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RELEASED ON 09/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
SK Innovation is likely to undertake a maintenance turnaround at its No.1 butadiene extraction unit (BEU).
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the unit will be shut in mid-March 2013. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one week.
Located in Ulsan,South Korea, the unit has a capacity of 30,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
SK Innovation is likely to undertake a maintenance turnaround at its No.1 butadiene extraction unit (BEU).
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the unit will be shut in mid-March 2013. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one week.
Located in Ulsan,South Korea, the unit has a capacity of 30,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
RELEASED ON 11/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Bosch has announced a continuing re-organisation of its activities in the field of lithium-ion traction batteries. In this connection, SB LiMotive German GmbH in Stuttgart and Cobasys LLC in Orion, Michigan have been integrated in the Bosch Group as a new, 100% owned subsidiary called Robert Bosch Battery Systems.
SOURCE CIA - Daily News
Bosch has announced a continuing re-organisation of its activities in the field of lithium-ion traction batteries. In this connection, SB LiMotive German GmbH in Stuttgart and Cobasys LLC in Orion, Michigan have been integrated in the Bosch Group as a new, 100% owned subsidiary called Robert Bosch Battery Systems.
SOURCE CIA - Daily News
RELEASED ON 11/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Energy Innovation Group Ltd. (EIG) a South Korean manufacturer of large format lithium ion battery cell technology, announced today the development of an LTO cell targeting and enabling applications requiring high charge/ discharge rates, long cycle life, and broad operating temperature range.
The 5Ah LTO prismatic pouch cell, EIG Model T005, is the first of a family of LTO cells designed specifically for markets ranging from the growing 12V and 48V stop-start micro-hybrid vehicle market to specialized telecom and military markets. The T005 cell is expected to begin shipping in pilot quantities in the second half of 2013.
“We are pleased to be able to leverage EIG’s deep expertise in designing high-power lithium cells to be able to offer the T005 specifically to those tier-1 transportation battery suppliers looking to enable their own viable 12V and 48V battery solutions for stop/start micro-hybrid applications. We believe that many of the technologies currently being discussed for stop-start vehicle applications do not provide sufficient dynamic charge acceptance or cycle life to make them economically viable for such a demanding application,” said Hee Taek Kim, CEO of EIG Ltd.
About EIG
Energy Innovation Group, Ltd. (EIG) is an ISO/TS-16949 certified manufacturer of large format lithium ion polymer battery cell technology. EIG offers both high-energy density and high-power density lithium ion battery cells that provide safe and economically optimized solutions for the transportation, telecom, military, energy, and other global markets. www.eigbattery.com
SOURCE Business Wire
Energy Innovation Group Ltd. (EIG) a South Korean manufacturer of large format lithium ion battery cell technology, announced today the development of an LTO cell targeting and enabling applications requiring high charge/ discharge rates, long cycle life, and broad operating temperature range.
The 5Ah LTO prismatic pouch cell, EIG Model T005, is the first of a family of LTO cells designed specifically for markets ranging from the growing 12V and 48V stop-start micro-hybrid vehicle market to specialized telecom and military markets. The T005 cell is expected to begin shipping in pilot quantities in the second half of 2013.
“We are pleased to be able to leverage EIG’s deep expertise in designing high-power lithium cells to be able to offer the T005 specifically to those tier-1 transportation battery suppliers looking to enable their own viable 12V and 48V battery solutions for stop/start micro-hybrid applications. We believe that many of the technologies currently being discussed for stop-start vehicle applications do not provide sufficient dynamic charge acceptance or cycle life to make them economically viable for such a demanding application,” said Hee Taek Kim, CEO of EIG Ltd.
