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DATE : 2014-01-06
A new kind of battery designed by Harvard University scientists and engineers could unlock the potential of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
One of the problems with solar and wind power is that the flow of electricity can’t be constant – the sun sets or goes behind clouds, and the wind dies or picks up. This can cause problems if these systems are wired into the electric grid, which has trouble handling sudden massive surges and dips in demand (Hawaii and Germany are two areas where this problem has already begun to butt up against widespread solar panel adoption). Having a reliable, cheaper way of storing massive amounts of electricity would be a big step towards wider reliance on these alternative energy sources.
In a paper published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, Harvard chemist Roy Gordon and colleagues described their design for a special kind of battery that might fit the bill. The team’s current model is just a laboratory experiment for now, but they think it could be scaled up to store large amounts of energy, providing the buffer that the grid needs to handle excess energy pouring in from solar panels and wind turbines. And the central ingredient of the battery is relatively cheap, which means it may move to market quicker.
The team has created a type of flow battery, which stores energy in external tanks filled with chemicals, rather than within the battery itself. Flow batteries have been around for a couple decades, but the active component of current models is the metal vanadium, which is costly – and probably not abundant enough to be the basis of a long-term technological solution.
Even if we were able to extract all the vanadium that geologists think lies in the Earth’s crust, that would still fall short – bumping up storage to just 1 or 2 percent of the goal, according to Gordon.
The new flow battery design is based around quinones - not to be confused with quinine, the stuff in tonic water also used to treat malaria - which are a kind of organic compound found widely in plants and crude oil, and commonly used in dyes and film photography. (The quinone molecule that the Harvard team used is almost identical to one found in rhubarb.) And, the researchers say, it’s already performing on par with a vanadium flow battery – after just a year in development.
The anode, or negative electrode, of the battery is made from a diluted solution of quinones in sulfuric acid. The other end of the battery, the postively-charged cathode, is made from bromine. The anode reacts with positively charged protons to form the higher-energy hydroquinone, charging the battery. The qunione-hydroquinone reaction is about 1,000 times faster than the corresponding vanadium reaction, according the nature.
The U.S. Department of Energy, which funded the team’s work, thinks that flow batteries would need to cost around $100 per kilowatt-hour to be attractive enough for utility companies to consider. At present, the vanadium component of current flow batteries alone counts for $80 per kWh, according to the MIT Technology review – which makes it just about impossible for the whole battery meet that cost target. But the Harvard team thinks that a quniones-based flow battery will bring the cost of the energy-storing material is down to just $27 per kWh.
Next, Gordon and colleagues are working on integrating the design into a demonstration model, a horse trailer-sized set up that will be able to store 24 hours of energy from a 3.5 kW solar panel system.
The battery wouldn’t be just for big utility grids. The technology could also be scaled for individual homeowners to use – provided you don’t mind a vat or two of chemicals sitting around.
"Imagine a device the size of a home heating oil tank sitting in your basement,” coauthor Michael Marshak said in a statement. “It would store a day's worth of sunshine from the solar panels on the roof of your house, potentially providing enough to power your household from late afternoon, through the night, into the next morning, without burning any fossil fuels."
SOURCE: Huskinson et al. “A Metal-Free Organic-Inorganic Aqueous Flow Battery.” Nature published 8 January 2014.
A new kind of battery designed by Harvard University scientists and engineers could unlock the potential of renewable energy sources like wind and solar.
One of the problems with solar and wind power is that the flow of electricity can’t be constant – the sun sets or goes behind clouds, and the wind dies or picks up. This can cause problems if these systems are wired into the electric grid, which has trouble handling sudden massive surges and dips in demand (Hawaii and Germany are two areas where this problem has already begun to butt up against widespread solar panel adoption). Having a reliable, cheaper way of storing massive amounts of electricity would be a big step towards wider reliance on these alternative energy sources.
In a paper published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, Harvard chemist Roy Gordon and colleagues described their design for a special kind of battery that might fit the bill. The team’s current model is just a laboratory experiment for now, but they think it could be scaled up to store large amounts of energy, providing the buffer that the grid needs to handle excess energy pouring in from solar panels and wind turbines. And the central ingredient of the battery is relatively cheap, which means it may move to market quicker.
The team has created a type of flow battery, which stores energy in external tanks filled with chemicals, rather than within the battery itself. Flow batteries have been around for a couple decades, but the active component of current models is the metal vanadium, which is costly – and probably not abundant enough to be the basis of a long-term technological solution.
“The amount of vanadium that’s mined and refined over 1 year is sufficient only to store about an estimated .01 or .02 percent of the electrical energy that we’d like to store to make renewable energy useful,” Gordon said in a phone interview.
