&D and technical service, the centre will provide support to Clariant’s catalysts production sites in China. Original Source: Clariant, website: http://www.clariant.com (25 Jun 2014) © Clariant 2014
Collaboration on aviation fuel from agricultural waste Europe’s DONG Energy and renewable fuels producer Neste Oil have established a collaboration to develop a cost-effective technology for production of renewable diesel and aviation fuel from agricultural residues. The technology will utilize DONG Energy’s Inbicon technology for the first part of the process to pretreat biomass and produce cellulosic sugars, which will then be converted into microbial oil with Neste Oil’s technology. The technologies have passed the laboratory and pilot phases, and will now be tested on a larger scale. Inbicon’s demonstration facility in Kalundborg, Denmark, will be utilized to optimize the biomass pre-treatment to complement Neste Oil’s microbial oil process. Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Apr-May 2014, 30 (4), 6 (Website: http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com) © Quartz Business Media Ltd 2014
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