Boiler water treatment, a supercritical industrial process
The efficiency of the boiler majorly depends on the feedwater used. Untreated water, such as water from rivers, municipality bores and taps can cause severe damage to the boiler. Hence, it’s critical to completely remove, or chemically modify the various substances present in untreated water. This is an important step in all chemical process which will avoid any potential damage to the boiler. The chemicals used in treating the feedwater are called the boiler water treatment chemicals. Boilers are mainly known for their heat transfer abilities. Read More
The state of the chemical industry: What’s ahead in 2017
Rising standards of living and a growing middle class in emerging markets will drive ongoing strong demand for chemicals, as more end-users in these markets purchase and use appliances, consumer goods, automobiles, and other products that require a growing use of chemicals especially advanced materials involved in additive manufacturing. But despite this slow but steady demand growth, the industry is experiencing significant disruption as we enter the new year. Relatively low feedstock prices, low-interest rates, shifts toward modernizing. Read More
Building a strong ‘Brand’ identity
As you walk into the gates of the plant, the hustle bustle of employees wearing hard hats and the roar of waves at sea, beyond the wall catch your attention. Anywhere you look, men are engrossed in work, running to complete their tasks and stick to the time schedules. This is surely an indication of a company moving forward as a brand, expanding to meet the growing needs in the country. GHCL has stood firm with time to establish itself as a well-diversified group with ascertained footprints in chemicals, textiles and consumer products segment. Read More
Most chemical companies see climate change, together with environmental damage, as a potential threat to growth (69 percent vs 50 percent of CEOs overall). At the same time, it is also seen as a major opportunity, as many chemical products help other industries become more sustainable. Many of the industry’s major players increasingly integrate sustainability into everyday decision making in areas like investments and portfolio management. They are also using it to identify new growth opportunities. Some have even started to quantify the impact. Read More
HONG KONG, CHINA: A joint research led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has assembled the 1.64 gigabytes genome of a deep-sea mussel, which is roughly equivalent to 50 percent of the size of human genome. This is the first decoded genome among all deep-sea macrobenthic animals, revealing a complete set of DNA. The discovery gives wider insights into future research on the mechanisms of symbiosis in other marine organisms such as giant tubeworms. 
Eating Tasty and Eating Healthy are two food options that never really go together. However, this neither stops consumers from checking the labels for healthy ingredients nor the food scientists from sprinkling a dash of naturalness in your packet of favourite chips. Most flavours in display on the shelves of a supermarket can be broadly segregated into Natural and Synthetic. But then, there is also a third category, called the Biotech Flavours, which is fast becoming an accepted alternative in the flavour business. Biotech Flavour is nothing. 
Polyurethane has already captured the imagination and investments of various businesses across the globe. But that can’t be the end of innovation so this industry is now aiming to be a notch higher in sustainability and greener in application making way for bio-based polyurethanes. Rising concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, rapid depletion of fossil fuel, stringent monitoring of carbon dioxide footprint in large scale manufacturing units, etc. have forced various industrial operations to constantly think about ‘just a little more’ green options. 
With the growing focus on food, consumers are now looking to eat tasty but healthy foods. Along with satisfying the taste buds, people are also interested in maintaining a healthy body. R&D and technology advancement are on the rise with the flavours industry wanting to create a bridge between good taste and healthy foods for consumers. One such way of achieving this balance is the use of biotechnology. Biotechnology is further enhanced by the increasing preference of consumers for products bearing the label ‘natural’ and by the vivid discussion. 
Water treatment chemicals definition can be given in two lines, however, that isn’t ample & would be arbitrary if done. Let’s have a brief introduction on what has made us rely on water treatment chemicals. Contemporarily, the demand for safe and fresh water is consistently rising, owing to satisfy the human needs and to support the industrial activities. With the increasing urbanisation and economic development, the current water supply is unlikely to satisfy the ever growing demands. Hence, the chemical industry. 
BANGALORE, INDIA: The Goods and Services Tax (GST) is a critical change that the industry has been waiting for. Even on an international level, the industry is keeping an active watch given its effects on the growth and revenue of companies. Considering the chemical industry the government has kept a large number of items under the 18% tax slab, while those under the nil and 5% category bring a good momentum for the industry. The GST rate schedule for goods is per the discussions in the GST Council Meeting held on 18 May 2017. 
