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DATE : 2013-12-19
Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) is expected to shut down its 280,000 tonne/year acrylonitrile (ACN) plant in Mailiao in early February 2014 for scheduled turnaround, a company source said on Friday.
The maintenance will last around a month, the source said.
The plant is currently running at around 90% of capacity, according to the source.
SOURCE Icis News
Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Corp (FPC) is expected to shut down its 280,000 tonne/year acrylonitrile (ACN) plant in Mailiao in early February 2014 for scheduled turnaround, a company source said on Friday.
The maintenance will last around a month, the source said.
The plant is currently running at around 90% of capacity, according to the source.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-19
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Science Letter - Current study results on Electrolytes have been published. According to news reporting originating from Munster, Germany, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "We measured glass transition temperatures T-g as a function of the salt concentration in polymer electrolyte systems consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) complexed either with sodium iodide (NaI) or lithium bis(trifluorosulfonylimide) (LiTFSI). At homologous compositions, T-g of PEO-Nal is found to be generally larger than that of LiTFSI."
Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of Munster, "The present T-g values are markedly higher than previously reported reference data. Also the observed nonlinear concentration dependence differs from earlier studies. These findings are tentatively attributed to the more stringent preparation and measuring conditions maintained in the present work, thereby keeping organic solvent residues and water contamination at low levels. Also the high molecular weight of the polymer may have some influence. The measurements were performed by differential scanning calorimetry after quenching from the melt. We find that ex situ immersion quenching in liquid nitrogen leads to lower degrees of crystallinity than in situ quenching in the calorimeter environment."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "In addition, the strong decrease of the crystallinity with increasing salt content gives rise to pronounced steps in the heat capacity near T-g for the more concentrated electrolytes."
For more information on this research see: Salt-Concentration Dependence of the Glass Transition Temperature in PEO-NaI and PEO-LiTFSI Polymer Electrolytes. Macromolecules, 2013;46(21):8580-8588. Macromolecules can be contacted at: Amer Chemical Soc, 1155 16TH St, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA.
The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting N.A. Stolwijk, University of Munster, Inst Mat Phys & Sonderforsch Bereich 458, D-48149 Munster, Germany. Additional authors for this research include C. Heddier, M. Reschke, M. Wiencierz, J. Bokeloh and G. Wilde.
SOURCE Science Letter
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Science Letter - Current study results on Electrolytes have been published. According to news reporting originating from Munster, Germany, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "We measured glass transition temperatures T-g as a function of the salt concentration in polymer electrolyte systems consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) complexed either with sodium iodide (NaI) or lithium bis(trifluorosulfonylimide) (LiTFSI). At homologous compositions, T-g of PEO-Nal is found to be generally larger than that of LiTFSI."
Our news editors obtained a quote from the research from the University of Munster, "The present T-g values are markedly higher than previously reported reference data. Also the observed nonlinear concentration dependence differs from earlier studies. These findings are tentatively attributed to the more stringent preparation and measuring conditions maintained in the present work, thereby keeping organic solvent residues and water contamination at low levels. Also the high molecular weight of the polymer may have some influence. The measurements were performed by differential scanning calorimetry after quenching from the melt. We find that ex situ immersion quenching in liquid nitrogen leads to lower degrees of crystallinity than in situ quenching in the calorimeter environment."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "In addition, the strong decrease of the crystallinity with increasing salt content gives rise to pronounced steps in the heat capacity near T-g for the more concentrated electrolytes."
For more information on this research see: Salt-Concentration Dependence of the Glass Transition Temperature in PEO-NaI and PEO-LiTFSI Polymer Electrolytes. Macromolecules, 2013;46(21):8580-8588. Macromolecules can be contacted at: Amer Chemical Soc, 1155 16TH St, NW, Washington, DC 20036, USA.
The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting N.A. Stolwijk, University of Munster, Inst Mat Phys & Sonderforsch Bereich 458, D-48149 Munster, Germany. Additional authors for this research include C. Heddier, M. Reschke, M. Wiencierz, J. Bokeloh and G. Wilde.
SOURCE Science Letter
DATE : 2013-12-18
Japanese chemical producer Nippon Shokubai expects to restart commercial production in January 2014 at its fire-hit 160,000 tonne/year acrylic acid (AA) plant in Himeji, Japan, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The government has lifted the suspension order on the last two remaining facilities within the AA plant, the company said in a statement. When the two facilities come on line, all of Nippon Shokubai's 168 facilities at Himeji, which were temporarily shut after the blast in October 2012, will have fully restarted, the company said.