About EIG
Energy Innovation Group, Ltd. (EIG) is an ISO/TS-16949 certified manufacturer of large format lithium ion polymer battery cell technology. EIG offers both high-energy density and high-power density lithium ion battery cells that provide safe and economically optimized solutions for the transportation, telecom, military, energy, and other global markets. www.eigbattery.com
SOURCE Business Wire
RELEASED ON 11/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Yeochun Naphtha Cracking Centre (YNCC) is likely to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for a maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant will be shut in April 2013. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located in Yeosu, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 290,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
Yeochun Naphtha Cracking Centre (YNCC) is likely to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for a maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant will be shut in April 2013. It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located in Yeosu, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 290,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
RELEASED ON 11/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Samsung Total is in plans to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for a maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is expected to shut in April 2013. It will remain off-stream for around two weeks.
Located in Daesan, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 280,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
Samsung Total is in plans to shut a styrene monomer (SM) plant for a maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is expected to shut in April 2013. It will remain off-stream for around two weeks.
Located in Daesan, South Korea, the plant has a production capacity of 280,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
RELEASED ON 05/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Mitsui Chemicals is looking into the establishment of a second production base for hydroquinone as part of its business-continuity planning. In April 2012, an explosion and fire in the company's Iwakuni-Ohtake works in Yamaguchi Prefecture resulted in the suspension of operation of three production plants, including an 11,500-t/y one for hydroquinone that was restarted in January.
The most likely locations for the new plant are those with local production of phenol feedstock to enable a competitive integrated production setup. One is Singapore, the site of subsidiary Mitsui Phenols Singapore. Another is Shanghai, China, the site of Shanghai Sinopec Mitsui Chemicals, a joint venture with China Petroleum and Chemical, and the third is Chiba Prefecture in Japan, the site of Mitsui Chemicals' Ichihara works.
After the accident, Mitsui shelved a study on the building of a hydroquinone plant in Singapore that it had been conducting to cater to rising demand for hydroquinone as a polymerization retarder for acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate and acrylic acid.
SOURCE Japan Chemical Web
Mitsui Chemicals is looking into the establishment of a second production base for hydroquinone as part of its business-continuity planning. In April 2012, an explosion and fire in the company's Iwakuni-Ohtake works in Yamaguchi Prefecture resulted in the suspension of operation of three production plants, including an 11,500-t/y one for hydroquinone that was restarted in January.
The most likely locations for the new plant are those with local production of phenol feedstock to enable a competitive integrated production setup. One is Singapore, the site of subsidiary Mitsui Phenols Singapore. Another is Shanghai, China, the site of Shanghai Sinopec Mitsui Chemicals, a joint venture with China Petroleum and Chemical, and the third is Chiba Prefecture in Japan, the site of Mitsui Chemicals' Ichihara works.
After the accident, Mitsui shelved a study on the building of a hydroquinone plant in Singapore that it had been conducting to cater to rising demand for hydroquinone as a polymerization retarder for acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate and acrylic acid.
SOURCE Japan Chemical Web
RELEASED ON 08/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
South Korea's rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI, which selects electric vehicle batteries as one of its five growth engines, is set to provide Volkswagen with a large volume of electric vehicle batteries.
A deal to provide Volkswagen with lithium-ion batteries for electric cars was recently reached between Samsung SDI and Volkswagen, according to sources in the auto and electronic devices industries Thursday.
Samsung is yet to unveil which electric cars would use its batteries. The deal will put Samsung in position to be a major supplier for Volkswagen which aims at becoming the top electric car maker with the production of green cars including the Gold Blue-e-Motion, e-up, XL1 and E-Bugster.
Under the deal, Samsung SDI commenced its work to expand production lines for electric vehicle batteries at its Ulsan plant. The Ulsan plant has manufactured 50,000 batteries (60 Ah basis) a month and its production will be expanded to 400,000 a month in the first half (H1) of this year, eight times higher than last year.
Samsung was selected as an electric vehicle battery provider for BMW in August 2009 and will supply the battery for the production of BMW's electric car i3 and plug-in hybrid car (PHEV) i8 this year. The Korean company also inked a deal to supply battery packs for Chrysler's electric car Fiat 500EV in November 2010.