COLLEGE STATION, US: Waste material from the paper and pulp industry soon could be made into anything from tennis rackets to cars. “We have overcome one of the industry’s most challenging issues 
UNIVERSITY PARK, US: Transporting methane from gas wellheads to market provides multiple opportunities for this greenhouse gas to leak into the atmosphere. Now, an international team of researchers has taken the first step in converting methane directly to electricity using bacteria, in a way that could be done near the drilling sites. “Currently, we have to ship methane via pipelines,” said Thomas Wood, holder of the biotechnology endowed chair and professor of chemical engineering, Pennsylvania State University. 
HONG KONG, CHINA: The School of Chinese Medicine (SCM) of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) is conducting a space life science study aboard China’s first cargo spacecraft, Tianzhou-1, which was launched last month. HKBU is the only institution of higher education outside the Mainland to conduct scientific research aboard the Tianzhou 1. The HKBU team is studying effects of the CKIP-1 gene on bone formation in the microgravity condition on board the Tianzhou 1 in space, In microgravity, bone loss occurs. 
LA JOLLA, US: Chemists, materials scientists and nanoengineers at University of California (UC) San Diego have created what may be the ultimate natural sunscreen. In a paper published in the journal ACS Central Science, they report the development of nanoparticles that mimic the behaviour of natural melanosomes, melanin-producing cell structures that protect our skin, eyes and other tissues from the harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. “Basically, we succeeded in making a synthetic version of the nanoparticles that our skin. 
THUWAL, SAUDI ARABIA: The conventional view that metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) cannot be stable in water has been overturned by the development of an MOF that can selectively and effectively adsorb water to dry gas streams. The new fluorinated MOF developed by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) team achieves the drying and regeneration cycle at relatively low temperatures and requires about half the energy input of conventional procedures. This dramatic reduction in energy use highlights. 
DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Merck has signed a five-year research collaboration agreement with the University of Leeds. The aim is to develop new digital optical applications with liquid crystals under the umbrella of the “Emerging Innovation – LC 2021” strategic initiative. As a global market and technology leader for liquid crystals (LC), Merck sees great future potential in optical applications. The University of Leeds is one of UK’s most renowned research institutions and has recently built a reputation in particular for non-display applications. 
HOUSTON, US: University of Houston (UH) physicists have discovered a new catalyst that can split water into hydrogen and oxygen, composed of easily available, low-cost materials and operate far more efficiently than previous catalysts. That would solve one of the primary hurdles remaining in using water to produce hydrogen, one of the most promising sources of clean energy. “Hydrogen is the cleanest primary energy source we have on earth,” said Paul CW Chu, chief scientist of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH. 
DANBURY, US: NuCO2, a subsidiary of Praxair Inc (PX) has launched XactCO2 HP (high-pressure) patent-pending fill system, a permanent, scalable carbon dioxide cylinder supply system for restaurants and bars. NuCO2 is the largest provider of fountain beverage carbonation in US. The XactCO2 HP fill system is currently being launched in Denver, Atlanta, and the greater San Francisco area, and will be launched nationwide later in 2017. Cylinders are located inside the facility and connected to a small fill box located outside. 
LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY: Furniture designer Thomas Schnur has created a one of a kind piece, named “The Factory of Ideas”, using a range of innovative and sustainable materials to showcase Covestro’s product portfolio – much of which is used throughout the furniture industry. Based on a cloud structure, which transforms into a seat, Schnur, aged 33, said he designed “The Factory of Ideas” as he was fascinated by the potential of Covestro’s materials, having spent time researching and experimenting alongside the company’s. 
RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA: Sabic expands SABIC PP polypropylene portfolio with two new high flow, injection-molding grades, SABIC PP 513MK46 and 512MK46, impact copolymers based on a phthalate free catalyst. These new offerings open further opportunities for packaging manufacturers and converters with production efficiency through shorter cycle times and weight savings through thin wall manufacturing. The new grades are developed to help Sabic customers to comply with industry’s organoleptic requirements. 
