Page 174 - CW E-Magazine (22-4-2025)

News from Abroad

PARTNERSHIP

Panasonic and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical develop

urea resin with methanol produced from CO
2
Japanese firms – Mitsubishi Gas
Chemical Company (MGC) and Pana-
sonic Electric Works Company – have
successfully converted methanol pro-
duced from CO to an environmentally
2
friendly urea resin, via a process
shown to reduce CO emissions by
2
20-30% compared to conventional
methods. The new resin is targeted
at wiring devices such as electrical
outlets.

MGC Woodchem Corporation, a
MGC subsidiary, will use methanol that
MGC produces from CO to manufac- the carbon embodied in buildings that
2
ture formaldehyde that it will supply to use these end products. Urea resin is a
Panasonic, which will produce environ- thermosetting resin derived from the re-
mentally friendly urea resin for use in action of urea and formaldehyde. With
wiring devices that the company aims its excellent tracking and arc resistance,
to begin selling in 2025 or later. it is used in electrical sockets and many
other electrical components that must
The new eco-friendly urea resin has ensure electrical safety. Although it
the same moulding and physical pro- cannot be melted after hardening, even
perties as conventional urea resin, so it with heat, which prevents it from being
can be used with existing manufactur- recycled, MGC and Panasonic’s new
ing equipment to produce and connect eco-friendly manufacturing process
wiring devices of the same quality as achieves carbon recycling by using
conventionally made products. How- sions by about 20-30% compared to methanol, the raw material for urea
ever, the new resin reduces CO emis- conventional urea resin, and reduces resin, produced from CO .
2
2
Clariant, Technip Energies to offer new ethylbenzene

dehydrogenation catalyst
Swiss speciality chemicals firm, The catalyst has been specifically The catalyst technology addresses
Clariant, has announced the launch engineered to facilitate ultra-low the industry’s persistent challenge of
of StyroMax UL-100, its most ad- steam-to-oil operations in styrene balancing energy efficiency with pro-
vanced ethylbenzene dehydrogena- plants for drop-in refills into existing duction performance. The ability to
tion catalyst to date. This catalyst units, through revamp and for grass- operate at S/O ratios as low as 0.76
achieves exceptional performance roots projects. Through an alliance by weight represents a significant ad-
at unprecedented low steam-to-oil with Technip Energies, this catalyst vancement over previous catalyst gene-
ratios (S/O) of 0.76 by weight, set- technology will enable plant opera- rations of 1.02, offering the potential
ting a new industry benchmark in tors to significantly reduce steam con- for substantial energy savings and
styrene monomer (SM) production sumption while maintaining optimal reduced carbon footprint for styrene
efficiency. production rates. producers.

174 Chemical Weekly April 22, 2025

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised