Page 149 - CW E-Magazine (27-5-2025)

News from Abroad

The partnership leverages Novvi’s sulphonates in North America for the of traditional synthetic alpha olefin
bio alpha olefin technology and household, I&I, and PC markets. It sulphonates with the added benefit
commercial-scale feedstock supply will produce CalCare AOS biobased of being fully biobased. These high-
with Pilot’s reputation as a leading alpha olefin sulphonates at commer- performance, sulphate-alternative sur-
alpha olefin sulphonator and anionic cial scale in its Middletown, Ohio factants are excellent for use in a range
surfactant provider. Through the facility. of cleaning and rinse-off personal care
Novvi partnership, Pilot is the exclu- applications. Commercial quantities
sive sulphonator and marketing CalCare AOS biobased alpha ole- will be available starting in the second
channel for biobased alpha olefin fin surfactants have the performance half of this year.

ADVANCING CIRCULARITY
French scientists develop new silicone recycling

process

A study conducted by French make it possible to circumvent this
researchers from the CNRS (Catalyse, energy-consuming step.
Polymérisation, Procédés et Matériaux)
laboratory of the Université Claude “Moreover, as this chemical re-
Bernard in France, have described cycling process gives direct access to
in Science a new method of recycling (methyl) chlorosilanes, which can be
silicone waste (caulk, sealants, gels, separated and purified industrially, it
adhesives, cosmetics, etc). guarantees the quality of silicone mate-
rials from recycling, and can do that
According to the authors, this infinitely without loss of properties,”
chemical recycling process can bring using metallurgy at high temperature to said the authors in a press release.
any type of used silicone material back to obtain pure silicon. That then reacts
an earlier state in its life cycle where with methyl chloride to form chloro- Amid growing tensions over natural
each molecule has only one silicon silanes, molecules essential to all resources – particularly quartz and its
atom. Allowing to design new silicones silicone-based polymers. derivative, silicon, which are critical to
infinitely, this solution would have the the electronics industry – this process
potential to significantly reduce the These first two transformations are also enables access to new sources of
sector’s environmental impacts. very energy intensive and emit CO , the silicones. The authors and their indus-
2
main greenhouse gas causing climate trial partners are continuing their re-
The raw material used to make sili- change. search to make the process industrially
cones is naturally occurring quartz. applicable and target other stages of
Its constituents are decomposed The recycling technique would silicone manufacturing.

Astorg acquires majority stake in natural ingredients

firm, Solabia

Luxembourg-based private equity will partner with Astorg to support Sola- biotechnology industries. Solabia operates
(PE) firm, Astorg, has agreed to acquire bia in executing its growth plan. Founded 11 manufacturing sites and 8 R&D labs
a majority stake in Solabia Group, a in 1972, Solabia leverages advanced bio- worldwide and employs over 900 staff.
France-based natural ingredients provider, technology capabilities – including fer- The company, which posted double-digit
from American PE firm, TA Associates. mentation, enzymatic synthesis, plant growth in the past five years, will focus on
Financial terms were not disclosed. extraction, and green chemistry – to deve- further accelerating international expan-
lop high-performance ingredients for cos- sion – particularly in the US and Asia –
TA will reinvest in the business and metics, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and and advancing its innovation roadmap.

Chemical Weekly May 27, 2025 149

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