SOURCE Icis News
Japanese chemical producer Nippon Shokubai expects to restart commercial production in January 2014 at its fire-hit 160,000 tonne/year acrylic acid (AA) plant in Himeji, Japan, a company spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The government has lifted the suspension order on the last two remaining facilities within the AA plant, the company said in a statement. When the two facilities come on line, all of Nippon Shokubai's 168 facilities at Himeji, which were temporarily shut after the blast in October 2012, will have fully restarted, the company said.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-18
Thailand’s PTT Asahi Chemical (PTTAC) shut its 70,000 tonne/year methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Map Ta Phut on 15 December because of mechanical issues, company sources said on Wednesday.
The shutdown of the plant is expected to last at least for a month, they added.
PTTAC is a joint venture of Thai oil and gas giant PTT, and Japanese firms Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Marubeni.
SOURCE Icis News
Thailand’s PTT Asahi Chemical (PTTAC) shut its 70,000 tonne/year methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Map Ta Phut on 15 December because of mechanical issues, company sources said on Wednesday.
The shutdown of the plant is expected to last at least for a month, they added.
PTTAC is a joint venture of Thai oil and gas giant PTT, and Japanese firms Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Marubeni.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-18
Samsung Total is likely to shut its No.1 styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is planned to be taken off-stream in March 2014.
It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.Located in Daesan, South Korea, the No.1 SM plant has a production capacity of 650,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Samsung Total is likely to shut its No.1 styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in South Korea informed that the plant is planned to be taken off-stream in March 2014.
It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.Located in Daesan, South Korea, the No.1 SM plant has a production capacity of 650,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-19
Ineos Nitriles is in plans to decrease operational rates at its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in the US informed that starting January 1, 2014, the company is likely to reduce its operational rates by 50%.
The planned curtailment in run rates has been attributed to prevailing weak margins.Located in Green Lake, Texas, the plant has a production capacity of 545,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Ineos Nitriles is in plans to decrease operational rates at its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in the US informed that starting January 1, 2014, the company is likely to reduce its operational rates by 50%.
The planned curtailment in run rates has been attributed to prevailing weak margins.Located in Green Lake, Texas, the plant has a production capacity of 545,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-18
LG Chem will invest won (W) 320bn ($304m) to boost its acrylic acid production in Yeosu to 510,000 tonnes/year in 2015, the South Korean chemical firm said on Wednesday.
“The chemical firm also expects revenue increase of W400bn through the revamping, reaching up to W1,700bn by 2016,” the company said in a statement.
LG Chem said it is the only manufacturer in South Korea that has the proprietary techmical and vertically integrated facility to produce AA.
AA is used in acrylic fibres, adhesive, paint and ink and coating resins, and is also the raw material for the premium resins called super absorbent polymer (SAP), which is used in diapers and other hygienic commodities.
In line with the expansion in AA capacity, LG Chem will also beef up its SAP capacity by 80,000 tonnes/year to 360,000 tonnes/year by late 2015, the company said.
LG Chem, which is an affiliate of South Korean conglomerate LG Group, intends to develop the AA & SAP business as the core business of group, it said
LG Chem will invest won (W) 320bn ($304m) to boost its acrylic acid production in Yeosu to 510,000 tonnes/year in 2015, the South Korean chemical firm said on Wednesday.
“The chemical firm also expects revenue increase of W400bn through the revamping, reaching up to W1,700bn by 2016,” the company said in a statement.
LG Chem said it is the only manufacturer in South Korea that has the proprietary techmical and vertically integrated facility to produce AA.
AA is used in acrylic fibres, adhesive, paint and ink and coating resins, and is also the raw material for the premium resins called super absorbent polymer (SAP), which is used in diapers and other hygienic commodities.
In line with the expansion in AA capacity, LG Chem will also beef up its SAP capacity by 80,000 tonnes/year to 360,000 tonnes/year by late 2015, the company said.
LG Chem, which is an affiliate of South Korean conglomerate LG Group, intends to develop the AA & SAP business as the core business of group, it said
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-09
A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Qatar Petroleum
(QP), Zeon Corp and Mitsui & Co Ltd on 8 Dec 2013 for the development of an
integrated butadiene extraction and elastomer complex in Qatar. The planned
Al-Sejeel Petrochemicals Complex and the Al-Karaana Petrochemicals Complex
will provide the feedstock. Ras Laffan Olefins Co will also contribute
feedstock. High-value elastomers will be produced from the feedstocks using
Zeon's technology.
SOURCE Icis News
A memorandum of understanding has been signed by Qatar Petroleum
(QP), Zeon Corp and Mitsui & Co Ltd on 8 Dec 2013 for the development of an
integrated butadiene extraction and elastomer complex in Qatar. The planned
Al-Sejeel Petrochemicals Complex and the Al-Karaana Petrochemicals Complex
will provide the feedstock. Ras Laffan Olefins Co will also contribute
feedstock. High-value elastomers will be produced from the feedstocks using
Zeon's technology.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-13
Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp (GPPC) is likely to restart a styrene monomer (SM) unit.
