- Email: [email protected]
Propylene oxide manufacture
F O C U S different kind of construction and membrane that is not acidic. This allows the cheaper nickel to be utilized as a catalyst. The catalysing surface of nickel has also been modified with chromium. This plating lowers the nickel’s vulnerability to oxidation over time, thereby prolonging the life-time of the fuel cell. Fuel Cells Bulletin, Feb 2009, 8
ENVIRONMENT BASF to provide catalytic convertors, air intake manifold for Nano BASF has agreed to supply products and engineering solutions to Tata Motors to be used in its new Nano automobile. The products to be supplied include a specially designed catalytic converter, which meets the current emission standards of India. BASF is also providing glass-fibre reinforced engineering plastic called Ultramid to be used by Tata Visteon in the manufacture of air intake manifold. The usage of ‘Ultramid’ will reduce the weight of the automobile by 40% thus leading to better fuel efficiency and less emission. Chemical Weekly, 7 Apr 2009, 54 (34), 132
Mitsui filling catalyst R&D pipeline to protect environment Mitsui Chemicals is extending its R&D pipeline for catalysts, targeting environmental conservation. It has partnered with a Malaysian biotechnology firm to develop biocatalysts to synthesize useful materials such as alcohols and Dlactic acid sourced from renewable biomass like cellulose and sucrose. With regard to greenhouse-gas emissions reduction, Mitsui has recently finished building a pilot facility at its Osaka site for the synthesis of methanol sourced from carbon dioxide. The facility’s operation is expected to commence by end-Apr 2009. Meanwhile, Mitsui’s Singaporean research base Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific Technical Center, together with the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES) under Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research,
JUNE 2009
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C ATA LY S T S
has developed a zeolite catalyst having a selectivity of over 90% for the manufacture of benzene and hydrogen using natural gas-derived methane as feedstock.
CleanTech Biofuels Inc is an early stage commercial company with technology that the company believes is capable of converting municipal solid waste into energy products.
Japan Chemical Web, 16 Apr 2009 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Press release from: CleanTech Biofuels Inc, 7386 Pershing Avenue, St Louis, MO 63130, USA. Tel: +1 314 802 8670. Fax: +1 314 802 8675. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.cleantechbiofuels.net (28 Apr 2009)
Waste-to-fuel industry will create more jobs and income for China According to a new roadmap for development of cellulosic ethanol in China, to be presented on 21 Apr 2009 at the Boao Forum for Asia, China can create millions of jobs, reduce consumption of imported oil, and reduce CO2 emissions by introducing cellulosic ethanol (ethanol made from agricultural waste products). The roadmap is included in a new report by Novozymes and McKinsey & Co. “By converting agricultural residues into fuel ethanol, China can reduce its gasoline consumption by 31 M tonnes in 2020, thereby reducing its dependence on imported petroleum by around 10%. By doing that China will abate about 90 M tonnes of CO2 emissions. Meanwhile this industry will create 6 M direct jobs, resulting in an RMB Yuan 32 bn income increase annually,” says Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes. Press release from: Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 4446 0000. Fax: +45 4446 9999. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com (20 Apr 2009)
CleanTech Biofuels Inc achieves operational milestone CleanTech Biofuels Inc has successfully demonstrated operational capability of its technology that processes municipal solid waste into clean, homogeneous biomass for energy production. The vessel processed a total of approximately 10 tons of garbage obtained from the City of Chicago. The biomass is being tested as a feedstock in energy conversion technologies that are ready for commercialisation. Having recently acquired the patent for its underlying technology and settled its litigation with BioProducts International, CleanTech is now able to use its biomass for a wide array of energy production rather than being limited to cellulosic ethanol production.
