- Email: [email protected]
Disposal of used GTL catalysts
F O C U S than 40% longer life than carbon black under simulated cathode operating conditions. The same UCR group has also demonstrated previously that carbon nanotube based catalysts can double the Pt utilization, potentially leading to a significant cost reduction for fuel cell production. Durability and cost are the most critical issues for the commercialization of fuel cell technology. One major contributor to the poor durability of current fuel cell systems is the corrosion of the amorphous carbon that has been used as catalyst support. Press release from: Pacific Fuel Cell Corp, 131 N, Tustin Avenue, Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780, USA. Tel: +1 714 564 1693. Fax: +1 714 558 9301. Website: http://www.hoovers.com (12 Feb 2007)
AIST eyes compact hydrogen generator for fuel cells The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) intends to develop portable hydrogen generator for fuel cells which will have a capacity of over 150 mmA/sq cm at 0.6 V. The generator will be based on ammonia borane hydrolysis. Ammonia borane has the capacity to release hydrogen when heated, and is primarily utilized as a chemical reducing agent. It offers more stability than water (? – Ed), and higher safety compared to sodium borohydride. AIST intends to develop a new catalyst to eliminate the use of precious metals. It will also work on developing a new electrode catalyst that would remain inactive during the hydrolysis of an aqueous ammonia borane and be active during negative electrode reactions. Japan Chemical Week, 25 Jan 2007, 48 (2401), 10
ENVIRONMENT JM to launch Russian plant for palladium auto catalyst production In Sep 2007 Johnson Matthey will launch in Krasnoyarsk (Central Siberia, Russia) a plant for palladium automotive catalyst production. JM has recently installed equipment for processing palladium. RBK Daily, 19 Feb 2007, (28), 6 (in Russian)
APRIL 2007
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Independent tests confirm up to 70% platinum reduction Clean Diesel Technologies Inc (CDT) announced positive results confirming substantial platinum savings through the use of its Platinum Plus fuel-borne catalyst (FBC) technology. High levels of platinum-based catalysts are used with modern Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) to meet the present and forthcoming worldwide emissions standards for particulate matter, including the Euro 5 and EPA 2007 requirements. Press release from: Clean Diesel Technologies Inc, 300, Atlantic Street, Suite 702, Stamford, CT 06901, USA. Tel: +1 203 327 7050. Fax: +1 203 323 0461. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.cdti.com (12 Feb 2007)
Field trial of oxidation catalyst for railway locomotive Union Pacific Railroad is to conduct a one-year test of a retro-fitted oxidation catalyst on a long-haul diesel-electric locomotive. AECC Newsletter, Jan-Feb 2007, 5 (Website: http://www.aecc.be/en/Newsletter/Newsletter.html)
World Waste Technologies applies for patent for the production of alcohol from waste World Waste Technologies Inc has filed a provisional patent covering an energy self-sufficient process for making mixed alcohols (including ethanol) from municipal solid waste via a catalytic syngas process. The process also includes the co-generation of renewable electricity from a producer gas as well as a process for efficiently separating the resulting mixed alcohols from hydrocarbons and other liquids. Press release from: World Waste Technologies Inc, 13500 Evening Creek Drive North, Suite 440, San Diego, CA 92128, USA. Tel: +1 858 391 3400. Fax: +1 858 486 3352. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.worldwasteintl.com (5 Mar 2007)
Disposal of used GTL catalysts The Umicore Val’eas process, which can be used to process used GTL catalysts as well as battery materials, is described. The metals are separated by smelting, and the gases from this are passed through a plasma gun in order to destroy dioxins and furins. TCE (formerly The Chemical Engineer), Feb 2007, (788), 26-29
PATENTS Catalysts for making amines Amines are usually made by reacting alcohols with ammonia or with other amines. Known catalysts for this are mixed oxides of Zr, Cu, Ni, and Co. This patent teaches that such catalysts are improved if they contain less that 1% of alkali metals. US 7,183,438, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, 27 Feb 2007
Metal oxynitride catalysts Titanium dioxide is a much-studied photocatalyst but it suffers from being unresponsive to visible light. Several methods of remedying this are known, including doping with nitrogen, with or without a small amount of a platinum group metal. This patent describes several methods of nitriding nanoparticulate titania and zirconia. US 7,186,392, Georgia Tech Research Corp, Atlanta, GA, USA, 6 Mar 2007
F-T catalysts on supports having bimodal pore-size distributions The supports are of amorphous silica alumina, made by mixing precursors having different pore size distributions. It is thus possible to optimise metal dispersion and product diffusibility (90 claims). US 7,186,757, ConocoPhillips Co, Houston, TX, USA, 6 Mar 2007
