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New propylene production technologies needed to meet demand
F O C U S
MARKETS AND BUSINESS EU reserves €215 M for new technologies EU: A total of €215 M has been reserved for projects in the field of new and nascent technologies within the budget of the sixth skeleton programme of scientific and technical development. One of the projects financed will be Elcat, the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide in the gaseous phase. It combines the ability of nanoporous membranes to separate molecules according to their size, with the catalytic properties of noble metals. The goal is to produce chemicals from carbon dioxide and hydrogen under mild conditions. The results may have a significant influence on synthetic processes in the chemical industry. Technicky Tydenik, 2 Mar 2004, 52 (5), 4 (in Czech)
EU to provide €300 M for hydrogen and fuel-cells technologies The European Union is to provide approximately €300 M for R&D projects on hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies during 2002-2006. For 1999-2002, EU investments in these projects came to €150 M. The sums account for only a part of the total costs of R&D in this field. A European technological platform for hydrogen and fuel cells has been established to support and accelerate the development and application of power sources based on hydrogen and fuel cells. Technicky Tydenik, 16 Mar 2004, 52 (6), 5 (in Czech)
Ethanol from non-starchy biomass sources The US DOE is funding research to produce ethanol from non-starchy biomass sources such as corn leaves, corn stalks, and other agricultural wastes. These “woody” biomass sources are high in lignin, a glue-like substance that makes fermentation difficult. Danish company Novozymes A/S announced that it had achieved a 12-fold reduction in the cost of the
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enzymes needed to convert woody biomass sources into ethanol. Novozymes, the world’s largest manufacturer of enzymes, was able to cut the cost for enzymes by increasing the enzyme activity and fermentation yield. As a result, the company reduced the cost of the enzymes needed to produce one gallon of ethanol from woody biomass from $5/gallon to less than 50 cents/gallon. Biobased Fuels, Power and Products Newsletter, 5 Mar 2004, (US Dept of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Website: http://216.169.154.57/bio)
New propylene production technologies needed to meet demand New production technologies are required to satisfy the projected demand for propylene, based on a report by Nexant Inc. Over 25% of the new crackers slated for commissioning around the world in 2003-2006 are based on ethane and these yield minimal propylene. The Middle East and Southeast Asia are deemed to be in a better position to provide low-cost propylene to Northeast Asia, based on the export indications of several dedicated propylene processes. Other propylene production processes include those that can be classified as co-product technologies, including traditional methods such as steam cracking, in which propylene is a secondary product. High Performance Plastics, Mar 2004, 1-2
Global nanotechnology market to reach $28.7 bn by 2008 Nanotechnology, the technology of creating and utilising nanomaterials, seems to be growing at twice the pace of the biotechnology and informatics sectors. According to the new study – Nanotechnology: A Realistic Market Evaluation, by Business Communications Co Inc – the market for nanoscale materials is likely to grow at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 30.6% to $28.7 bn by 2008, as compared to $7.6 bn in 2003. The nanomaterials segment includes carbon black fillers, catalytic converter materials, and silver nanoparticles used in photographic films and papers. This segment contributes over 97.5% of the global nanotechnology sales. However, by
2008, the share of nanomaterials is expected to decline to 74.7%, while that of nanotools is expected to rise to 4.3% and of nanodevices to 21%. In the nanomaterials market, nanotubes with an AAGR of 173% and nanocomposites with an AAGR of 76% are likely to dominate, rather than nanoparticles, which at present holds the largest share. The details on the global nanotechnology market for 2002, 2003, and 2008 are presented in a bar graph. Chemical Engineering World, Feb 2004, 39 (2), 35
Trends of global catalyst industry The development of clean oil catalysts for the oil refinery sector has been accelerated by the introduction of stricter environmental protection legislation in the US and elsewhere. Demand for catalysts has risen, particularly from the refinery sector. Demand and management of the catalyst industry worldwide are discussed. Xiandai Huagong, Feb 2004, 24 (2), 59-61 (in Chinese)
COMPANY NEWS AMC acquired by JM Johnson Matthey, UK, has acquired AMC, USA, which is involved in catalysts, for $43 M. AMC has 55 employees who achieved sales of $24 M in 2003. It main customers are in pharmaceuticals and speciality chemicals. It leads the market in Sponge Nickel catalysts, which are used for hydrogenation and reductive alkylation in the pharmaceutical industry etc. European Chemical News, 5 Apr 2004, 80 (2094), 9 & Nachrichten für Aussenhandel, 1 Apr 2004, 67 (65), 1 (in German)
Avecia secures new business projects Avecia Pharmaceuticals has commercialised its immobilised CACHy technology CTIS CACHy, which enhances the economics of large scale pharmaceutical production via chiral cyanohydrin building blocks. This technology was developed under a co-development deal between