SOURCE Maeil Business Newspaper
South Korea's rechargeable battery maker Samsung SDI, which selects electric vehicle batteries as one of its five growth engines, is set to provide Volkswagen with a large volume of electric vehicle batteries.
A deal to provide Volkswagen with lithium-ion batteries for electric cars was recently reached between Samsung SDI and Volkswagen, according to sources in the auto and electronic devices industries Thursday.
Samsung is yet to unveil which electric cars would use its batteries. The deal will put Samsung in position to be a major supplier for Volkswagen which aims at becoming the top electric car maker with the production of green cars including the Gold Blue-e-Motion, e-up, XL1 and E-Bugster.
Under the deal, Samsung SDI commenced its work to expand production lines for electric vehicle batteries at its Ulsan plant. The Ulsan plant has manufactured 50,000 batteries (60 Ah basis) a month and its production will be expanded to 400,000 a month in the first half (H1) of this year, eight times higher than last year.
Samsung was selected as an electric vehicle battery provider for BMW in August 2009 and will supply the battery for the production of BMW's electric car i3 and plug-in hybrid car (PHEV) i8 this year. The Korean company also inked a deal to supply battery packs for Chrysler's electric car Fiat 500EV in November 2010.
SOURCE Maeil Business Newspaper
RELEASED ON 04/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Bio-based chemicals and fuels producer (OPXBIO) is being recognized as an Energy Innovation Pioneer at this week’s annual IHS CERAWeek conference in Houston – an honor that further signals the increasing role that bio-based producers can play in the global energy and chemical industries.
The annual IHS CERAWeek Energy Innovation Pioneers homepage Energy Innovation Pioneers program recognizes companies for their “potential to transform the energy future,” a goal that perfectly mirrors OPXBIO’s objective to transform the business of chemistry, according to president and CEO Charles R. (Chas) Eggert. With volatile and escalating petroleum prices, increasing regulatory constraints and growing consumer demands for more-sustainable products, OPXBIO can help existing petroleum-based manufacturers adopt new bio-based technology to successfully meet these challenges.
“Many conference attendees represent well-established, major oil & gas players, but the fact that a bio-based start-up like OPXBIO is also invited shows the industry recognizes the opportunity for new economic bio-processes to make chemicals and fuels,” Eggert said. “Today’s petroleum-based manufacturers are constantly striving for more-efficient process technology. Our process improvements use the rapid advancements in biotechnology and are accomplished using living cells engineered to perform as efficient, microscopic factories."
The Energy Innovation Pioneers program is held annually in conjunction with IHS CERAWeek, which is being held March 4-8 at the Hilton Americas-Houston. This year’s Energy Innovation Pi-oneers were selected based on creativity, plan feasibility, technology scalability and leadership team. The program recognized OPXBIO for developing bio-based processes that can use a variety of feedstocks to create renewable chemicals and fuels used in everything from consumer products to jet fuel.
OPXBIO, for example, is partnering with The Dow Chemical Co. to bring BioAcrylic – a direct and more-sustainable replacement for petro-based acrylic acid – into the $10-billion acrylic acid mar-ket for use in consumer products such as diapers, detergents, paints and adhesives. OPXBIO has also demonstrated lab-scale production of its second product – fatty acid from syngas for chemical and fuel applications – in a project that is supported by an award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Eggert will present an overview of OPXBIO during an Energy Innovation Pioneers breakfast session on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:30 a.m., and again that same day at the conference’s Innovation Pioneer Showcase at 3:30 p.m.
About OPXBIO
OPX Biotechnologies (OPXBIO) is a leader in sustainably transforming the business of chemistry. As the "Good Chemistry" company, OPXBIO provides more sustainable value to customers by applying its proprietary EDGE ™ (Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering) technology to produce economic, bio-based chemicals that directly replace existing petroleum-based products. OPXBIO's EDGE is versatile and enables faster, more efficient development of bioprocesses using a variety of feedstocks. Founded in 2007, OPXBIO is financed by leading venture capital investors, and employs 65 people in Boulder, Colo.