Preparation of carboxylic acids In the preparation of organic acids and hydroxy acids, eg lactic acid, by fermentation, it is customary to separate them as their calcium salts and then to remove the calcium as gypsum. In this new process, the acids are separated as their ammonium salts which are decomposed by heating. US 7,186,856, Cargill Inc, Wayzata, MN, USA, 6 Mar 2007
Improved Cyclar catalyst The conversion of alkanes to aromatic hydrocarbons by treatment of galliumcontaining zeolites of the MFI
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AIST eyes compact hydrogen generator for fuel cells The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) intends to develop portable hydrogen generator for fuel cells which will have a capacity of over 150 mmA/sq cm at 0.6 V. The generator will be based on ammonia borane hydrolysis. Ammonia borane has the capacity to release hydrogen when heated, and is primarily utilized as a chemical reducing agent. It offers more stability than water (? – Ed), and higher safety compared to sodium borohydride. AIST intends to develop a new catalyst to eliminate the use of precious metals. It will also work on developing a new electrode catalyst that would remain inactive during the hydrolysis of an aqueous ammonia borane and be active during negative electrode reactions. Japan Chemical Week, 25 Jan 2007, 48 (2401), 10
ENVIRONMENT JM to launch Russian plant for palladium auto catalyst production In Sep 2007 Johnson Matthey will launch in Krasnoyarsk (Central Siberia, Russia) a plant for palladium automotive catalyst production. JM has recently installed equipment for processing palladium. RBK Daily, 19 Feb 2007, (28), 6 (in Russian)
APRIL 2007
O N
C ATA LY S T S
Independent tests confirm up to 70% platinum reduction Clean Diesel Technologies Inc (CDT) announced positive results confirming substantial platinum savings through the use of its Platinum Plus fuel-borne catalyst (FBC) technology. High levels of platinum-based catalysts are used with modern Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) to meet the present and forthcoming worldwide emissions standards for particulate matter, including the Euro 5 and EPA 2007 requirements. Press release from: Clean Diesel Technologies Inc, 300, Atlantic Street, Suite 702, Stamford, CT 06901, USA. Tel: +1 203 327 7050. Fax: +1 203 323 0461. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.cdti.com (12 Feb 2007)
Field trial of oxidation catalyst for railway locomotive Union Pacific Railroad is to conduct a one-year test of a retro-fitted oxidation catalyst on a long-haul diesel-electric locomotive. AECC Newsletter, Jan-Feb 2007, 5 (Website: http://www.aecc.be/en/Newsletter/Newsletter.html)
World Waste Technologies applies for patent for the production of alcohol from waste World Waste Technologies Inc has filed a provisional patent covering an energy self-sufficient process for making mixed alcohols (including ethanol) from municipal solid waste via a catalytic syngas process. The process also includes the co-generation of renewable electricity from a producer gas as well as a process for efficiently separating the resulting mixed alcohols from hydrocarbons and other liquids. Press release from: World Waste Technologies Inc, 13500 Evening Creek Drive North, Suite 440, San Diego, CA 92128, USA. Tel: +1 858 391 3400. Fax: +1 858 486 3352. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.worldwasteintl.com (5 Mar 2007)
Disposal of used GTL catalysts The Umicore Val’eas process, which can be used to process used GTL catalysts as well as battery materials, is described. The metals are separated by smelting, and the gases from this are passed through a plasma gun in order to destroy dioxins and furins. TCE (formerly The Chemical Engineer), Feb 2007, (788), 26-29
PATENTS Catalysts for making amines Amines are usually made by reacting alcohols with ammonia or with other amines. Known catalysts for this are mixed oxides of Zr, Cu, Ni, and Co. This patent teaches that such catalysts are improved if they contain less that 1% of alkali metals. US 7,183,438, BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, 27 Feb 2007
Metal oxynitride catalysts Titanium dioxide is a much-studied photocatalyst but it suffers from being unresponsive to visible light. Several methods of remedying this are known, including doping with nitrogen, with or without a small amount of a platinum group metal. This patent describes several methods of nitriding nanoparticulate titania and zirconia. US 7,186,392, Georgia Tech Research Corp, Atlanta, GA, USA, 6 Mar 2007
F-T catalysts on supports having bimodal pore-size distributions The supports are of amorphous silica alumina, made by mixing precursors having different pore size distributions. It is thus possible to optimise metal dispersion and product diffusibility (90 claims). US 7,186,757, ConocoPhillips Co, Houston, TX, USA, 6 Mar 2007
Preparation of carboxylic acids In the preparation of organic acids and hydroxy acids, eg lactic acid, by fermentation, it is customary to separate them as their calcium salts and then to remove the calcium as gypsum. In this new process, the acids are separated as their ammonium salts which are decomposed by heating. US 7,186,856, Cargill Inc, Wayzata, MN, USA, 6 Mar 2007
Improved Cyclar catalyst The conversion of alkanes to aromatic hydrocarbons by treatment of galliumcontaining zeolites of the MFI
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