MAY 2004
MARKETS AND BUSINESS EU reserves €215 M for new technologies EU: A total of €215 M has been reserved for projects in the field of new and nascent technologies within the budget of the sixth skeleton programme of scientific and technical development. One of the projects financed will be Elcat, the electrocatalytic conversion of carbon dioxide in the gaseous phase. It combines the ability of nanoporous membranes to separate molecules according to their size, with the catalytic properties of noble metals. The goal is to produce chemicals from carbon dioxide and hydrogen under mild conditions. The results may have a significant influence on synthetic processes in the chemical industry. Technicky Tydenik, 2 Mar 2004, 52 (5), 4 (in Czech)
EU to provide €300 M for hydrogen and fuel-cells technologies The European Union is to provide approximately €300 M for R&D projects on hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies during 2002-2006. For 1999-2002, EU investments in these projects came to €150 M. The sums account for only a part of the total costs of R&D in this field. A European technological platform for hydrogen and fuel cells has been established to support and accelerate the development and application of power sources based on hydrogen and fuel cells. Technicky Tydenik, 16 Mar 2004, 52 (6), 5 (in Czech)
Ethanol from non-starchy biomass sources The US DOE is funding research to produce ethanol from non-starchy biomass sources such as corn leaves, corn stalks, and other agricultural wastes. These “woody” biomass sources are high in lignin, a glue-like substance that makes fermentation difficult. Danish company Novozymes A/S announced that it had achieved a 12-fold reduction in the cost of the
2
O N
C ATA LY S T S
enzymes needed to convert woody biomass sources into ethanol. Novozymes, the world’s largest manufacturer of enzymes, was able to cut the cost for enzymes by increasing the enzyme activity and fermentation yield. As a result, the company reduced the cost of the enzymes needed to produce one gallon of ethanol from woody biomass from $5/gallon to less than 50 cents/gallon. Biobased Fuels, Power and Products Newsletter, 5 Mar 2004, (US Dept of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Website: http://216.169.154.57/bio)
New propylene production technologies needed to meet demand New production technologies are required to satisfy the projected demand for propylene, based on a report by Nexant Inc. Over 25% of the new crackers slated for commissioning around the world in 2003-2006 are based on ethane and these yield minimal propylene. The Middle East and Southeast Asia are deemed to be in a better position to provide low-cost propylene to Northeast Asia, based on the export indications of several dedicated propylene processes. Other propylene production processes include those that can be classified as co-product technologies, including traditional methods such as steam cracking, in which propylene is a secondary product. High Performance Plastics, Mar 2004, 1-2
Global nanotechnology market to reach $28.7 bn by 2008 Nanotechnology, the technology of creating and utilising nanomaterials, seems to be growing at twice the pace of the biotechnology and informatics sectors. According to the new study – Nanotechnology: A Realistic Market Evaluation, by Business Communications Co Inc – the market for nanoscale materials is likely to grow at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of 30.6% to $28.7 bn by 2008, as compared to $7.6 bn in 2003. The nanomaterials segment includes carbon black fillers, catalytic converter materials, and silver nanoparticles used in photographic films and papers. This segment contributes over 97.5% of the global nanotechnology sales. However, by
2008, the share of nanomaterials is expected to decline to 74.7%, while that of nanotools is expected to rise to 4.3% and of nanodevices to 21%. In the nanomaterials market, nanotubes with an AAGR of 173% and nanocomposites with an AAGR of 76% are likely to dominate, rather than nanoparticles, which at present holds the largest share. The details on the global nanotechnology market for 2002, 2003, and 2008 are presented in a bar graph. Chemical Engineering World, Feb 2004, 39 (2), 35
Trends of global catalyst industry The development of clean oil catalysts for the oil refinery sector has been accelerated by the introduction of stricter environmental protection legislation in the US and elsewhere. Demand for catalysts has risen, particularly from the refinery sector. Demand and management of the catalyst industry worldwide are discussed. Xiandai Huagong, Feb 2004, 24 (2), 59-61 (in Chinese)
COMPANY NEWS AMC acquired by JM Johnson Matthey, UK, has acquired AMC, USA, which is involved in catalysts, for $43 M. AMC has 55 employees who achieved sales of $24 M in 2003. It main customers are in pharmaceuticals and speciality chemicals. It leads the market in Sponge Nickel catalysts, which are used for hydrogenation and reductive alkylation in the pharmaceutical industry etc. European Chemical News, 5 Apr 2004, 80 (2094), 9 & Nachrichten für Aussenhandel, 1 Apr 2004, 67 (65), 1 (in German)
Avecia secures new business projects Avecia Pharmaceuticals has commercialised its immobilised CACHy technology CTIS CACHy, which enhances the economics of large scale pharmaceutical production via chiral cyanohydrin building blocks. This technology was developed under a co-development deal between
MAY 2004