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Ethylbenzene removal in xylene isomerization
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Molybdenum disulfide made by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis
US agencies to review all such regulations before they are approved.
Workers at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champagne have made molybdenum disulfide catalyst particles by a new process which improves their catalytic activity. Droplets of aqueous ammonium tetrathiomolybdate and colloidal silica are sprayed into a furnace, The product is leached with hydrofluoric acid which removes the silica, leaving particles of highly active molybdenum disulfide.
AEEC Newsletter, May-Jun 2005, 6
European Chemical News, 25 July 2005, 83 (2157), 25
Microbial fuel cell yields hydrogen from biomass Ion Power Inc and the Pennsylvania State University have come up with a process that allows bacteria to generate four times as much hydrogen directly from biomass that can be produced by fermentation alone. The technology, which utilises a new electrically-assisted anaerobic microbial fuel cell (MFC), may capture hydrogen for fuel from renewable sources for clean transportation. It was discovered that by boosting the electrochemical potential in a fully anaerobic MFC circuit with a voltage of 250 mV or higher, bacteria are given enough energy to destroy the fermentation by-products at the anode. More than 95% of the acetate was used, with a concomitant recovery of 90% of the electrons as hydrogen gas in a fully oxygen-free cell. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jun 2005, 101 (6), 13-14
Plastic wastes converted to aromatic hydrocarbons Three Japanese organisations are collaborating in developing a catalytic process for converting waste plastics into aromatic hydrocarbons. The organisations are the Muroran Institute of Technology, the Kanagawa Industrial Technology Institute, and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries. Gallium-containing zeolite MFI has been used as the catalyst, but other zeolites have been shown to work too. At IHI’s facilities in Yokohama, a demonstration plant with a capacity of recovering 600 g benzene, toluene, and xylene from 1 kg of waste plastics is to be established. Japan Chemical News, 7 Jul 2005, 46 (2325), 3
Remove dust and pollutants with this catalytic filter Madison Filter Ltd of Haslingden, UK, and Haldor Topsoe A/S of Lyngby, Denmark, have jointly developed the Cerafil TopKat (CTK) ceramic candles that comprise a concoction of metal oxide catalysts for destroying dioxins, volatile organic compounds, and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The filter is said to make fluegas cleanup and NOx removal easier and investment costs cheaper. A better than 99% dust removal ability has been achieved by the filter in two commercial applications. Chemical Engineering (New York), Jul 2005, 112 (7), 16
already being used in the recovery of metal down to parts per billion levels and where materials are unsuitable for transport. Smopex has received a drug master file number from the US Food & Drug Administration for use within pharmaceutical applications. AquaCat uses supercritical water oxidation technology to ‘burn’ materials and thereby recover valuable precious metals. The process uses very little energy, and the gaseous emissions usually requiring treatment following metal recovery are so low that they are not detected. Press release from: Johnson Matthey Catalysts, Orchard Road, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 5HE, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1763 253000. Website: http://www.matthey.com (1 Jul 2005)
PATENTS Sulfur-tolerant SOx trap for 3-way exhaust catalysts These are structured, layered catalyst particles. The object is to remove SOx before it poisons the NOx removal catalyst beneath. The top layer contains a material such as magnesia or hydrotalcite which reversibly adsorbs the SOx. US 6,923,945, Engelhard Corp, Iselin, NJ, USA, 2 Aug 2005
Thermal spray process for applying catalytic coating The purpose is to provide a catalytic coating to vehicle radiators so that they destroy atmospheric ozone. The coating of copper, which becomes copper oxide, is applied by a thermal spray process. US 6,924,249, Delphi Technologies Inc, Troy, MI, USA, 2 Aug 2005
ENVIRONMENT Are catalytic converters on portable equipment safe? The EPA has proposed setting emission standards for exhausts from portable equipment such as lawnmowers and chain saws, which would require the fitting of catalytic converters. However, the high temperatures reached by these converters could cause fires, eg in dry grass. The Senate is requiring several
SEPTEMBER 2005
Johnson Matthey technology wins award Johnson Matthey has been presented with a Premier Award by Business Commitment to the Environment (BCE). The award winning technologies, named AquaCat and Smopex, offer an environmentally advanced route for recycling metal, including materials that may not be suitable for traditional recovery techniques. The Smopex technology, a fibrous scavenger that selectively attracts metals from solution, is
Ethylbenzene removal in xylene isomerization Isomerization of xylene mixtures to the more valuable p-xylene is complicated by the presence of ethylbenzene which is difficult to remove. In this process, the ethylbenzene is first de-alkylated to benzene and ethylene using an intermediate pore-sized zeolite. US 6,924,405, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 2 Aug 2005
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ON
C ATA LY S T S
Molybdenum disulfide made by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis
US agencies to review all such regulations before they are approved.