PATENTS Ionic liquids as alkylation catalysts Ionic liquids such as 1-butylpyridinium chloroaluminate, mixed with an alkyl chloride, are effective alkylation catalysts for making branched-chain alkanes for the petroleum industry. They are safer to use than the traditional hyfrofluoric and sulfuric acids. US 7,531,707, Chevron USA Inc, San Ramon, CA, USA,12 May 2009
Direct epoxidation process Titanium silicalite is a well-known epoxidation catalyst, used with hydrogen peroxide. It is possible to avoid the use of hydrogen peroxide and use instead a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases if the titanium silicalite is modified with palladium, lead, and bismuth. This catalyst gives selectivity similar to that of similar catalysts not containing lead and bismuth, used with hydrogen peroxide. US 7,531,675, Lyondell Chemical Technology LP, Greenville, DE, USA, 12 May 2009
Another direct epoxidation process This catalyst is similar to that described in the previous patent, but the noble metal catalyst is attached to an anion-exchanger and immobilised in an organic polymer. US 7,528,269, Lyondell Chemical Technology LP, Greenville, DE, USA, 5 May 2009
Propylene oxide manufacture Another epoxidation process, which uses a zeotype having larger pores than titanium silicalite, and a solvent which is immiscible with water and so can be separated cheaply from it. US 7,531,674, Suitomo Chemical Co Ltd, Osaka, Japan, 12 May 2009
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ENVIRONMENT BASF to provide catalytic convertors, air intake manifold for Nano BASF has agreed to supply products and engineering solutions to Tata Motors to be used in its new Nano automobile. The products to be supplied include a specially designed catalytic converter, which meets the current emission standards of India. BASF is also providing glass-fibre reinforced engineering plastic called Ultramid to be used by Tata Visteon in the manufacture of air intake manifold. The usage of ‘Ultramid’ will reduce the weight of the automobile by 40% thus leading to better fuel efficiency and less emission. Chemical Weekly, 7 Apr 2009, 54 (34), 132
Mitsui filling catalyst R&D pipeline to protect environment Mitsui Chemicals is extending its R&D pipeline for catalysts, targeting environmental conservation. It has partnered with a Malaysian biotechnology firm to develop biocatalysts to synthesize useful materials such as alcohols and Dlactic acid sourced from renewable biomass like cellulose and sucrose. With regard to greenhouse-gas emissions reduction, Mitsui has recently finished building a pilot facility at its Osaka site for the synthesis of methanol sourced from carbon dioxide. The facility’s operation is expected to commence by end-Apr 2009. Meanwhile, Mitsui’s Singaporean research base Mitsui Chemicals Asia Pacific Technical Center, together with the Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES) under Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research,
JUNE 2009
O N
C ATA LY S T S
has developed a zeolite catalyst having a selectivity of over 90% for the manufacture of benzene and hydrogen using natural gas-derived methane as feedstock.
CleanTech Biofuels Inc is an early stage commercial company with technology that the company believes is capable of converting municipal solid waste into energy products.
Japan Chemical Web, 16 Apr 2009 (Website: http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)
Press release from: CleanTech Biofuels Inc, 7386 Pershing Avenue, St Louis, MO 63130, USA. Tel: +1 314 802 8670. Fax: +1 314 802 8675. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.cleantechbiofuels.net (28 Apr 2009)
Waste-to-fuel industry will create more jobs and income for China According to a new roadmap for development of cellulosic ethanol in China, to be presented on 21 Apr 2009 at the Boao Forum for Asia, China can create millions of jobs, reduce consumption of imported oil, and reduce CO2 emissions by introducing cellulosic ethanol (ethanol made from agricultural waste products). The roadmap is included in a new report by Novozymes and McKinsey & Co. “By converting agricultural residues into fuel ethanol, China can reduce its gasoline consumption by 31 M tonnes in 2020, thereby reducing its dependence on imported petroleum by around 10%. By doing that China will abate about 90 M tonnes of CO2 emissions. Meanwhile this industry will create 6 M direct jobs, resulting in an RMB Yuan 32 bn income increase annually,” says Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes. Press release from: Novozymes A/S, Krogshojvej 36, 2880 Bagsvaerd, Denmark. Tel: +45 4446 0000. Fax: +45 4446 9999. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: http://www.novozymes.com (20 Apr 2009)
CleanTech Biofuels Inc achieves operational milestone CleanTech Biofuels Inc has successfully demonstrated operational capability of its technology that processes municipal solid waste into clean, homogeneous biomass for energy production. The vessel processed a total of approximately 10 tons of garbage obtained from the City of Chicago. The biomass is being tested as a feedstock in energy conversion technologies that are ready for commercialisation. Having recently acquired the patent for its underlying technology and settled its litigation with BioProducts International, CleanTech is now able to use its biomass for a wide array of energy production rather than being limited to cellulosic ethanol production.
PATENTS Ionic liquids as alkylation catalysts Ionic liquids such as 1-butylpyridinium chloroaluminate, mixed with an alkyl chloride, are effective alkylation catalysts for making branched-chain alkanes for the petroleum industry. They are safer to use than the traditional hyfrofluoric and sulfuric acids. US 7,531,707, Chevron USA Inc, San Ramon, CA, USA,12 May 2009
Direct epoxidation process Titanium silicalite is a well-known epoxidation catalyst, used with hydrogen peroxide. It is possible to avoid the use of hydrogen peroxide and use instead a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen gases if the titanium silicalite is modified with palladium, lead, and bismuth. This catalyst gives selectivity similar to that of similar catalysts not containing lead and bismuth, used with hydrogen peroxide. US 7,531,675, Lyondell Chemical Technology LP, Greenville, DE, USA, 12 May 2009
Another direct epoxidation process This catalyst is similar to that described in the previous patent, but the noble metal catalyst is attached to an anion-exchanger and immobilised in an organic polymer. US 7,528,269, Lyondell Chemical Technology LP, Greenville, DE, USA, 5 May 2009
Propylene oxide manufacture Another epoxidation process, which uses a zeotype having larger pores than titanium silicalite, and a solvent which is immiscible with water and so can be separated cheaply from it. US 7,531,674, Suitomo Chemical Co Ltd, Osaka, Japan, 12 May 2009
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