SOURCE PR Web
Bio-based chemicals and fuels producer (OPXBIO) is being recognized as an Energy Innovation Pioneer at this week’s annual IHS CERAWeek conference in Houston – an honor that further signals the increasing role that bio-based producers can play in the global energy and chemical industries.
The annual IHS CERAWeek Energy Innovation Pioneers homepage Energy Innovation Pioneers program recognizes companies for their “potential to transform the energy future,” a goal that perfectly mirrors OPXBIO’s objective to transform the business of chemistry, according to president and CEO Charles R. (Chas) Eggert. With volatile and escalating petroleum prices, increasing regulatory constraints and growing consumer demands for more-sustainable products, OPXBIO can help existing petroleum-based manufacturers adopt new bio-based technology to successfully meet these challenges.
“Many conference attendees represent well-established, major oil & gas players, but the fact that a bio-based start-up like OPXBIO is also invited shows the industry recognizes the opportunity for new economic bio-processes to make chemicals and fuels,” Eggert said. “Today’s petroleum-based manufacturers are constantly striving for more-efficient process technology. Our process improvements use the rapid advancements in biotechnology and are accomplished using living cells engineered to perform as efficient, microscopic factories."
The Energy Innovation Pioneers program is held annually in conjunction with IHS CERAWeek, which is being held March 4-8 at the Hilton Americas-Houston. This year’s Energy Innovation Pi-oneers were selected based on creativity, plan feasibility, technology scalability and leadership team. The program recognized OPXBIO for developing bio-based processes that can use a variety of feedstocks to create renewable chemicals and fuels used in everything from consumer products to jet fuel.
OPXBIO, for example, is partnering with The Dow Chemical Co. to bring BioAcrylic – a direct and more-sustainable replacement for petro-based acrylic acid – into the $10-billion acrylic acid mar-ket for use in consumer products such as diapers, detergents, paints and adhesives. OPXBIO has also demonstrated lab-scale production of its second product – fatty acid from syngas for chemical and fuel applications – in a project that is supported by an award from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Eggert will present an overview of OPXBIO during an Energy Innovation Pioneers breakfast session on Tuesday, March 5 at 7:30 a.m., and again that same day at the conference’s Innovation Pioneer Showcase at 3:30 p.m.
About OPXBIO
OPX Biotechnologies (OPXBIO) is a leader in sustainably transforming the business of chemistry. As the "Good Chemistry" company, OPXBIO provides more sustainable value to customers by applying its proprietary EDGE ™ (Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering) technology to produce economic, bio-based chemicals that directly replace existing petroleum-based products. OPXBIO's EDGE is versatile and enables faster, more efficient development of bioprocesses using a variety of feedstocks. Founded in 2007, OPXBIO is financed by leading venture capital investors, and employs 65 people in Boulder, Colo.
SOURCE PR Web
RELEASED ON 14/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Startup Ascenix BioTechnologies will perfect and commercialize production methods to synthesize chemicals from renewable feedstocks. These chemicals, which are used to manufacture everyday items, are typically made from petroleum and often use harmful add-ins like hydrogen cyanide. The startup predicts this new bio-based process, developed by University of Minnesota researchers, will be more economical and environmentally friendly.
The core technology is poised to revolutionize production of certain chemicals, as it would require little modification to existing downstream manufacturing processes to enact. Invented by Kechun Zhang, a chemical engineering professor, the process yields chemicals comparable in performance to those created using petroleum-based materials.
“This technology is especially attractive because Dr. Zhang has done a tremendous amount of development in the lab,” says Ascenix co-founder William Faulkner. “It’s advanced to the point where we’re already preparing for scale-up of the technology.”
