15-01-2013

The nuclear industry generates radioactive toxic waste, which needs to be decontaminated inside the facilities themselves and of the effluents released into the environment. Radionuclide decontamination is currently performed using physico-chemical methods and while they work well, they are ...

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15-01-2013

Fluorescence imaging is typically used to study biomolecules with high sensitivity and resolution, but many biological molecules are fluorescent themselves, limiting the potential of this technique. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is capable of high sensitivity but isnot inhibited ...

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10-01-2013

Shale gas production shows great promise in power generation capacity and is likely to shift natural gas trading patterns. As the production increases, it is expected that shale will become the preferred feedstock for chemical manufacturing in the future, with high economic potential in ...

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10-01-2013

Polymer Lithium Sulfur cells battery technology is considered to be the next generation of battery, complementary to Lithium-ion systems. It has the best performance record among all battery technologies to date. Compared to other batteries currently on the market, this technology displays ...

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18-12-2012

IChemE is backing a UK government decision to lift an embargo on hydraulic fracturing – better known as fracking – after creating new regulations that it says will reduce the chance of causing earthquakes. The technique, which involves injecting thousands of tons of water into gas-bearing ...

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17-12-2012

An insight into the properties of fullerene is set to open the door to a new class of electronic acceptors which can be used to build better and cheaper organic solar cells. Organic solar cells have advanced a great deal since they were first invented nearly 20 years ago, but the fullerene ...

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Bio-compatible equivalents of petrochemicals, they help reduce carbon footprint and are safer

30-11-2012

Registration, Evaluation, and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) regulations are playing a major role in driving the European oleochemicals market which has otherwise attained maturity. These regulations are encouraging customers to consider using sustainable and eco-friendly oleochemicals. ...

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Recent technological breakthroughs in lignin extraction and conversion could change the course of the oil-based chemical industry

28-11-2012

Addressing markets worth more than 130 billion dollars, lignin could become the main renewable aromatic resource for the chemical industry in the future. The first opportunity could emerge as early as 2015 from the direct substitution of phenol in most of its industrial applications: phenolic ...

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Big impact on solar cells, television screens

21-11-2012

New research at King's College London may lead to improved solar cells and LED-displays. Researchers from the Biophysics and Nanotechnology Group at King's, led by Professor Anatoly Zayats in the department of Physics have demonstrated in detail how to separate colours and create 'rainbows' ...

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16-11-2012

Chemical engineers and process safety experts paid tribute to industry guru Trevor Kletz at IChemE’s (Institution of Chemical Engineers) Hazards conference this week. Kletz, who turned 90 last month, has announced his retirement following a celebrated career as industry safety advisor, ...

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