AMES, US: Scientists at Ames Laboratory have discovered a method for making smaller, more efficient intermetallic nanoparticles for fuel cell applications, and which also use less of the expensive precious metal platinum. The researchers succeeded by overcoming some of the technical challenges presented in the fabrication of the platinum zinc (PtZn) nanoparticles with an ordered lattice structure, which function best at the small sizes in which the chemically reactive surface area is highest in proportion to the particle volume. 
MANCHESTER, UK: Graphene could help reduce the energy cost of producing heavy water and decontamination in nuclear power plants by over one hundred times compared with current technologies, University of Manchester research indicates. The new development could lead to the reduction of CO2 emissions associated with heavy water production by up to a million tonnes each year. Published in the journal Nature Communications, a team from the University of Manchester led by Dr Marcelo Lozada-Hidalgo demonstrated fully scalable. 
MASSACHUSETTS, US: When it comes to removing very dilute concentrations of pollutants from water, existing separation methods tend to be energy- and chemical-intensive. Now, a new method developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) could provide a selective alternative for removing even extremely low levels of unwanted compounds. The new approach is described in the journal Energy and Environmental Science, in a paper by MIT postdoc Xiao Su, Ralph Landau professor of chemical engineering Alan Hatton. 
PERSTORP, SWEDEN: The Perstorp Group has officially introduced ProPhorce Valerins, glycerol esters of valeric acid to be used in feed to promote animal performance. Groundbreaking: the last introduction of a new organic acid to be used in the feed was decades ago. Valeric acid has never before been tested for commercial production which makes the introduction of ProPhorce Valerins one of kind. In vitro and in vivo trials with ProPhorce Valerins show promising results in reducing the negative impact of Clostridium Perfringens. 
Agilent Technologies Scientific Symposium will feature latest in innovative technology and workshops on challenges in food, pharma & applied chemical industries. More than 500 scientists and researchers from commercial, scientific and research communities are expected to attend Agilent Technologies’ symposium, being held in different regions throughout Southeast Asia since 2011. The ‘
DARMSTADT, GERMANY: Merck said that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Schmid Rhyner AG for innovative 3D effect printing technology. The companies will further develop and commercialise Merck’s virtual embossing (VE3D) technology. Schmid Rhyner AG, a Swiss company is one of the world’s leading suppliers of UV coatings and technologies for the printing industry. The aim of the partnership is to establish the purely optical 3D solution with the effect pigment technology from Merck on the packaging market. 
NEW DELHI, INDIA: Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have used the juicy, delectable Indian summer fruit Jamun to create inexpensive and more efficient solar cells. Researchers used naturally occurring pigment found in jamun as an inexpensive photosensitizer for Dye Sensitised Solar Cells (DSSCs) or Gratzel cells. Gratzel cells are thin film solar cells composed of a porous layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) coated photoanode, a layer of dye molecules that absorbs sunlight. 
The Indian caustic industry is a mature industry having a good growth that is keeping pace with expanding market demand. Also, the industry has adequate capacity to fully meet domestic demand, were part of some of the discussions at the Alkali Manufacturers Association of India (AMAI) conference on the theme ‘Development of Chlorochemicals Industry in India.’ Power costs remain high due to an imposition of taxes and cesses, even on captive power generation. The advantages of an efficient industry. 
The trucking industry is highly regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure that cargo is transported safely. Companies must fully comply with all the rules and regulations set forth, or face stiff penalties and fines. One segment of the industry, hazardous materials transportation (HAZMAT) is under the watchful eyes of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). PHMSA is an agency within the DOT and its primary responsibility is the implementation regulations for transporting. 
DELAND, US: Pelican Water Systems has unveiled a compact new lead/fluoride water filter system that can protect against the harmful effects of lead contamination and over-fluoridation. Designed with the challenges facing modern households, the filtration system targets chlorine, chloramine, fluoride, and dangerous contaminants to provide cleaner, spring-like water in every tap. The intuitive compact design makes this filter easy to install and use, even if consumers don’t live in a large home. The two-stage system can fit in tight quarters. 
world of chemicals 