Although the process could be applied to the production of biofuels and myriad chemicals, the startup’s initial focus is on methylmethacrylate (MMA), a chemical used to make acrylic glass, paints and coatings, automotive parts and electronics. Global production of the chemical is more than 6 billion pounds per year.
SOURCE http://www.sustainableplant.com
Startup Ascenix BioTechnologies will perfect and commercialize production methods to synthesize chemicals from renewable feedstocks. These chemicals, which are used to manufacture everyday items, are typically made from petroleum and often use harmful add-ins like hydrogen cyanide. The startup predicts this new bio-based process, developed by University of Minnesota researchers, will be more economical and environmentally friendly.
The core technology is poised to revolutionize production of certain chemicals, as it would require little modification to existing downstream manufacturing processes to enact. Invented by Kechun Zhang, a chemical engineering professor, the process yields chemicals comparable in performance to those created using petroleum-based materials.
“This technology is especially attractive because Dr. Zhang has done a tremendous amount of development in the lab,” says Ascenix co-founder William Faulkner. “It’s advanced to the point where we’re already preparing for scale-up of the technology.”
Although the process could be applied to the production of biofuels and myriad chemicals, the startup’s initial focus is on methylmethacrylate (MMA), a chemical used to make acrylic glass, paints and coatings, automotive parts and electronics. Global production of the chemical is more than 6 billion pounds per year.
SOURCE http://www.sustainableplant.com
RELEASED ON 28/02/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Work has begun on expandingBharat Petroleum Corp's refinery in Kochi. The expansion will make the refinery India's largest with capacity of 15.5 M tonnes/y. The expansion will cost EUR 140 bn (EUR 1.96 bn). Output will include fuels to Euro-4/Euro-5 standards. A sum of EUR 839 M is also to be invested in a petrochemicals complex. LG Chemicals will be the joint venture partner in the complex, which will produce acrylates, phenol, and water-absorbent polymers .
SOURCE Nachrichten fur Aussenhandel
Work has begun on expandingBharat Petroleum Corp's refinery in Kochi. The expansion will make the refinery India's largest with capacity of 15.5 M tonnes/y. The expansion will cost EUR 140 bn (EUR 1.96 bn). Output will include fuels to Euro-4/Euro-5 standards. A sum of EUR 839 M is also to be invested in a petrochemicals complex. LG Chemicals will be the joint venture partner in the complex, which will produce acrylates, phenol, and water-absorbent polymers .
SOURCE Nachrichten fur Aussenhandel
RELEASED ON 07/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Pemex Petroquimica has restarted an acrylonitrile (ACN) unit in Mexico
A Polymerupdate source in Mexico informed that the unit was restarted over last weekend. It was shut towards the end of January 2013 owing to feedstock shortage.
Located in Morelos, Mexico, the unit has a capacity of 60,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
Pemex Petroquimica has restarted an acrylonitrile (ACN) unit in Mexico
A Polymerupdate source in Mexico informed that the unit was restarted over last weekend. It was shut towards the end of January 2013 owing to feedstock shortage.
Located in Morelos, Mexico, the unit has a capacity of 60,000 mt/year.
SOURCE Polymer Update
RELEASED ON 04/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Robert Bosch GmbH pulled out of its venture with Samsung SDI to develop and manufacture lithium ion batteries last year. And Bosch Chairman Volkmar Denner is happy to be out of that segment — for now.
The market for hybrid and electric vehicles is saturated with too much capacity for lithium ion batteries, Denner said at a media roundtable in Tokyo. So instead of focusing on mass production today, Bosch will develop next-generation batteries, he said.
Bosch expects electrified vehicles to account for only 10 percent of the global market in 2020. Bosch’s r&d efforts will concentrate on meeting demand after that, Denner said.
“Since the market will be quite low until 2020, we at the moment are very happy that we are not engaged in high-volume battery production,” Denner said. “We will concentrate on r&d so we can make progress regarding energy density and the cost of lithium ion batteries.”