A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the unit is planned to be restarted on December 14-15, 2013. It was shut early this month owing to power failure.
Located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the unit has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Grand Pacific Petrochemical Corp (GPPC) is likely to restart a styrene monomer (SM) unit.
A Polymerupdate source in Taiwan informed that the unit is planned to be restarted on December 14-15, 2013. It was shut early this month owing to power failure.
Located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the unit has a production capacity of 250,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-14
Jiangsu Leasty is in plans to shut its styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to be shut in February 2014. It is expected to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located in Jiangsu province, China, the plant has a production capacity of 420,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Jiangsu Leasty is in plans to shut its styrene monomer (SM) plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant is likely to be shut in February 2014. It is expected to remain off-stream for around one month.
Located in Jiangsu province, China, the plant has a production capacity of 420,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-12
On 26 Nov 2013, Shell Chemicals announced force majeure on its styrene facility in Alberta, Canada, because of discontinued production in
the plant. The 450,000 tonne/y facility has stopped its operation due to the limited supply of benzene feedstock.
SOURCE Icis News
On 26 Nov 2013, Shell Chemicals announced force majeure on its styrene facility in Alberta, Canada, because of discontinued production in
the plant. The 450,000 tonne/y facility has stopped its operation due to the limited supply of benzene feedstock.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-13
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Electronics Newsweekly -- Data detailed on Quinones have been presented. According to news reporting out of Wuhan, People's Republic of China, by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "A facile and reliable method is applied to prepare the electrolyte based on hydroquinone (HQ)/benzoquinone (BQ) redox couple for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in open environment by adding moderate amount of acetic acid (HAc), and the best conversion efficiency (eta) of 5.82% is achieved under 100 mW cm(-2) (AM 1.5 G) illumination."
Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research fromWuhan University, "Electrochemistry properties of DSSCs using such redox couple are measured and the results show a higher current and better charge transfer in contrast to I-/I-3(-). And a slightly higher efficiency of 5.88% is obtained when HQ and BQ are symmetrically substituted by two methyls."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "With advantages of high efficiency, compatible with the most common dye N719 and easily tuned by facile structural modification, the redox shuttle employing HQ/BQ via HAc treatment is very promising to be employed in efficient DSSCs."
For more information on this research see: Effect of HAc treatment on an open-environment prepared organic redox couple based on hydroquinone/benzoquinone and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochimica Acta, 2013;107():695-700. Electrochimica Acta can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England.
Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Z.H. Yu, Wuhan University, Minist Educ, Key Lab Artificial Micro Nano Struct, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China. Additional authors for this research include C.H. Bu, Z.Y. Zhou, Y.M. Liu, N. Huang, S.H. Bai, H.Q. Fu, S.S. Guo and X.Z. Zhao.
SOURCE Electronics Newsweekly
By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Electronics Newsweekly -- Data detailed on Quinones have been presented. According to news reporting out of Wuhan, People's Republic of China, by VerticalNews editors, research stated, "A facile and reliable method is applied to prepare the electrolyte based on hydroquinone (HQ)/benzoquinone (BQ) redox couple for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) in open environment by adding moderate amount of acetic acid (HAc), and the best conversion efficiency (eta) of 5.82% is achieved under 100 mW cm(-2) (AM 1.5 G) illumination."
Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research fromWuhan University, "Electrochemistry properties of DSSCs using such redox couple are measured and the results show a higher current and better charge transfer in contrast to I-/I-3(-). And a slightly higher efficiency of 5.88% is obtained when HQ and BQ are symmetrically substituted by two methyls."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "With advantages of high efficiency, compatible with the most common dye N719 and easily tuned by facile structural modification, the redox shuttle employing HQ/BQ via HAc treatment is very promising to be employed in efficient DSSCs."
For more information on this research see: Effect of HAc treatment on an open-environment prepared organic redox couple based on hydroquinone/benzoquinone and its application in dye-sensitized solar cells. Electrochimica Acta, 2013;107():695-700. Electrochimica Acta can be contacted at: Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England.
Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Z.H. Yu, Wuhan University, Minist Educ, Key Lab Artificial Micro Nano Struct, Wuhan 430072, People's Republic of China. Additional authors for this research include C.H. Bu, Z.Y. Zhou, Y.M. Liu, N. Huang, S.H. Bai, H.Q. Fu, S.S. Guo and X.Z. Zhao.
SOURCE Electronics Newsweekly
DATE : 2013-12-12
Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem and biochemicals company Genomatica said they have agreed to jointly develop technology to make bio-based butadiene from renewable feedstocks.
