In China, butadiene, one of the most important light olefins in the petrochemical industry with a global production capacity of 18 million metric tons per year, is currently produced through the extractive distillation of C4 fractions from naphtha steam cracking processes or dehydrogenation of C4 hydrocarbons, both of which involve extensive energy consumption and significant […]
In the UK, University of Sheffield academics, together with the Bio-Based and Biodegradable Industries Association (BBIA) and Green Rose Chemistry, have been awarded funding to scope out a UK-wide science and regulatory network to help speed up the switch to a bio-based economy. The initiative will bring together industrialists, academics, policy makers, government officials, retailers, […]
In Colorado, when worn, washed, and dried, clothing sheds—dispersing tiny fibers throughout homes, soils, and waterways that can take centuries to degrade. These fibers, often made of polyester and often too small to see, are a major—if invisible—source of microplastic pollution. By some estimates, fibers from polyester clothing account for nearly half of all microplastics […]
In the Netherlands, in a major stride towards sustainable industrial fermentation, a team of researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in The Netherlands, has unveiled pioneering advancements in the purification of isopropanol and acetone from the fermentation of waste gases. The study, published in the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, introduces novel […]
In Germany, E4MeWi research association is currently demonstrating how effectively green methanol can be produced in the future in a container plant at the Bitterfeld-Wolfen Chemical Park. Methanol is regarded as a key technology for defossilizing shipping and aviation and also for freeing the chemical industry from its dependence on crude oil. The project compares […]
In Pennsylvania, PennState reported that Penn State doctoral candidate in chemical engineering Arash Emdadi and his lab colleagues are working to improve the hydrogen production method to make it more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. Emdadi is working toward commercializing a new electrolyzer invented by Professor Bruce Logan’s civil and environmental engineering lab. The electrolyzer uses […]
In Switzerland, Empa researchers have extracted nanocellulose from a waste product of beer brewing and processed it into an aerogel. The high-quality biodegradable material could be used in food packaging. It all starts with the mash: the mixture of malt and water, which is stirred and gently heated for several hours. The resulting liquid is […]
In Germany, EU funded BIORECER project, currently in its 18th month, aims to increase the use and to improve the environmental sustainability and traceability of biological raw materials for the bio-based industry. The project additionally assesses novel value chains based on biological feedstocks, including organic by-products, waste and wastewater, in a BioResources Innovation Ecosystem Living-Lab (BRIE-LL). […]
In Pennsylvania, PPL Corporation and its research partners have been selected for a $72 million award negotiation by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) to help fund a ground-breaking carbon dioxide (CO2) capture research and development project expected to cost in excess of $100 million. The research project and […]
In California, greater understanding of how plants and microbes work together to store vast amounts of atmospheric carbon in the soil will help in the design of better bioenergy crops for the fight against climate change. Deciphering the mechanics of this mutually beneficial relationship is challenging, however, as conditions in nature are extremely difficult for […]