Bosch teamed with Samsung SDI , through a 50-50 venture called SB LiMotive , to develop and make batteries for electrified cars. But Bosch sold its stake to Samsung SDI last year.
While Bosch will pursue its own battery research, it will use cells from Samsung SDI in a Bosch battery pack that will supplied to the Fiat 500e electric car starting next year.
Overall, Denner said, the company’s automotive sales are expected to grow by 2 percent to 4 percent this year, after growing 1.7 percent in 2012.
Sales to Japanese automakers will grow by about 8 percent, accounting for a bigger share of global revenue.
Japanese automakers are turning to Bosch when they expand overseas because Bosch often is established in those markets.
That gives the German company an advantage over Japanese suppliers that don’t have as great an international reach.
Japan’s automakers have sought links with foreign suppliers to diversify sourcing as a hedge against foreign-exchange fluctuations and after the 2011 earthquake in Japan exposed the perils of relying on suppliers in a limited geographic area.
“The share of Japanese OEMs in the Bosch portfolio grew last year, and my expectation is that this will also continue in the future,” Denner said. “Our main target is to grow with the Japanese OEMs outside of Japan, in the emerging markets mainly.”
SOURCE Crain Communications
Robert Bosch GmbH pulled out of its venture with Samsung SDI to develop and manufacture lithium ion batteries last year. And Bosch Chairman Volkmar Denner is happy to be out of that segment — for now.
The market for hybrid and electric vehicles is saturated with too much capacity for lithium ion batteries, Denner said at a media roundtable in Tokyo. So instead of focusing on mass production today, Bosch will develop next-generation batteries, he said.
Bosch expects electrified vehicles to account for only 10 percent of the global market in 2020. Bosch’s r&d efforts will concentrate on meeting demand after that, Denner said.
“Since the market will be quite low until 2020, we at the moment are very happy that we are not engaged in high-volume battery production,” Denner said. “We will concentrate on r&d so we can make progress regarding energy density and the cost of lithium ion batteries.”
Bosch teamed with Samsung SDI , through a 50-50 venture called SB LiMotive , to develop and make batteries for electrified cars. But Bosch sold its stake to Samsung SDI last year.
While Bosch will pursue its own battery research, it will use cells from Samsung SDI in a Bosch battery pack that will supplied to the Fiat 500e electric car starting next year.
Overall, Denner said, the company’s automotive sales are expected to grow by 2 percent to 4 percent this year, after growing 1.7 percent in 2012.
Sales to Japanese automakers will grow by about 8 percent, accounting for a bigger share of global revenue.
Japanese automakers are turning to Bosch when they expand overseas because Bosch often is established in those markets.
That gives the German company an advantage over Japanese suppliers that don’t have as great an international reach.
Japan’s automakers have sought links with foreign suppliers to diversify sourcing as a hedge against foreign-exchange fluctuations and after the 2011 earthquake in Japan exposed the perils of relying on suppliers in a limited geographic area.
“The share of Japanese OEMs in the Bosch portfolio grew last year, and my expectation is that this will also continue in the future,” Denner said. “Our main target is to grow with the Japanese OEMs outside of Japan, in the emerging markets mainly.”
SOURCE Crain Communications
RELEASED ON 05/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
The batteries used in these applications are typically based on lithium and a metal oxide, such as cobalt, manganese or nickel. Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a composite of sulphur and nanostructured carbon, for use as a battery cathode with much higher energy storage at much lower cost than conventional materials.
The cathode, or positive electrode, is one of three functional components of a battery, along with the anode (negative electrode) and electrolyte. The raw cathode materials are the single largest material cost in battery production, representing between 35 and 40 per cent of total costs.
The global lithium-ion battery market is expected to expand to $54 billion by 2020, up from $11.8 billion in 2010, driven primarily by demand from the consumer electronics and electric vehicle sectors.