Even if we were able to extract all the vanadium that geologists think lies in the Earth’s crust, that would still fall short – bumping up storage to just 1 or 2 percent of the goal, according to Gordon.
The new flow battery design is based around quinones - not to be confused with quinine, the stuff in tonic water also used to treat malaria - which are a kind of organic compound found widely in plants and crude oil, and commonly used in dyes and film photography. (The quinone molecule that the Harvard team used is almost identical to one found in rhubarb.) And, the researchers say, it’s already performing on par with a vanadium flow battery – after just a year in development.
The anode, or negative electrode, of the battery is made from a diluted solution of quinones in sulfuric acid. The other end of the battery, the postively-charged cathode, is made from bromine. The anode reacts with positively charged protons to form the higher-energy hydroquinone, charging the battery. The qunione-hydroquinone reaction is about 1,000 times faster than the corresponding vanadium reaction, according the nature.
The U.S. Department of Energy, which funded the team’s work, thinks that flow batteries would need to cost around $100 per kilowatt-hour to be attractive enough for utility companies to consider. At present, the vanadium component of current flow batteries alone counts for $80 per kWh, according to the MIT Technology review – which makes it just about impossible for the whole battery meet that cost target. But the Harvard team thinks that a quniones-based flow battery will bring the cost of the energy-storing material is down to just $27 per kWh.
Next, Gordon and colleagues are working on integrating the design into a demonstration model, a horse trailer-sized set up that will be able to store 24 hours of energy from a 3.5 kW solar panel system.
The battery wouldn’t be just for big utility grids. The technology could also be scaled for individual homeowners to use – provided you don’t mind a vat or two of chemicals sitting around.
"Imagine a device the size of a home heating oil tank sitting in your basement,” coauthor Michael Marshak said in a statement. “It would store a day's worth of sunshine from the solar panels on the roof of your house, potentially providing enough to power your household from late afternoon, through the night, into the next morning, without burning any fossil fuels."
SOURCE: Huskinson et al. “A Metal-Free Organic-Inorganic Aqueous Flow Battery.” Nature published 8 January 2014.
DATE : 2014-01-06
Westlake Chemicals is in plans to shut a styrene plant for maintenance turnaround. A Polymerupdate source in the US informed that the plant is likely to be taken off-stream in mid-January 2014. It is planned to remain off-stream for around two weeks.
Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the plant has a capacity of 570 billion lb/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Westlake Chemicals is in plans to shut a styrene plant for maintenance turnaround. A Polymerupdate source in the US informed that the plant is likely to be taken off-stream in mid-January 2014. It is planned to remain off-stream for around two weeks.
Located in Lake Charles, Louisiana, the plant has a capacity of 570 billion lb/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-09
Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Zeo Corp. and Mitsui & Company, both Japan-based, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of an integrated butadiene extraction and elastomer complex in Ras Laffan. The MoU was signed by HE the Minister for Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada; Yoshizama Fushimi, Zeon Corp. director and executive corporate officer and Seiichi Tanaka, Mitsui & Company representative director and executive vice president, in Doha yesterday. Under the agreement, the partners will be undertaking a detailed feasibility study to evaluate the technical, commercial and economic aspects of the integrated world-scale butadiene and synthetic rubber/elastomer project. The feedstock will come from the planned Al-Sejeel Petrochemicals Complex and the Al-Karaana Petrochemicals Complex, both of which are currently under development, as well as from the existing plant of Ras Laffan Olefins Company (RLOC).
Butadiene will be extracted from feedstock and then converted into high-value elastomers like styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and polybutadiene rubber (PBR) using Zeon’s state-of-the-art technology. Al-Sada expressed his pleasure at the signing of the MoU, describing it as "an important step that adds value to Qatar’s natural resources, and creates future value chain opportunities." He said: "The elastomers from this project will create new opportunities to develop small and medium scale enterprises and private industries in the downstream sector, as well as other automobile related industries." "I am confident that, together with our Japanese partners, we would be able to meet the highest industrial standards, enhance value for feedstock streams, and successfully complete the study for developing the project." Fushimi said, "Zeon hopes and believes that the introduction of a synthetic rubber industry using our technology will contribute to Qatar’s development of related downstream industry and lead to the further strengthening of the great partnership between Qatar and Japan. After this ceremony, Zeon will make our maximum effort jointly with Mohamed Nasser al-Hajri, director, QP Downstream Ventures and his team for the feasibility study toward the success of the project." Tanaka said, "Ever since our equity participation in the Qatargas 1 LNG project back in 1989, Mitsui has been enjoying an excellent relationship with QP as partners in the Qatargas 3 LNG project in 2005, the Laffan Refinery and its latest expansion, as well as the Ras Laffan C IWPP project. Mitsui will continue to contribute further to the strong relationship with the State of Qatar and undertake its best performance in its contribution to the study. This butadiene and synthetic rubber project has the strong potential to be the first business opportunity in Qatar’s petrochemical sector and will enhance the value of your esteemed country’s natural gas resources." Al-Hajri said, "We at Qatar Petroleum look forward to closely working with our Japanese partners to further evaluate this business opportunity and develop the project as part of our sustained efforts to optimally enhance Qatar’s downstream business and product portfolio."