Workers at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champagne have made molybdenum disulfide catalyst particles by a new process which improves their catalytic activity. Droplets of aqueous ammonium tetrathiomolybdate and colloidal silica are sprayed into a furnace, The product is leached with hydrofluoric acid which removes the silica, leaving particles of highly active molybdenum disulfide.
AEEC Newsletter, May-Jun 2005, 6
European Chemical News, 25 July 2005, 83 (2157), 25
Microbial fuel cell yields hydrogen from biomass Ion Power Inc and the Pennsylvania State University have come up with a process that allows bacteria to generate four times as much hydrogen directly from biomass that can be produced by fermentation alone. The technology, which utilises a new electrically-assisted anaerobic microbial fuel cell (MFC), may capture hydrogen for fuel from renewable sources for clean transportation. It was discovered that by boosting the electrochemical potential in a fully anaerobic MFC circuit with a voltage of 250 mV or higher, bacteria are given enough energy to destroy the fermentation by-products at the anode. More than 95% of the acetate was used, with a concomitant recovery of 90% of the electrons as hydrogen gas in a fully oxygen-free cell. Chemical Engineering Progress, Jun 2005, 101 (6), 13-14
Plastic wastes converted to aromatic hydrocarbons Three Japanese organisations are collaborating in developing a catalytic process for converting waste plastics into aromatic hydrocarbons. The organisations are the Muroran Institute of Technology, the Kanagawa Industrial Technology Institute, and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries. Gallium-containing zeolite MFI has been used as the catalyst, but other zeolites have been shown to work too. At IHI’s facilities in Yokohama, a demonstration plant with a capacity of recovering 600 g benzene, toluene, and xylene from 1 kg of waste plastics is to be established. Japan Chemical News, 7 Jul 2005, 46 (2325), 3
Remove dust and pollutants with this catalytic filter Madison Filter Ltd of Haslingden, UK, and Haldor Topsoe A/S of Lyngby, Denmark, have jointly developed the Cerafil TopKat (CTK) ceramic candles that comprise a concoction of metal oxide catalysts for destroying dioxins, volatile organic compounds, and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). The filter is said to make fluegas cleanup and NOx removal easier and investment costs cheaper. A better than 99% dust removal ability has been achieved by the filter in two commercial applications. Chemical Engineering (New York), Jul 2005, 112 (7), 16
already being used in the recovery of metal down to parts per billion levels and where materials are unsuitable for transport. Smopex has received a drug master file number from the US Food & Drug Administration for use within pharmaceutical applications. AquaCat uses supercritical water oxidation technology to ‘burn’ materials and thereby recover valuable precious metals. The process uses very little energy, and the gaseous emissions usually requiring treatment following metal recovery are so low that they are not detected. Press release from: Johnson Matthey Catalysts, Orchard Road, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 5HE, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1763 253000. Website: http://www.matthey.com (1 Jul 2005)
PATENTS Sulfur-tolerant SOx trap for 3-way exhaust catalysts These are structured, layered catalyst particles. The object is to remove SOx before it poisons the NOx removal catalyst beneath. The top layer contains a material such as magnesia or hydrotalcite which reversibly adsorbs the SOx. US 6,923,945, Engelhard Corp, Iselin, NJ, USA, 2 Aug 2005
Thermal spray process for applying catalytic coating The purpose is to provide a catalytic coating to vehicle radiators so that they destroy atmospheric ozone. The coating of copper, which becomes copper oxide, is applied by a thermal spray process. US 6,924,249, Delphi Technologies Inc, Troy, MI, USA, 2 Aug 2005
ENVIRONMENT Are catalytic converters on portable equipment safe? The EPA has proposed setting emission standards for exhausts from portable equipment such as lawnmowers and chain saws, which would require the fitting of catalytic converters. However, the high temperatures reached by these converters could cause fires, eg in dry grass. The Senate is requiring several
SEPTEMBER 2005
Johnson Matthey technology wins award Johnson Matthey has been presented with a Premier Award by Business Commitment to the Environment (BCE). The award winning technologies, named AquaCat and Smopex, offer an environmentally advanced route for recycling metal, including materials that may not be suitable for traditional recovery techniques. The Smopex technology, a fibrous scavenger that selectively attracts metals from solution, is
Ethylbenzene removal in xylene isomerization Isomerization of xylene mixtures to the more valuable p-xylene is complicated by the presence of ethylbenzene which is difficult to remove. In this process, the ethylbenzene is first de-alkylated to benzene and ethylene using an intermediate pore-sized zeolite. US 6,924,405, ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc, Houston, TX, USA, 2 Aug 2005
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