“Using sulphur instead of the materials currently used in lithium-ion batteries could substantially reduce production costs, as sulphur is a fraction of the cost of other materials,” says Dr Can Zhang of the Department of Engineering, one of the developers of the material. “Additionally, compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, the carbon-sulphur electrodes achieve double the energy density per unit of weight.”
The carbon-sulphur electrodes are produced by growing a “forest” of high-quality carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a layer of metal foam. The CNT forest provides excellent electrical conductivity, and acts as a three-dimensional scaffold into which the sulphur is injected in order to form the cathode.
The sulphur is trapped within the scaffold in the form of small particles which store electrons. The pore structure of the metal foam, combined with the dense vertical packing of CNTs, provides a labyrinth with a large surface area for the retention of electrode material.
Despite their higher density and lower costs, the commercial development of lithium-sulphur batteries has been largely plagued by short cycle life, typically below 80 charge-discharge cycles. In comparison, a conventional lithium-ion battery will usually achieve 500 charge-discharge cycles. The CNT-sulphur composite significantly enhances the cycle performance of lithium-sulphur batteries, retaining 80% capacity after over 250 full charge-discharge cycles.
The work is the result of a collaboration between the groups of Professor John Robertson of the Department of Engineering and Dr Vasant Kumar of the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy.
Dr Zhang, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Robertson’s group, has formed CamBattery to commercialise the technology, along with PhD students Bingan Chen, Kai Xi and Wentao He. The company won Technology Start-up of the Year at the 2012 Cambridge University Entrepreneurs competition.
Over the next two years, the team intends to build the first roll-to-roll machine to continuously produce the cathode material, and sell the product to major battery manufacturers. While the number of charge-discharge cycles achieved by lithium-sulphur batteries is not yet high enough for CamBattery to enter the consumer electronics market, applications in aerospace and defence are strong possibilities. “For aerospace and defence applications, energy storage takes precedence over life cycle,” says Dr Zhang. “However, we will continue working at getting the number of life cycles high enough for consumer electronics and electric vehicles.”
SOURCE http://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk
The batteries used in these applications are typically based on lithium and a metal oxide, such as cobalt, manganese or nickel. Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed a composite of sulphur and nanostructured carbon, for use as a battery cathode with much higher energy storage at much lower cost than conventional materials.
The cathode, or positive electrode, is one of three functional components of a battery, along with the anode (negative electrode) and electrolyte. The raw cathode materials are the single largest material cost in battery production, representing between 35 and 40 per cent of total costs.
The global lithium-ion battery market is expected to expand to $54 billion by 2020, up from $11.8 billion in 2010, driven primarily by demand from the consumer electronics and electric vehicle sectors.
“Using sulphur instead of the materials currently used in lithium-ion batteries could substantially reduce production costs, as sulphur is a fraction of the cost of other materials,” says Dr Can Zhang of the Department of Engineering, one of the developers of the material. “Additionally, compared with conventional lithium-ion batteries, the carbon-sulphur electrodes achieve double the energy density per unit of weight.”
The carbon-sulphur electrodes are produced by growing a “forest” of high-quality carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on a layer of metal foam. The CNT forest provides excellent electrical conductivity, and acts as a three-dimensional scaffold into which the sulphur is injected in order to form the cathode.
The sulphur is trapped within the scaffold in the form of small particles which store electrons. The pore structure of the metal foam, combined with the dense vertical packing of CNTs, provides a labyrinth with a large surface area for the retention of electrode material.
Despite their higher density and lower costs, the commercial development of lithium-sulphur batteries has been largely plagued by short cycle life, typically below 80 charge-discharge cycles. In comparison, a conventional lithium-ion battery will usually achieve 500 charge-discharge cycles. The CNT-sulphur composite significantly enhances the cycle performance of lithium-sulphur batteries, retaining 80% capacity after over 250 full charge-discharge cycles.
The work is the result of a collaboration between the groups of Professor John Robertson of the Department of Engineering and Dr Vasant Kumar of the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy.