SOURCE Gulf Times
Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Zeo Corp. and Mitsui & Company, both Japan-based, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the development of an integrated butadiene extraction and elastomer complex in Ras Laffan. The MoU was signed by HE the Minister for Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada; Yoshizama Fushimi, Zeon Corp. director and executive corporate officer and Seiichi Tanaka, Mitsui & Company representative director and executive vice president, in Doha yesterday. Under the agreement, the partners will be undertaking a detailed feasibility study to evaluate the technical, commercial and economic aspects of the integrated world-scale butadiene and synthetic rubber/elastomer project. The feedstock will come from the planned Al-Sejeel Petrochemicals Complex and the Al-Karaana Petrochemicals Complex, both of which are currently under development, as well as from the existing plant of Ras Laffan Olefins Company (RLOC).
Butadiene will be extracted from feedstock and then converted into high-value elastomers like styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and polybutadiene rubber (PBR) using Zeon’s state-of-the-art technology. Al-Sada expressed his pleasure at the signing of the MoU, describing it as "an important step that adds value to Qatar’s natural resources, and creates future value chain opportunities." He said: "The elastomers from this project will create new opportunities to develop small and medium scale enterprises and private industries in the downstream sector, as well as other automobile related industries." "I am confident that, together with our Japanese partners, we would be able to meet the highest industrial standards, enhance value for feedstock streams, and successfully complete the study for developing the project." Fushimi said, "Zeon hopes and believes that the introduction of a synthetic rubber industry using our technology will contribute to Qatar’s development of related downstream industry and lead to the further strengthening of the great partnership between Qatar and Japan. After this ceremony, Zeon will make our maximum effort jointly with Mohamed Nasser al-Hajri, director, QP Downstream Ventures and his team for the feasibility study toward the success of the project." Tanaka said, "Ever since our equity participation in the Qatargas 1 LNG project back in 1989, Mitsui has been enjoying an excellent relationship with QP as partners in the Qatargas 3 LNG project in 2005, the Laffan Refinery and its latest expansion, as well as the Ras Laffan C IWPP project. Mitsui will continue to contribute further to the strong relationship with the State of Qatar and undertake its best performance in its contribution to the study. This butadiene and synthetic rubber project has the strong potential to be the first business opportunity in Qatar’s petrochemical sector and will enhance the value of your esteemed country’s natural gas resources." Al-Hajri said, "We at Qatar Petroleum look forward to closely working with our Japanese partners to further evaluate this business opportunity and develop the project as part of our sustained efforts to optimally enhance Qatar’s downstream business and product portfolio."
SOURCE Gulf Times
DATE : 2013-12-27
Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical has restarted its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant resumed operations on December 25, 2013. It was shut on November 20, 2013 for maintenance turnaround.
Located in Shanghai, China , the plant has a production capacity of 130,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical has restarted its acrylonitrile (ACN) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the plant resumed operations on December 25, 2013. It was shut on November 20, 2013 for maintenance turnaround.
Located in Shanghai, China , the plant has a production capacity of 130,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2014-01-02
NS Styrene Monomer Co. Ltd, a joint venture between Nippon Steel Chemical (51%) and Showa Denko (49%), is in plans to shut its No.2 styrene monomer (SM) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is planned to be shut in mid-March 2014. It is expected to remain off-stream for around 30-35 days.
Located at Oita in Japan, the No. 2 SM plant has a production capacity of 190,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
NS Styrene Monomer Co. Ltd, a joint venture between Nippon Steel Chemical (51%) and Showa Denko (49%), is in plans to shut its No.2 styrene monomer (SM) plant.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is planned to be shut in mid-March 2014. It is expected to remain off-stream for around 30-35 days.
Located at Oita in Japan, the No. 2 SM plant has a production capacity of 190,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-16
Saudi petrochemicals group Sipchem and Sahara Petrochemical have signed an outline agreement covering a detailed study into the possibility of merging. Neither company considers this agreement an offer but they hope to conclude their negotiations at start 2014 and could reach a merger agreement later in the year. The proposal is that Sipchem acquire Sahara Petrochemical and give its name to the resulting entity. The aim of the merger is to benefit from synergies, strengthen the partners' position on the local and international petrochemicals markets and create a joint platform with strong potential for growth. Sipchem produces methanol, butanediol, tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer and carbon monoxide. It supplies the construction, automobile, electronics and pharmaceuticals industries. In recent years it has diversified its operations.
Through its joint venture with S Korean group Hanwa Chemical (International Polymers Company) it is building an ethylene vinyl acetate and low density polyethylene complex in Saudi Arabia. Sahara Petrochemical specializes in olefins, polyolefins and acrylic acid. It has diversified into chlorinated products with Ma'aden and superabsorbent polymers (through the opening in autumn 2013 of a jointly owned factory with Tasnee and Evonik). In 2012 Sahara Petrochemical made a Riyal 1.54 bn turnover.
SOURCE Chimie Pharma Hebdo
Saudi petrochemicals group Sipchem and Sahara Petrochemical have signed an outline agreement covering a detailed study into the possibility of merging. Neither company considers this agreement an offer but they hope to conclude their negotiations at start 2014 and could reach a merger agreement later in the year. The proposal is that Sipchem acquire Sahara Petrochemical and give its name to the resulting entity. The aim of the merger is to benefit from synergies, strengthen the partners' position on the local and international petrochemicals markets and create a joint platform with strong potential for growth. Sipchem produces methanol, butanediol, tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, acetic anhydride, vinyl acetate monomer and carbon monoxide. It supplies the construction, automobile, electronics and pharmaceuticals industries. In recent years it has diversified its operations.
Through its joint venture with S Korean group Hanwa Chemical (International Polymers Company) it is building an ethylene vinyl acetate and low density polyethylene complex in Saudi Arabia. Sahara Petrochemical specializes in olefins, polyolefins and acrylic acid. It has diversified into chlorinated products with Ma'aden and superabsorbent polymers (through the opening in autumn 2013 of a jointly owned factory with Tasnee and Evonik). In 2012 Sahara Petrochemical made a Riyal 1.54 bn turnover.
SOURCE Chimie Pharma Hebdo
DATE : 2014-01-02
Tosoh Crop is in plans to shut a butadiene plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is planned to be shut in mid-March 2014 and it is expected to remain shut for about one month.
Located in Yokkaichi, Japan, the butadiene plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Tosoh Crop is in plans to shut a butadiene plant for maintenance turnaround.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant is planned to be shut in mid-March 2014 and it is expected to remain shut for about one month.
Located in Yokkaichi, Japan, the butadiene plant has a production capacity of 500,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-30
Japan’s Soy Corp has decided not to sell its lithium-ion battery unit, media reported yesterday, in a gamble that it can turn the business around with a weak yen and growing demand for smartphone batteries.
In addition to a weak yen, which can boost overseas earnings, the battery unit is also seeing increased demand for some of its new products, the Nikkei business daily reported.
For the past two years Sony had been planning to offload the unit, which was a pioneer in making lithium-ion batteries for computers and mobile devices but has struggled recently against cheaper South Korean rivals.
A government turnaround fund tried to arrange a sale of the battery business to a joint venture of Nissan Motor Co Ltd and NEC Corp earlier this year.
However, discussions have broken down and Sony has now informed the turnaround fund that it will hold on to the battery unit and develop it as a core business, the Nikkei reported, citing unidentified sources.
SOURCE Shanghai Daily
Japan’s Soy Corp has decided not to sell its lithium-ion battery unit, media reported yesterday, in a gamble that it can turn the business around with a weak yen and growing demand for smartphone batteries.
In addition to a weak yen, which can boost overseas earnings, the battery unit is also seeing increased demand for some of its new products, the Nikkei business daily reported.
For the past two years Sony had been planning to offload the unit, which was a pioneer in making lithium-ion batteries for computers and mobile devices but has struggled recently against cheaper South Korean rivals.
A government turnaround fund tried to arrange a sale of the battery business to a joint venture of Nissan Motor Co Ltd and NEC Corp earlier this year.
However, discussions have broken down and Sony has now informed the turnaround fund that it will hold on to the battery unit and develop it as a core business, the Nikkei reported, citing unidentified sources.
SOURCE Shanghai Daily
DATE : 2013-12-19
Solvay Aroma Performance, the world leader of MeHQ (Methyl Hydroquinone or also referred to as PMP for para-methoxyphenol), a strategic molecule for monomer and agro markets, has decided to double its worldwide production capacity to continuously support the growth of its customers and the related markets in the next few years.
The global demand for MeHQ (PMP) is driven by high and sustained growth of markets such as specialty polymers (superabsorbents ), paint, construction, automotive, consumer goods and agrochemicals.
As the worldwide manufacturer of MeHQ with leading positions in Europe, Americas and Asia, Aroma Performance is determined to continue investing in this strategic product to support its customers growth in monomers and agro products , says Remi Rothea, worldwide Performance Solutions Business Director.
This very significant capacity increase illustrates Solvay s commitment to serve and develop the MeHQ markets, especially in the fast growing Asian countries.
A recognized global player, Solvay is a trusted partner with its comprehensive range of stabilizers for monomers that provides high-quality technical support and service to its customers, particularly with its international expertise laboratories in Asia and Europe.
SOURCE Mena Report
Solvay Aroma Performance, the world leader of MeHQ (Methyl Hydroquinone or also referred to as PMP for para-methoxyphenol), a strategic molecule for monomer and agro markets, has decided to double its worldwide production capacity to continuously support the growth of its customers and the related markets in the next few years.
The global demand for MeHQ (PMP) is driven by high and sustained growth of markets such as specialty polymers (superabsorbents ), paint, construction, automotive, consumer goods and agrochemicals.
As the worldwide manufacturer of MeHQ with leading positions in Europe, Americas and Asia, Aroma Performance is determined to continue investing in this strategic product to support its customers growth in monomers and agro products , says Remi Rothea, worldwide Performance Solutions Business Director.
This very significant capacity increase illustrates Solvay s commitment to serve and develop the MeHQ markets, especially in the fast growing Asian countries.
A recognized global player, Solvay is a trusted partner with its comprehensive range of stabilizers for monomers that provides high-quality technical support and service to its customers, particularly with its international expertise laboratories in Asia and Europe.
SOURCE Mena Report
DATE : 2°14-01-10
A new study on Electrolytes is now available. According to news reporting originating from Tours, France, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "In this work, we present a study on the physical and electrochemical properties of three new Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) based on N-methylacetamide (MAc) and a lithium salt (LiX, with X=bis[(trifluoromethyl).ulfonyl]imide, TFSI; hexafluorophosphate, PF6; or nitrate, NO3). Based on DSC measurements, it appears that these systems are liquid at room temperature for a lithium salt mole fraction ranging from 0.10 to 0.35."
Our news editors obtained a quote from the research, "The temperature dependences of the ionic conductivity and the viscosity of these DESs are correctly described by using the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) type fitting equation, due to the strong interactions between Li(+), X(-) and MAc in solution. Furthermore, these electrolytes possess quite large electrochemical stability windows up to 4.7-5 V on Pt, and demonstrate also a passivating behavior toward the aluminum collector at room temperature. Based on these interesting electrochemical properties, these selected DESs can be classified as potential and promising electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). For this purpose, a test cell was then constructed and tested at 25 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C by using each selected DES as an electrolyte and LiFePO4 (LFP) material as a cathode. The results show a good compatibility between each DES and LFP electrode material. A capacity of up to 160 mA h g(-1) with a good efficiency (99%) is observed in the DES based on the LiNO3 salt at 60 °C despite the presence of residual water in the electrolyte. Finally preliminary tests using a LFP/DES/LTO (lithium titanate) full cell at room temperature clearly show that LiTFSI-based DES can be successfully introduced into LIBs."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Considering the beneficial properties, especially, the cost of these electrolytes, such introduction could represent an important contribution for the realization of safer and environmentally friendly LIBs."
For more information on this research see: Deep eutectic solvents based on N-methylacetamide and a lithium salt as suitable electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2013;15(46):20054-63.
The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting A. Boisset, Universite Francois Rabelais, Laboratoire PCM2E, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France. Additional authors for this research include S. Menne, J. Jacquemin, A. Balducci and M. Anouti.
SOURCE : Chemicals & Chemistry
A new study on Electrolytes is now available. According to news reporting originating from Tours, France, by VerticalNews correspondents, research stated, "In this work, we present a study on the physical and electrochemical properties of three new Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) based on N-methylacetamide (MAc) and a lithium salt (LiX, with X=bis[(trifluoromethyl).ulfonyl]imide, TFSI; hexafluorophosphate, PF6; or nitrate, NO3). Based on DSC measurements, it appears that these systems are liquid at room temperature for a lithium salt mole fraction ranging from 0.10 to 0.35."
Our news editors obtained a quote from the research, "The temperature dependences of the ionic conductivity and the viscosity of these DESs are correctly described by using the Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) type fitting equation, due to the strong interactions between Li(+), X(-) and MAc in solution. Furthermore, these electrolytes possess quite large electrochemical stability windows up to 4.7-5 V on Pt, and demonstrate also a passivating behavior toward the aluminum collector at room temperature. Based on these interesting electrochemical properties, these selected DESs can be classified as potential and promising electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). For this purpose, a test cell was then constructed and tested at 25 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C by using each selected DES as an electrolyte and LiFePO4 (LFP) material as a cathode. The results show a good compatibility between each DES and LFP electrode material. A capacity of up to 160 mA h g(-1) with a good efficiency (99%) is observed in the DES based on the LiNO3 salt at 60 °C despite the presence of residual water in the electrolyte. Finally preliminary tests using a LFP/DES/LTO (lithium titanate) full cell at room temperature clearly show that LiTFSI-based DES can be successfully introduced into LIBs."
According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Considering the beneficial properties, especially, the cost of these electrolytes, such introduction could represent an important contribution for the realization of safer and environmentally friendly LIBs."
For more information on this research see: Deep eutectic solvents based on N-methylacetamide and a lithium salt as suitable electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2013;15(46):20054-63.
The news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting A. Boisset, Universite Francois Rabelais, Laboratoire PCM2E, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours, France. Additional authors for this research include S. Menne, J. Jacquemin, A. Balducci and M. Anouti.
SOURCE : Chemicals & Chemistry
DATE : 2013-12-30
The US spring coatings season can’t arrive fast enough for the US methyl methacrylate (MMA) and epoxy resins markets, but is likely only to save one.
While the US MMA market continues to receive a boost from plastics applications and balanced supply, the US epoxy resin market remains excessively long.
Sources said they expect the US epoxy resin market to struggle for most of 2014 as global weakness transforms the US into the major battleground.
“This is the only place anyone is buying,” a US buyer said. “The US producers have to fight off Asian and European sellers.”
US epoxy resin prices faced continual downward pressure in the second half of 2013 as Asian sellers looked to move material into the region and gain market share.
US producers were slow to respond but closed the gap against overseas sellers to 5-6 cents/lb ($110-132/tonne) by the end of the year, after it had peaked around 12-15 cents/lb in the summer.
The aggressive selling by importers, as well as softer-than-projected demand during the key spring and summer coatings seasons, left the US epoxy resin market long for most of 2013.
“It’s going to take something out of the ordinary for supply to tighten up again,” another US buyer said. “The domestic demand isn’t going to do it.”
The long supply and increased competition led one US producer, Dow Chemical, to announce it will attempt to sell or spin off its commodity epoxy resin business.
Other producers did not make similar announcements, but said margin levels have become dangerously low.
Meanwhile, in the first half of 2014, MMA contract prices will likely be pressured upward on raw materials and anticipated stronger demand, especially later in the first half when the spring paint and coatings season will be under way, weather permitting.
Already, a price hike for January was proposed at 7 cents/lb, with others heard likely. The initiative surfaced with an effective date of 1 January, driven by anticipated higher costs of acetone and other raw materials, a seller said.
A quarterly price-hike initiative also surfaced, but that segment has few remaining customers and constitutes only a small percentage of contract volumes.
Demand continued to be described as relatively stable and balanced with supply, despite the seasonal slowdown in the major coatings end-market.
But concerns about feedstock acetone supply are growing, as co-product phenol production rates continue to average 65-70%, but could drift lower on lacklustre domestic demand and little hope for renewed near-term interest in exports.
In the downstream polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) market, the remodelling sector appears likely to strengthen, but homebuilding will drive demand notably, according to recent survey results.
US new-home construction increased by nearly 23% in November from October, according to the Commerce Department, reflecting the strongest growth in housing development since the 2008-2009 recession.
The differing projections for epoxy resins and MMA also reflect their key feedstocks, as the more phenol-based epoxy resin market has struggled while the acetone-based MMA market has shown more strength.
Major US epoxy resin producers include Dow Chemical, Huntsman and Momentive. Major US MMA producers include Dow Chemical, Evonik and Lucite.
SOURCE Icis News
The US spring coatings season can’t arrive fast enough for the US methyl methacrylate (MMA) and epoxy resins markets, but is likely only to save one.
While the US MMA market continues to receive a boost from plastics applications and balanced supply, the US epoxy resin market remains excessively long.
Sources said they expect the US epoxy resin market to struggle for most of 2014 as global weakness transforms the US into the major battleground.
“This is the only place anyone is buying,” a US buyer said. “The US producers have to fight off Asian and European sellers.”
US epoxy resin prices faced continual downward pressure in the second half of 2013 as Asian sellers looked to move material into the region and gain market share.
US producers were slow to respond but closed the gap against overseas sellers to 5-6 cents/lb ($110-132/tonne) by the end of the year, after it had peaked around 12-15 cents/lb in the summer.
The aggressive selling by importers, as well as softer-than-projected demand during the key spring and summer coatings seasons, left the US epoxy resin market long for most of 2013.
“It’s going to take something out of the ordinary for supply to tighten up again,” another US buyer said. “The domestic demand isn’t going to do it.”
The long supply and increased competition led one US producer, Dow Chemical, to announce it will attempt to sell or spin off its commodity epoxy resin business.
Other producers did not make similar announcements, but said margin levels have become dangerously low.
Meanwhile, in the first half of 2014, MMA contract prices will likely be pressured upward on raw materials and anticipated stronger demand, especially later in the first half when the spring paint and coatings season will be under way, weather permitting.
Already, a price hike for January was proposed at 7 cents/lb, with others heard likely. The initiative surfaced with an effective date of 1 January, driven by anticipated higher costs of acetone and other raw materials, a seller said.
A quarterly price-hike initiative also surfaced, but that segment has few remaining customers and constitutes only a small percentage of contract volumes.
Demand continued to be described as relatively stable and balanced with supply, despite the seasonal slowdown in the major coatings end-market.
But concerns about feedstock acetone supply are growing, as co-product phenol production rates continue to average 65-70%, but could drift lower on lacklustre domestic demand and little hope for renewed near-term interest in exports.
In the downstream polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) market, the remodelling sector appears likely to strengthen, but homebuilding will drive demand notably, according to recent survey results.
US new-home construction increased by nearly 23% in November from October, according to the Commerce Department, reflecting the strongest growth in housing development since the 2008-2009 recession.
The differing projections for epoxy resins and MMA also reflect their key feedstocks, as the more phenol-based epoxy resin market has struggled while the acetone-based MMA market has shown more strength.
Major US epoxy resin producers include Dow Chemical, Huntsman and Momentive. Major US MMA producers include Dow Chemical, Evonik and Lucite.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-30-17
Solvay announces it has doubled the capacity of specialty fluoroaliphatic derivatives production in Salindres to support the strong growth in its strategic markets. In Jun 2012, Solvay had committed to increase its capacity production in a three-year investment plan to better serve its customers and support their growth plans. One year ahead of schedule, Solvay Aroma Performance successfully increased its production capacity for triflic acid and anhydride (TA, TAA), as well as the upstream intermediates such as potassium trifluoromethanesulfinate (TFSK).
Moreover, the downstream Lithium Bis (Trifluoromethanesulfonyl) Imide (LiTFSI) production capacity in China has also been doubled. This capacity increase allows Solvay Aroma Performance to meet the rapidly expanding requirements of downstream fluorinated products for applications such as liquid crystals, pharmaceutical intermediates and battery markets. "This investment decided in June 2012 allows us to enhance the capacity of our entire fluoroaliphatic derivatives production at Salindres in France. This fully integrated and unique value chain will support our customer expectations in terms of capacity but also quality and sustainability" highlights Remi Rothea, WW Performance Solutions Business Director.
Solvay announces it has doubled the capacity of specialty fluoroaliphatic derivatives production in Salindres to support the strong growth in its strategic markets. In Jun 2012, Solvay had committed to increase its capacity production in a three-year investment plan to better serve its customers and support their growth plans. One year ahead of schedule, Solvay Aroma Performance successfully increased its production capacity for triflic acid and anhydride (TA, TAA), as well as the upstream intermediates such as potassium trifluoromethanesulfinate (TFSK).
Moreover, the downstream Lithium Bis (Trifluoromethanesulfonyl) Imide (LiTFSI) production capacity in China has also been doubled. This capacity increase allows Solvay Aroma Performance to meet the rapidly expanding requirements of downstream fluorinated products for applications such as liquid crystals, pharmaceutical intermediates and battery markets. "This investment decided in June 2012 allows us to enhance the capacity of our entire fluoroaliphatic derivatives production at Salindres in France. This fully integrated and unique value chain will support our customer expectations in terms of capacity but also quality and sustainability" highlights Remi Rothea, WW Performance Solutions Business Director.
SOURCE Icis News
DATE : 2013-12-20
Asahi Kasei Corp has shut a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Japan.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant was shut on December 10, 2013 for maintenance turnaround.
It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.Located in Kawasaki, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Asahi Kasei Corp has shut a methyl methacrylate (MMA) plant in Japan.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that the plant was shut on December 10, 2013 for maintenance turnaround.
