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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Clariant's MegaMax™ catalysts will power China's first biomass-to-green methanol project Clariant, a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, announced today that its MegaMax catalyst was selected for a China’s biomass gasification-to-green methanol project. The plant will use a combination of farm waste and wind power to produce up to 250,000 tons per annum of green methanol in two phases by 2027. Construction of the first plant phase began in March 2024 and is expected to start producing green methanol in the first half of 2025 as China’s first commercialized biomass gasification-to-green methanol plant. Georg Anfang, Vice President Syngas and Fuels at Clariant Catalysts, commented, “We are very pleased to be part of this groundbreaking project. With over 50 years of expertise in methanol synthesis and a clear commitment to developing innovative catalysts for the energy transition, we are an ideal partner for this prestigious sustainabili...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share The Hemp plant has thousands of ways to be used. Here's 3 unusual traits of the hemp plant that you might not be aware of: 1.Phytoremediation Properties: Hemp has the remarkable ability to clean and restore soil health. It can absorb heavy metals, toxins, and even radiation from the soil through a process known as phytoremediation. This makes it useful for cleaning up contaminated land. 2.Versatile Biomass Potential: The entire hemp plant can be utilized, making it one of the most efficient crops. Its stalks can be used for fibre and hurd (building materials and animal bedding), seeds for food and oil, and leaves and flowers for medicinal and recreational products. This versatility reduces waste and maximizes the plant’s economic value. 3.High Resistance to Pests and Diseases: Hemp is naturally resistant to many pests and diseases, reducing the need for pesticides. This resilience not only makes it a more environmentally friendly crop but also lowers pro...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share New research highlights marine biodegradability of Eastman Aventa™ compostable materials A groundbreaking new study published in ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering reveals that cellulose diacetate (CDA)-based foams made with Eastman Aventa™ compostable materials rapidly biodegrade in the marine environment. The article concludes that biodegradable, CDA-based foams are commercially useful and will not persist in our oceans as plastic pollution.  Scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the world’s leading independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to ocean research, exploration and education, led the study. WHOI’s research and journal article focuses on CDA-based foams made with Aventa, which lost up to 70% of their mass after 36 weeks of incubation in seawater. In contrast, polystyrene foams a material commonly used for food packaging showed no signs of degradation. The study found that CDA foams degrade faster than any ...

Clariant has launched its new generation of melamine-free flame retardants, a safer, more future-proof solution that delivers superior fire performance and meets the stringent requirements of modern industry. The classification of melamine as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) in 2023 makes Exolit AP 422 A a valuable asset for the fire protection industry, enabling coatings and sealant products to maintain high performance standards without relying on melamine.   In response to current and future regulatory challenges surrounding melamine, Clariant has been actively working on this innovative solution for several years, developing a SVHC-free alternative to the existing melamine-containing Exolit AP 422 flame retardant.   “Exolit AP 422 A builds on the proven reliability of Exolit products in the market and ensures that our customers’ fire protection products remain competitive, especially in terms of chemical compliance. It enables manufacturers to adapt to changing regu...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share This is the full ranking for the global sales of light vehicles (passenger cars, pickup trucks, and light commercial vehicles) between January and September 2024. Main facts: - Top leadership unchanged with Toyota always ahead despite posting a 4% decrease. The company is being challenged in China, where its volume fell by 10%, but keeps a solid position in both USA and Europe. Toyota is the top seller in the majority of the emerging and poor economies. - Volkswagen Group lost 2.8% vs Jan-Sep 2023, mainly because of China (-10%) where it’s no longer the leader. As its electric vehicles struggle outside Europe, it is looking desperately to join forces with local Chinese makers and reduce costs in Europe. - Hyundai-Kia was down by 1.6% driven by China’s drop of 37% in contrast to stable sales in USA. Its electric vehicles are also suffering in the West. - Stellantis is the most worrying case. It is not exposed to the Chinese market but still recorded a sales d...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share How to experimentally spot a differential shrinkage driven warpage problem ? If you are molding a relatively uniform thickness part and suffer from warpage, there is a nice trick to experimentally separate the contribution of differential shrinkage from other sources of problems (differential cooling, anisotropy). Just make parts that are roughly full (say, 99% full), with zero packing (no pressure, no time). By not packing, you avoid packing one area better than another (for instance overpacking the gate area vs. distant areas). As a result you have a lighter part, with sink marks all over and voids, but with essentially NO DIFFERENTIAL SHRINKAGE. If this "short shot" is flatter than your packed part, you have experimentally demonstrated a strong contribution from "uneven packing", i.e. differential shrinkage. Learn about all this in detail in my online course on the packing phase. source:Vito leo

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share China's largest carbon fiber high-speed passenger ship with a capacity of 500 passengers was launched in Nansha New District of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, the Science and Technology Daily reported. The ship, Xin Ming Zhu III, which was undertaken by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Guangzhou Shipbuilding Co Ltd and built by Guangdong Zhongwei Composite Material Co Ltd, will be used to transport passengers within the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region waters. The ship measures 44.75 meters long, 11 meters wide and 3.65 meters deep, with a draft of 1.4 meters and a design speed of 26 knots. Its maximum cruising speed can reach up to 33 knots when fully loaded. With enhanced navigability and operability, the ship can withstand sails when experiencing winds of up to 8 on the Beaufort scale. Equipped with lithium battery packs and solar energy storage batteries, the ship is also environmentally-friendly. Entirely constructed using advanced carbon...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share FAMU-FSU researchers pioneer new adhesive polymer technology using a secret ingredient found on your kitchen table. Adhesives are everywhere, from the tape used in households to the bonding materials in vehicles and electronics. The search for stronger, more adaptable adhesives is ongoing and may come down to adding a dash of salt to two special polymer ingredients known as polyzwitterions, or PZIs. New research from a   FAMU-FSU College of Engineering  team led by  Hoyong Chung , an associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, shows a new way to create adhesives by using the natural attraction between positively and negatively charged materials. The work was recently published in  Journal of the American Chemical Society . “We want to create stronger and more versatile adhesives using a strategy involving electrostatic interactions,” Chung said. “Our research centers around two special polymers, known as PZIs,...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Knowledge of Petrochemical units: Ethylene Production Based On Steam Cracking: Ethylene production is primarily achieved through steam cracking, where hydrocarbons like ethane, propane, or naphtha are heated to high temperatures (around 800-900°C) in the presence of steam. This process breaks down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller ones, with ethylene being a major product. The cracked gases are then rapidly cooled to stop the reactions, and the mixture is sent through a series of separation and purification steps to isolate ethylene. Ethylene is a key building block in the petrochemical industry, used to produce various plastics, chemicals, and synthetic materials. ------------------------------------------- Process Flow Diagram Overview: Using the basic flow sheet in the appendix: Feed Furnace: The hydrocarbon feedstock (e.g., ethane or naphtha) is preheated in the feed furnace to around 400°C. Cracking Furnace: The preheated feed is further heated t...

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share Evonik is unveiling its latest innovations in PA12 polymer applications for 3D printing at Formnext 2024, the highlight exposition and convention for the world’s additive manufacturing community. Most notably on display will be the company’s PA12 based INFINAM® 6013 P and INFINAM® 6014 P 3D-printable powders, which through a feat of engineering, possess a relatively substantial amount of carbon black in the core of each particle. Produced through the precipitation process, these carbon black powders are specially designed for powder bed fusion techniques like SLS (Selective Laser Sintering), and offer high flowability and homogenous sintering. Additionally, the high core-shell carbon black content allows for true pigmentation uniformity, minimizes visibility of surface abrasion and wear, as well as provides elevated resistance to ultraviolet rays and greater isotropic performance. “These properties make our carbon black powder an ideal material for producing...