Less is more: novel cellulose structure requires fewer enzymes to process biomass to fuel
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Iron catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis Commissioned by Total Gas & Power in 2009, researchers in The Netherlands have developed a novel, lower cost catalyst for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS), which has been used in producing clean synthetic fuel from natural gas, biomass or coal. The researchers were able to produce an exceptional FTS catalyst based on methods of magnetic tape production in the 1960s, which used cigar- shaped cobalt-doped iron oxide particles. A conventional FTS uses expensive cobalt catalysts for the production of diesel and gasoline, but the new catalyst consists of an 8 nm diameter spherical iron core with cobalt oxide shell of 1 nm thickness. The new catalyst produces significant diesel fractions and is efficient up to 400°C. Although the performance of the catalyst at manufacturing scale may vary from that in a laboratory setup, improvements can be made during the commercialization process. Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London), Apr 2013, 77 (4), 13 (Website: http://www.soci.org/) © Society of Chemical Industry 2013 Siemens Metals, LanzaTech partner to develop low carbon bio-ethanol Siemens Metals Technologies and LanzaTech have entered a ten-year co-operation agreement to develop and market environmental solutions that convert waste industrial gases into low carbon bio-ethanol. The fermentation technology of LanzaTech will be used to transform carbon-rich off-gases generated by the steel industry into low carbon fuel and other platform chemicals. At present, the global market for ethanol is expected to touch 80 M tonne/y, of which 75 M tonnes is used as biofuel. Original Source: CTBR Clean Technology Business Review, 20 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.cleantechnology-business-review.com/) © CTBR 2013. Original Source: LanzaTech, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Adhesives and Sealants Formulation, 21 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4adhesives.com). Original Source: LanzaTech, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 25 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com) A noble catalyst Empa scientists at the internal Combustion Engines Laboratory in Germany are developing Foamcat, an economical catalytic substrate based on ceramic foam. The material’s sponge-like structure allows it to be more efficient and cheaper as opposed to monolithic design as it is half the length and enables the gas to pass through it and flow in a more evenly distributed manner. The material is being developed in view of the impending implementation of Euro 6 standard, which could lead to more expensive catalytic converters for diesel vehicles. Original Source: Materials World, 15 Jun 2013, 21 (6), 17 (Website: http://www.iom3.org/) © The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) 2013 Less is more: novel cellulose structure requires fewer enzymes to process biomass to fuel Improved methods for breaking down cellulose nanofibres are central to cost-effective biofuel production and the subject of new research from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). Scientists are investigating the unique properties of crystalline cellulose nanofibres to develop novel chemical pretreatments and designer enzymes for biofuel production from cellulosic-or non- food-plant derived biomass. Original Source: Nanotechnology Now, 19 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.nanotech-now.com/) © 7thWave Inc 2013 Lanxess completes production campaign of bio-based PBT using Genomatica’s BDO process technology Lanxess and Genomatica announce that Lanxess has run a production campaign of bio-based PBT in Lanxess’ world-scale production plant using 20 tonnes of bio-based BDO made with Genomatica’s commercially proven process. This BDO fully complied with the demanding Lanxess specifications for petro-based BDO allowing a direct feed of 100% bio-based BDO into the continuous production process. The properties and the quality of the resulting bio-based PBT are fully equivalent to conventional petro- based PBT with regard to all tested parameters. The world-scale PBT plant, with a capacity of 80,000 ton/y, is located in Hamm-Uentrop, Germany and operated as a jv in which Lanxess has a share of 50%. Genomatica’s BDO process technology converts sugars (a renewable feedstock) into the major chemical BDO in a patented, ‘direct’ fermentation process. Original Source: Lanxess AG, 51369 Leverkusen, Germany, tel: 21430 33333, website: http://www.lanxess.com (25 Jun 2013) © Lanxess 2013. Original Source: Genomatica, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 28 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com) PATENTS Epoxidation using twin catalyst system The first catalyst generates a peroxide by the oxidation of CO with O 2 in the presence of an organic solvent. The second catalyst catalyses the epoxidation of the alkene with this peroxide. A composite catalyst contains gold supported on titania for the first reaction, and titanium silicalite for the second. US 8,481,766, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA, 9 Jul 2013 Capture of V and W following SCR Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides, using ammonia or urea as the reductant, is an established process widely used in combustion engines. Tungsten and vanadium oxides supported on titania is a commonly used catalyst. However, the toxicity of the vanadium and tungsten in the escaping gases is of concern. This patent describes adsorbents for trapping these metals. Silica-stabilised anatase is a suitable adsorbent. US 8,481,453. Millenium Inorganic Chemicals Inc, Hunt Valley, MD, USA, 9 Jul 2013 Nano-particulate bismuth molybdate catalyst Bismuth molybdate is commonly used as a catalyst for the ammoxidation of propylene to acrylonitrile. A nano- sized particulate version of this catalyst is made by the vapour-phase oxidation of a suspension of the raw materials in a pulsating reactor. The nano-sized product has improved activity and selectivity. US 8,480,998, Süd-Chemie IP GmbH & Co, München, Germany, 9 Jul 3013 AUGUST 2013 7 FOCUS ON CATALYSTS
Transcript of Less is more: novel cellulose structure requires fewer enzymes to process biomass to fuel
Iron catalyst for Fischer-Tropschsynthesis
Commissioned by Total Gas & Powerin 2009, researchers in TheNetherlands have developed a novel,lower cost catalyst for Fischer-Tropschsynthesis (FTS), which has been usedin producing clean synthetic fuel fromnatural gas, biomass or coal. Theresearchers were able to produce anexceptional FTS catalyst based onmethods of magnetic tape productionin the 1960s, which used cigar-shaped cobalt-doped iron oxideparticles. A conventional FTS usesexpensive cobalt catalysts for theproduction of diesel and gasoline, butthe new catalyst consists of an 8 nmdiameter spherical iron core withcobalt oxide shell of 1 nm thickness.The new catalyst produces significantdiesel fractions and is efficient up to400°C. Although the performance ofthe catalyst at manufacturing scalemay vary from that in a laboratorysetup, improvements can be madeduring the commercialization process.
Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London),Apr 2013, 77 (4), 13 (Website: http://www.soci.org/)© Society of Chemical Industry 2013
Siemens Metals, LanzaTech partner todevelop low carbon bio-ethanol
Siemens Metals Technologies andLanzaTech have entered a ten-yearco-operation agreement to developand market environmental solutionsthat convert waste industrial gasesinto low carbon bio-ethanol. Thefermentation technology of LanzaTechwill be used to transform carbon-richoff-gases generated by the steelindustry into low carbon fuel and otherplatform chemicals. At present, theglobal market for ethanol is expectedto touch 80 M tonne/y, of which 75 Mtonnes is used as biofuel.
Original Source: CTBR Clean Technology BusinessReview, 20 Jun 2013, (Website:http://www.cleantechnology-business-review.com/) © CTBR 2013. Original Source: LanzaTech, 2013.Found on SpecialChem Adhesives and SealantsFormulation, 21 Jun 2013, (Website:http://www.specialchem4adhesives.com). OriginalSource: LanzaTech, 2013. Found on SpecialChemPlastics and Elastomers Formulation, 25 Jun 2013,(Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com)
A noble catalyst
Empa scientists at the internalCombustion Engines Laboratory inGermany are developing Foamcat, an
economical catalytic substrate basedon ceramic foam. The material’ssponge-like structure allows it to bemore efficient and cheaper asopposed to monolithic design as it ishalf the length and enables the gas topass through it and flow in a moreevenly distributed manner. Thematerial is being developed in view ofthe impending implementation of Euro6 standard, which could lead to moreexpensive catalytic converters fordiesel vehicles.
Original Source: Materials World, 15 Jun 2013, 21 (6),17 (Website: http://www.iom3.org/) © The Institute ofMaterials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) 2013
Less is more: novel cellulose structurerequires fewer enzymes to processbiomass to fuel
Improved methods for breaking downcellulose nanofibres are central tocost-effective biofuel production andthe subject of new research from LosAlamos National Laboratory (LANL)and the Great Lakes BioenergyResearch Center (GLBRC). Scientistsare investigating the unique propertiesof crystalline cellulose nanofibres todevelop novel chemical pretreatmentsand designer enzymes for biofuelproduction from cellulosic-or non-food-plant derived biomass.
Original Source: Nanotechnology Now, 19 Jun 2013,(Website: http://www.nanotech-now.com/) © 7thWaveInc 2013
Lanxess completes productioncampaign of bio-based PBT usingGenomatica’s BDO process technology
Lanxess and Genomatica announcethat Lanxess has run a productioncampaign of bio-based PBT inLanxess’ world-scale production plantusing 20 tonnes of bio-based BDOmade with Genomatica’scommercially proven process. ThisBDO fully complied with thedemanding Lanxess specifications forpetro-based BDO allowing a directfeed of 100% bio-based BDO into thecontinuous production process. Theproperties and the quality of theresulting bio-based PBT are fullyequivalent to conventional petro-based PBT with regard to all testedparameters. The world-scale PBTplant, with a capacity of 80,000 ton/y,is located in Hamm-Uentrop,Germany and operated as a jv in
which Lanxess has a share of 50%.Genomatica’s BDO processtechnology converts sugars (arenewable feedstock) into the majorchemical BDO in a patented, ‘direct’fermentation process.
Original Source: Lanxess AG, 51369 Leverkusen,Germany, tel: 21430 33333, website:http://www.lanxess.com (25 Jun 2013) © Lanxess2013. Original Source: Genomatica, 2013. Found onSpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 28 Jun 2013, (Website:http://www.specialchem4polymers.com)
PATENTSEpoxidation using twin catalyst system
The first catalyst generates a peroxideby the oxidation of CO with O2 in thepresence of an organic solvent. Thesecond catalyst catalyses theepoxidation of the alkene with thisperoxide. A composite catalystcontains gold supported on titania forthe first reaction, and titanium silicalitefor the second.
US 8,481,766, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL,USA, 9 Jul 2013
Capture of V and W following SCR
Selective catalytic reduction of nitrogenoxides, using ammonia or urea as thereductant, is an established processwidely used in combustion engines.Tungsten and vanadium oxidessupported on titania is a commonlyused catalyst. However, the toxicity ofthe vanadium and tungsten in theescaping gases is of concern. Thispatent describes adsorbents fortrapping these metals. Silica-stabilisedanatase is a suitable adsorbent.
US 8,481,453. Millenium Inorganic Chemicals Inc,Hunt Valley, MD, USA, 9 Jul 2013
Nano-particulate bismuth molybdatecatalyst
Bismuth molybdate is commonly usedas a catalyst for the ammoxidation ofpropylene to acrylonitrile. A nano-sized particulate version of thiscatalyst is made by the vapour-phaseoxidation of a suspension of the rawmaterials in a pulsating reactor. Thenano-sized product has improvedactivity and selectivity.
US 8,480,998, Süd-Chemie IP GmbH & Co, München,Germany, 9 Jul 3013
AUGUST 2013 7
F O C U S O N C A T A LY S T S