Braskem is the world's leading producer of biopolymers and the world's third largest producer of butadiene, which is used mainly to manufacture tires.
Under the agreement, Braskem will provide "significant funding" to Genomatica's research and development of bio-based butadiene. In return, Braskem will receive certain exclusive license rights to use the resulting technology in the Americas.
"Braskem has a clear strategy for investing in the research and development of renewable based chemical technologies as alternatives to complement our current product portfolio based on petrochemicals," Alexandre Elias, director of renewable chemicals at Braskem, said in a statement.
Genomatica said that the combined strength of current and future partners for its butadiene program, which now include Braskem, will help it deliver technologies for licensing to and use by the global chemical industry, using a range of feedstocks.
Braskem, which operates a 200,000ty/ ethanol to polyethylene (PE) plant in southern Brazil, said it would research with Genomatica the use of sugarcane to produce feedstock for butadiene. Depending on the results of this research, it would then build a demonstration plant.
Genomatica said that the supply of butadiene has been decreasing due to a long-term shift to natural gas at petrochemical cracking plants, and a scarcity of dedicated production processes and facilities.
"This has resulted in substantial pricing volatility, which in turn impacts butadiene-based products, including tires," Genomatica said.
"The butadiene process being developed by Genomatica and Braskem is expected to provide an economically competitive and environmentally-friendlier alternative, while providing a strategic alternative to the use of petroleum-based feedstocks."
SOURCE Business News America
Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem and biochemicals company Genomatica said they have agreed to jointly develop technology to make bio-based butadiene from renewable feedstocks.
Braskem is the world's leading producer of biopolymers and the world's third largest producer of butadiene, which is used mainly to manufacture tires.
Under the agreement, Braskem will provide "significant funding" to Genomatica's research and development of bio-based butadiene. In return, Braskem will receive certain exclusive license rights to use the resulting technology in the Americas.
"Braskem has a clear strategy for investing in the research and development of renewable based chemical technologies as alternatives to complement our current product portfolio based on petrochemicals," Alexandre Elias, director of renewable chemicals at Braskem, said in a statement.
Genomatica said that the combined strength of current and future partners for its butadiene program, which now include Braskem, will help it deliver technologies for licensing to and use by the global chemical industry, using a range of feedstocks.
Braskem, which operates a 200,000ty/ ethanol to polyethylene (PE) plant in southern Brazil, said it would research with Genomatica the use of sugarcane to produce feedstock for butadiene. Depending on the results of this research, it would then build a demonstration plant.
Genomatica said that the supply of butadiene has been decreasing due to a long-term shift to natural gas at petrochemical cracking plants, and a scarcity of dedicated production processes and facilities.
"This has resulted in substantial pricing volatility, which in turn impacts butadiene-based products, including tires," Genomatica said.
"The butadiene process being developed by Genomatica and Braskem is expected to provide an economically competitive and environmentally-friendlier alternative, while providing a strategic alternative to the use of petroleum-based feedstocks."
SOURCE Business News America
DATE : 2013-12-10
Several chemical and biotechnology firms are looking for another non-petrochemical route in obtaining acrylic acid from 3-hydroxyproprionic acid. Finding a way to obtain an alternative to propylene-derived acrylic acid could provide sustainable benefits to the company that will be able to discover it. Arkema has established a process that converts biobased glycerine to acrylic acid. However, the established route was not feasible due to its costs. OPXBio has also established a route: the company is developing a fermentation process that will produce acrylic acid from sugars via the intermediate 3-hydroxyproprionic acid. Cargill has also formed a partnership with Novozymes to establish a similar process. BASF, Myriant, and Metabolix are also finding ways in producing the said process.
SOURCE : Icis News
Several chemical and biotechnology firms are looking for another non-petrochemical route in obtaining acrylic acid from 3-hydroxyproprionic acid. Finding a way to obtain an alternative to propylene-derived acrylic acid could provide sustainable benefits to the company that will be able to discover it. Arkema has established a process that converts biobased glycerine to acrylic acid. However, the established route was not feasible due to its costs. OPXBio has also established a route: the company is developing a fermentation process that will produce acrylic acid from sugars via the intermediate 3-hydroxyproprionic acid. Cargill has also formed a partnership with Novozymes to establish a similar process. BASF, Myriant, and Metabolix are also finding ways in producing the said process.
SOURCE : Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-09
Idemitsu Kosan is in plans to restart its styrene monomer (SM) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is likely to restart on December 10, 2013.
It was shut on November 25 for repairs.Located at Chiba, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 210,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Idemitsu Kosan is in plans to restart its styrene monomer (SM) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is likely to restart on December 10, 2013.
It was shut on November 25 for repairs.Located at Chiba, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 210,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate