Grace licenses UNIPOL technology to firm in Canada

W R Grace & Co (GRA) has contracted to license its UNIPOL PP process technology to Canada Kuwait Petrochemical Corporation (CKPC), a 50/50 joint venture between Pembina Pipeline Corporation (PBA) of Canada and Petrochemical Industries Company KSC of Kuwait.

The new installation will be part of CKPC's proposed integrated propane dehydrogenation/PP facility located in Sturgeon County, Alberta. If built, the PP line would be the world's largest single train, capable of producing 550,000 metric tons per year of PP, including homopolymer, random copolymer, and impact copolymer thermoplastic resins.

Read more. Grace licenses UNIPOL technology to firm in Canada

KBR bags contract for ammonia plant revamp in Russia

KBR Inc (KBR) has been awarded a contract by Dorogobuzh JSC (owned by JSC ACRON) to provide licensing and basic engineering design (LBED) to revamp an ammonia plant – originally built by KBR – located in the Dorogobuzh, Russia.

Under the agreement, KBR will supply its proprietary ammonia technology to increase plant capacity significantly to 2100 MTPD with improved efficiency.

KBR will utilize its industry leading revamp technology KRES (KBR reforming exchanger system) in conjunction with KBR's true cold wall add-on converter to achieve low project cost revamping to enable Dorogobuzh to produce low-cost ammonia to meet increasing captive demand.

"The application of KRES in conjunction with KBR's reliable add-on ammonia converter provides low cost revamping to Dorogobuzh and numerous similar plants in the region," said John Derbyshire, president of KBR technology & consulting.

"We are pleased to contribute KBR's innovative technology solution for natural gas monetization in Russia. KBR is a leader in helping clients debottleneck their ammonia plants and achieve greater production capacities, process efficiencies and reliability," added Derbyshire.

KBR bags contract for ammonia plant revamp in Russia

Orion to increase prices for rubber carbon blacks in US

Orion Engineered Carbons SA (OEC) said that it is increasing prices for all rubber carbon blacks sold in US, by five cents (5¢) per pound, effective 1 September.

In addition, Orion announced the stopping of one rubber carbon black production line at its Orange, Texas facility, effective at year end. Orion is taking this action because current price levels of rubber carbon blacks in North America do not adequately address the costs of maintaining this production capacity. The company is assisting affected customers through the appropriate transition plans.

“We are increasing prices in order to continue the substantial investments in our North American rubber black production network essential to sustain safety of supply. This increase in pricing and the investments in production are necessary to ensure our long-term supply capability,” said Chris Erickson, Orion’s vice president, rubber carbon black business line, Americas.

Orion to increase prices for rubber carbon blacks in US

Omega-3 fatty acid stops lupus trigger, but how?

Michigan State University scientists have received a $2.3 million, five-year National Institutes of Health grant to help uncover why an omega-3 fatty acid, known as DHA, is so effective in stopping a known trigger of lupus.

Previous MSU research has shown that consuming DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, which is found in fatty, cold-water fish, can stop the onset of lupus when the disease is caused by a toxic mineral that’s inhaled and typically found around construction, agriculture and mining sites.

It’s still unclear, though, how the natural fatty substance prevents the disease from forming.

“When lupus is triggered by fine inhalable particles called crystalline silica in the lungs, our earlier research has shown that DHA essentially stopped the activation of the disease,” said James Pestka, a University Distinguished Professor of food science and human nutrition.

He is leading the new study with MSU co-investigators Jack Harkema, a pulmonary pathologist and Jenifer Fenton, a nutritional biochemist.

According to Harkema, the DHA could be changing the way these cells react to the silica in the lungs and somehow stops the immune system from overcompensating and going after healthy cells too.

One theory the researchers have is the DHA could help cells send a signal to the body so it won’t overreact and tell the immune system to attack beyond what’s needed. Another thought is somehow the DHA allows the cells to swallow up and remove the toxic silica from the lungs without dying, preventing any inflammatory signals from being sent throughout the body.

Read more. Omega-3 fatty acid stops lupus trigger, but how?

Points You Should Remember About Covalent Bonds

A covalent bond is a chemical bond that involves sharing of pairs of electronsbetween atoms. These pairs of electrons are known as bonding pairs or shared pair.

Covalent bond is also known as molecular bond. Covalent bonding arises between two atoms of the same element, or of elements which are close to each other in the periodic table. Covalent bonding occurs primarily between non-metals; but, it can also be witnessed between metals and non-metals. Covalent bonds are most likely to occur, when atoms have similar electro negativities.

History of covalence

The term covalence was first used in 1919 in regards to bonding, by Irving Langmuir in article of “Journal of the American Chemical Society”, titled "The Arrangement of Electrons in Atoms and Molecules". 

However, the idea of covalent bonding could be traced to Gilbert N. Lewis, numeral years before 1919, who in 1916 explained the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

What are various types of covalent bonds?

There exist three types of covalent bonds which is based upon number of shared electron pairs.

Single covalent bond: Single covalent bonds between two atoms are formed, when there exist a mutual sharing of one electron pair. Single covalent bond is denoted by short single line (----).

Double covalent bond: Single covalent bonds between two atoms are formed when there exist mutual sharing of two electron pairs. Double covalent bond is denoted by short double line (=).

Triple covalent bond: Triple covalent bond is formed, when there is sharing of three electron pairs. This bond is denoted by triple short line. 

Polar covalent bond: When a covalent bond is formed between two different atoms, it is said as polar covalent bond.

Non-polar covalent bond: When a covalent bond is formed between two like atoms, it is said as non-polar covalent bond.

Read more. Points You Should Remember About Covalent Bonds

Linde to expand production capacity in Malaysia; invests €30 mn

Linde Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Linde), a member of The Linde Group said that it will invest €30 million to expand its gas and liquid production capacities in central Malaysia.

Linde will construct and commission a new gas and liquid producing air separation unit (ASU) at its site in Hicom Industrial Estate (Hicom). The new ASU will be integrated into the pipeline supply network of existing plants which Linde operates in Bukit Raja and Hicom.

The investment will enable Linde to meet forecast growth in the central Malaysian region through the next decade. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2018. The facility will also form the cornerstone of a renewed and expanding oxygen supply scheme to leading Japanese glass manufacturer, Nippon Electric Glass Malaysia (NEGM).

“There continues to be a healthy growth momentum and expansion activities across a variety of industries in the central region. Our latest investment further strengthens Linde’s position as a reliable and efficient provider of top quality industrial gases to NEGM and other customers in Malaysia,” said Connell Zhang, managing director for Linde Malaysia.

Read more. Linde to expand production capacity in Malaysia; invests €30 mn

AkzoNobel, Itaconix bio-based agreement enters commercial phase

AkzoNobel NV has finalised the first application agreement for bio-based polymers to result from its collaboration with Itaconix PLC.

Announced earlier this year, the joint development agreement involves AkzoNobel’s performance additives unit developing applications for Itaconix polymers to be used in the coatings and construction industries. Under the agreement, Itaconix will contribute its proprietary polymers from itaconic acid, which are obtained from sugars through fermentation.

“We are pleased to be announcing the first in a series of agreements to develop these polymers for commercial use. Being able to incorporate polymers made from renewable bio-based raw materials will give a significant sustainability advantage for our customers and also fits closely with our own Planet Possible sustainability agenda of doing more with less,” said Peter Nieuwenhuizen, RD&I director for AkzoNobel’s speciality chemicals business.

“In addition to applications in coatings and construction materials, bio-based polymers have the potential to be used in a range of other everyday essentials, ranging from improving water quality to cleaning and hygiene products,” added Nieuwenhuizen.

Read more. AkzoNobel, Itaconix bio-based agreement enters commercial phase