Dr Zhang, a postdoctoral researcher in Professor Robertson’s group, has formed CamBattery to commercialise the technology, along with PhD students Bingan Chen, Kai Xi and Wentao He. The company won Technology Start-up of the Year at the 2012 Cambridge University Entrepreneurs competition.
Over the next two years, the team intends to build the first roll-to-roll machine to continuously produce the cathode material, and sell the product to major battery manufacturers. While the number of charge-discharge cycles achieved by lithium-sulphur batteries is not yet high enough for CamBattery to enter the consumer electronics market, applications in aerospace and defence are strong possibilities. “For aerospace and defence applications, energy storage takes precedence over life cycle,” says Dr Zhang. “However, we will continue working at getting the number of life cycles high enough for consumer electronics and electric vehicles.”
SOURCE http://www.cambridgenetwork.co.uk
RELEASED ON 05/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
At least two and maybe three US vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant turnarounds have been scheduled in coming weeks, sources said on Tuesday.
This week, DuPont will begin planned maintenance at its 335,000 tonne/year plant in LaPorte. Sources said it will likely last for 15-20 days, although they did not know the exact duration.
The DuPont turnaround had been scheduled for late January or early February, according to sources.
LyondellBasell has also scheduled a turnaround at its 380,000 tonnes/year plant in LaPorte during the next few weeks, said by one source to begin in mid-March.
Dow Chemical will begin maintenance at its 365,000 tonnes/year plant in Texas City in late April or early May, with the duration unknown, sources said.
Officials at Dow, DuPont and LyondellBasell did not respond immediately to calls for more details on the turnarounds.
All of the five US VAM plants are in the Houston, Texas, area.
Spot VAM prices have held steady in recent weeks following an increase in early February tied to a rise in feedstock US ethylene.
Most sources confirmed the FOB (free-on-board) export range assessed by ICIS at $1,000-1,100/tonne (€770-847/tonne).
Major US VAM producers include DuPont, Dow Chemical, Celanese and LyondellBasell.
SOURCE ICIS News - For internal use only
At least two and maybe three US vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) plant turnarounds have been scheduled in coming weeks, sources said on Tuesday.
This week, DuPont will begin planned maintenance at its 335,000 tonne/year plant in LaPorte. Sources said it will likely last for 15-20 days, although they did not know the exact duration.
The DuPont turnaround had been scheduled for late January or early February, according to sources.
LyondellBasell has also scheduled a turnaround at its 380,000 tonnes/year plant in LaPorte during the next few weeks, said by one source to begin in mid-March.
Dow Chemical will begin maintenance at its 365,000 tonnes/year plant in Texas City in late April or early May, with the duration unknown, sources said.
Officials at Dow, DuPont and LyondellBasell did not respond immediately to calls for more details on the turnarounds.
All of the five US VAM plants are in the Houston, Texas, area.
Spot VAM prices have held steady in recent weeks following an increase in early February tied to a rise in feedstock US ethylene.
Most sources confirmed the FOB (free-on-board) export range assessed by ICIS at $1,000-1,100/tonne (€770-847/tonne).
Major US VAM producers include DuPont, Dow Chemical, Celanese and LyondellBasell.
SOURCE ICIS News - For internal use only
RELEASED ON 04/03/13 (DD/MM/YY)
Americas Styrenics confirmed on Monday that a styrene unit at its St James facility is on schedule to start up the first week of March.
The styrene unit was off line for a maintenance turnaround for the month of February.
The St James facility in Louisiana has a combined styrene capacity of 950,000 tonnes/year.
SOURCE ICIS News - For internal use only
Americas Styrenics confirmed on Monday that a styrene unit at its St James facility is on schedule to start up the first week of March.
The styrene unit was off line for a maintenance turnaround for the month of February.
The St James facility in Louisiana has a combined styrene capacity of 950,000 tonnes/year.
SOURCE ICIS News - For internal use only