It is likely to remain off-stream for around one month.Located in Kawasaki, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 100,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-20
Nippon Shokubai is in plans to commence production at its acrylic acid plant in Japan.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that production at the plant is likely to commence in January 2014.
It was shut on September 29, 2012 after an explosion at an acrylic acid tank. Located in Himeji, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 160,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
Nippon Shokubai is in plans to commence production at its acrylic acid plant in Japan.
A Polymerupdate source in Japan informed that production at the plant is likely to commence in January 2014.
It was shut on September 29, 2012 after an explosion at an acrylic acid tank. Located in Himeji, Japan, the plant has a production capacity of 160,000 mt/year.
SOURCE PolymerUpdate
DATE : 2013-12-23
Pharmaceutical and chemical giant Bayer is committed to intensifying its research in China to make "the world's factory" a hub for innovation.
Johannes M. Dietsch, president of Bayer Greater China Group, said the German company is investing heavily in R&D to provide innovative goods that can meet China's needs.
"With innovative products that are designed to address core needs in China, for example urbanization, or the aging population, or sustainable farming, we believe that we have a really strong product portfolio in place that can capture the opportunities in China", he said at the Shagai Scienc and Technolog Museum on Wednesday, as he opened the local leg of a major exhibition to mark the 150th anniversary of Bayer.
Noting China is Bayer's largest Asia-Pacific and third-largest global market, Dietsch said: "We want to intensify our research in China to move from 'made in China' to 'created in China'."
Running onto Friday, the exhibition, themed, "Bayer: Science For A Better Life", is part of a world Anniversary Tour taking the interactive show to some 30 venues in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Australia.
The exhibition gives visitors a chance to see and experience for themselves how Bayer improves the quality of life for people worldwide, focusing on healthcare, agriculture and high-performance materials.
"We want to demonstrate success stories about innovation and science, and we want to let you know about our new technologies and our products, and our history as well," Dietsch told reporters.
At most museums, the visitors are warned, "don't touch", but at the Bayer exhibition that rule does not apply. On the contrary, the exhibits - microscopes, thermal imaging cameras, digital games and many more - are designed for visitor participation, to be touched and used.
The concept of the exhibition combines entertaining elements with educational ones to encourage visitors to interact with the displays.
"Many people are only indirectly familiar with the services and products provided by Bayer. The exhibits on show are taken from real-life, tangible examples and intended to make clear how Bayer, through research and innovative products, helps improve the lives of millions of people around the world," said Dietsch.
"The exhibition also shows how our employees put our corporate mission - Bayer: Science For A Better Life - into practice," he added.
The exhibits comprises 22 boxes, approximately 2-meters high, with a capital letter, each of which refers to a Bayer topic - from A for aspirin via E for energy-efficient mobility through to R for rice.
Each box contains images and informational text on the scientific background and social aspects of the Bayer topic in question, and there are numerous interactive elements for visitors to try out and experience for themselves.
Set up together, the boxes spell out Bayer's mission: Science For A Better Life.
The exhibition had its premiere in Leverkusen, Germany in February. In early March, the Bayer Event Team packed the exhibits into containers and sent them on a world tour.
As well as Shanghai, many major international cities such as London, So Paulo and Sydney were also on the itinerary.
"Anybody wishing to gain a fascinating and informative insight into how research and science enrich our daily lives is more than welcome to visit our Anniversary Tour." Dietsch said. "We look forward to seeing many visitors."
In addition to innovation, constant changes in its product portfolio, to adapt to the changing world and internationalization, is another element that has made Bayer so successful over the past 150 years, he said.
"We do this in line with our mission statement: Science for a better life. Our products are designed to improve people's life," Dietsch said, noting Bayer takes a long-term view on "creating products".
"All our processes are also designed in a sustainable way. And we want to make this commitment to the future, based on innovation and sustainable development in our processes and products," he added.
Aside from this exhibition, the Bayer group has celebrated its 150th anniversary in China with a series of events, mainly focusing on its more than 13,000 employees in this market, filling the entire year with joy.
These events include My Bayer Story, Anniversary Lunch, 150 Role Models, and the Bayer Anniversary Song.
The 150 Years of Bayer Roadshow, which celebrated Bayer's past, present and future also made stops at eight Bayer offices and sites, and received more than 7,000 visitors in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Beijing and Chengdu.
Bayer in China
Bayer's presence in China dates back to more than 130 years when the company began supplying dyes in 1882. It founded a trading company in Shanghai in 1913.
In 1989, Bayer became the first Western company to set up an agrochemical joint venture after the country began its opening-up in the late 1970s.
It now has 24 legal entities, 12 production sites and 13,000 employees in the country.
SOURCE China Daily