Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Whisky wastewater into GreenHydrogen production

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:

Whisky wastewater into GreenHydrogen production

Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland have unlocked the potential to turn wastewater from the whisky industry into greenhydrogen source.

The team developed nanoscale materials that utilize distillery wastewater to produce carbon-free green hydrogen.Typically, the process of creating green hydrogen consumes massive amounts of fresh water, about 20.5 billion liters annually.

In contrast, the team's innovation aims to repurpose the one billion liters of wastewater generated by distilleries each year.

Dr. Sudhagar Pitchaimuthu Ph.D., FRSC highlighted the importance of reducing fresh water use and leveraging waste materials for sustainable practices.

The nanoscale material, a nickel selenide #nanoparticle, enables distillery wastewater to replace fresh water in the green hydrogen production process, showing promising results in research.

This breakthrough not only reduces the freshwater footprint associated with #greenhydrogen production but also aligns with global efforts to utilize resources more sustainably for clean energy.The next steps include developing an electrolyser prototype and scaling up production of the #nickelselenide nanoparticles, emphasizing the potential of this innovative process.

Source:Energy Theory

BASF Presents Anti-scorch Solution without Aromatic Amines for PU Foams

BASF presents Irgastab® PUR 71, an innovative and advanced anti-scorch solution that not only ensures adherence to regulations but also offers exceptional performance.

This premium solution has been formulated without aromatic amine, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional anti-scorch additives. With its superior environmental, health, and safety profile, this solution meets the increasing regulatory pressure on substance classification and sustainability in the industry.

Reducing Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds:

In the manufacturing of polyurethane foams, the heat generated during the process can cause discoloration, loss of mechanical properties, and even fire hazards if the polyols, the main raw materials, are not properly stabilized.

While conventional anti-scorch packages rely on phenolic antioxidants combined with aromatic amine stabilizers, they come with significant drawbacks such as unpleasant odor, toxicity concerns, or high volatility.

The use of anti-scorch additives can greatly minimize degradation caused by exothermic reactions during the processing of PUR foam. Irgastab® PUR 71, formulated without intentionally added aromatic amine, effectively decreases emissions, and lowers the potential harm to both humans and aquatic organisms. Consequently, this leads to significantly reduced levels of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and condensable emissions (FOG) released from PUR foams. Due to these properties, air quality within the interior of vehicles can be greatly improved, creating an advantage in the automotive industry.

“Irgastab® PUR 71 reaffirms BASF's commitment to innovation and partnership with the industry: We offer our customers a sustainable alternative to conventional solutions, empowering them to gain a significant advantage in the everchanging global market,” said Dr. Bettina Sobotka, head of global marketing and development, Plastic Additives, BASF. “With a proven track record in additives, backed by our global team of experts dedicated to the development of the automotive and comfort industry, we strive to pioneer cutting-edge technologies and solutions that not only enhance performance, but also promote sustainability.”

Irgastab® PUR 71 provides targeted application benefits in various industries. It enables lower emissions in compliance with the most stringent automotive industry specifications and improves the vehicle interior air quality. In the comfort sector, it offers state-of-the-art anti-scorch resistance to polyol as well as foam producers, preventing heat degradation during the foaming process. In addition, it has no Carcinogenic, Mutagenic and Reprotoxic (CMR) classification, allowing polyol producers to comply with environmental voluntary certifications and keep their anti-scorch recipe confidential.

Source:BASF/specialchem

Heat-resistant nanocatalyst ‘more than doubles green hydrogen production

A new nanocatalyst that can withstand extremely high temperatures has more than doubled the rate of hydrogen production during lab tests.

The material, which was developed by researchers at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), could help reduce the price of green hydrogen.

The fuel can be made using water electrolysis, which uses renewable energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The production cost of green hydrogen is about $5 per kilogram however – two- to three-times higher than grey hydrogen, which is obtained from natural gas.

Water electrolysis must therefore be improved to make green hydrogen use practical, the researchers said. This could be particularly important in Korea, where use of renewable energy is limited by geographical constraints.

Dr Kyung-Joong Yoon’s research team at KIST’s Energy Materials Research Centre developed the new nanocatalyst for high-temperature water electrolysis. The material can retain a current density of more than 1A/cm2 for a long time, at temperatures above 600ºC.

To improve the performance and stability of water electrolysis cells, the team investigated the degradation mechanisms of nanomaterials at high temperatures and identified reasons for abnormal behaviour.

Electrolysis technology can be classified into low- and high-temperature electrolysis. While low-temperature electrolysis at below 100ºC has been developed for a long time and is technologically more mature, high-temperature electrolysis above 600ºC offers higher efficiency. Commercialisation has been hindered by the lack of thermal stability and insufficient lifetime owing to high-temperature degradation, such as corrosion and structural deformation.

Nanocatalysts, which are used to improve the performance of low-temperature water electrolysers, quickly deteriorate at high operating temperatures, making it difficult to effectively use them for high-temperature water electrolysis.

To overcome this limitation, the team developed a new technique for nanocatalyst synthesis, which suppresses the formation of compounds that can cause degradation.

By systematically analysing nanoscale phenomena using transmission electron microscopy, the researchers identified specific substances causing severe structural alterations, such as strontium carbonate and cobalt oxide. They successfully removed those materials to achieve highly stable nanocatalysts, in both chemical and physical properties.

When the team applied the nanocatalyst to a high-temperature water electrolysis cell, it more than doubled the hydrogen production rate and operated for more than 400 hours at 650ºC without degradation. The technique was also applied to a large-area water electrolysis cell, which the team said confirms its “strong potential for scale-up and commercial use”.

Source:www.Hydrogen-central.com

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Co2 Emission from the gas tank of the car.

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

656 tonnes of oil sands to be extracted to fill the tank of a single car during its life on the road.

This is a gas tank. Over the lifetime of a single gas powered car consuming 8 L/100 km, approximately 656 tonnes of oil sands will have to be extracted to fill this tank. According to Alberta government documents, it takes an average of 2 tonnes of oil sands extracted to produce a single barrel of synthetic crude oil (159 liters).* Some say more like 2.5 tonnes per barrel, but let's go with the official figures.

In 300,000 km, the car will need 24,000 liters of petrol. With one barrel of crude oil, we make about 73 liters of gasoline.

24,000 Litres / 73 Litres = 328 barrels X 2 tonnes per barrel = 656 tonnes of oil sands to extract for a single car.

24,000 Litres X 2.3 kg of CO2 per liter of gas burnt in the car = 55,200 kg of CO2. If we add 25% for gasoline production (upstream GHG emissions), we arrive at just under 70,000 kg of CO2 for a single car (70 tonnes), or 43 times the weight of a Toyota Camry.

In closing, let me remind you that exactly 0% of this burnt gasoline can be recycled.

Source:Daniel Breton

Ref:https://lnkd.in/exhXtZ69

https://lnkd.in/eXFgDFs7

Baerlocher USA Launches PFAS-free PPAs for Rapid Melt Fracture in HDPE and LLDPE

Baerlocher USA, part of the Baerlocher Group, announces the introduction of Baerolub® AID polymer processing aids (PPAs) to help customers smooth transition from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Baerlocher’s new PPA for blown film, pipe and wire & cable are free of PFAS and siloxanes, are cost-competitive with existing and new PPA solutions, and are compatible with other additives used in film, such as anti-block or slip agents.

Providing Better Haze Performance than PFAS-PPAs

Baerolub AID PPAs deliver rapid melt fracture clearing for metallocene and Ziegler Natta linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), equaling or surpassing clearing times of traditional PPAs containing PFAS.

Because Baerolub AID PPAs are soluble in the polymer matrix, they provide better haze performance than insoluble PFAS-containing PPAs and excellent control of frost line height. Baerlocher USA’s new products can also reduce die build-up and extruder pressure. Because they are designed for maximum compliance with global food contact regulations, Baerolub AID PPAs are well suited for applications including polyethylene films for food packaging and resins for potable water pipes.

Baerolub AID products are available as neat additives (pastilles, rods, granules and powders), custom blends and in masterbatch form. Baerlocher also offers customers regulatory expertise and support for lab and technical screening, blown film testing and preparation for production trials.

“Current and evolving European Union and U.S. Federal and state regulations are forcing the plastic industry to look for new alternatives to PFAS-based processing aids,” said Chad Harlan, strategic business unit head, Baerlocher. “To meet this need, Baerlocher USA developed Baerolub AID PPAs featuring proprietary, PFAS-free chemistry; a breakthrough that has propelled us into a leading position in the PPA space. Our new products check all the boxes for performance, cost-effectiveness, regulatory compliance, and reliable supply. Upstream customers are enthusiastically adopting Baerolub AID products and blown film converters routinely request our technology.”

Robert Sherman, Ph.D., technical director for Baerlocher USA, noted, “To give our customers a choice, we developed two grades of Baerolub AID. If you’re looking for the fastest time to clear the melt fracture in metallocene LLDPE, consider Baerolub AID 2201. In certain conditions, you may wish to select Baerolub AID 2202, which provides excellent melt clearing times compared to traditional PPAs.”

Baerlocher USA, part of the Baerlocher Group, a leading global supplier of plastics additives, today announced the introduction of Baerolub® AID polymer processing aids (PPAs) to help customers smoothly transition from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Source:Source: Baerlocher GmbH

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Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Discovery of Hydrogen in 1766

 Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

In 1766, Henry Cavendish's groundbreaking experiments with acids led to the discovery of hydrogen, a momentous scientific achievement.

This invisible and highly flammable gas marked the inception of our understanding of the element. Cavendish's work laid the foundation for the study of chemistry and the eventual realization of hydrogen's significance in numerous industrial applications, from fuel to advanced technology.

Source:Stargate

Follow: http://polymerguru.blogspot.com

#greenhydrogen  #electrolysers

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share:Skin is in Tension

Today's KNOWLEDGE Share

I recently talked about residual stresses on the skin of a molded part, since that could be critical for part performance .

But how can you verify if a skin is in tension ? ESCR is one way, but you can also use this neat "layer removal" method.

If you machine out say 50 microns, and observe the remainder of the part, a curvature will appear due to the broken force moment equilibrium. If the part bends downward, the skin is indeed in tension (keeping the part straight to begin with)!

If it bends upwards, the skin is in compression.

Quantitative methods, initially limited to homogeneous and isotropic materials, have been developed to reconstruct the entire residual stress profile from successive layer removal.

Source:Vito leo

Blog: http://polymerguru.blogspot.com