Page 169 - CW E-Magazine (15-10-2024)

News from Abroad

COLLABORATION
SK Innovation and Yonsei University join forces to

develop carbon capture membrane technology

South Korea’s SK Innovation and SK Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. manufacturing cost, making it suitable for
IE Technology (SKIET) have developed The paper was recently published in the mass production and commercialisation.
a next-generation carbon capture mem- ‘Journal of Membrane Science’ (JMS), a
brane technology that significantly redu- prestigious international academic jour- The newly developed carbon capture
ces costs while improving performance. nal focused on membrane technology. membrane is expected to be applicable
This breakthrough was achieved through in industrial sites with high carbon emis-
joint research with a team from Yonsei In the study, the team succeeded in sions, such as power plants, steel, and
University. manufacturing a high-permeability mem- cement industries.
brane without the use of inorganic mate-
The research paper detailing the inno- rials. They achieved this by employing a SK Innovation plans to accelerate
vative technology was co-authored by SK thin-film coating technology that evenly the development of this carbon capture
Innovation’s Environmental Science and coats organic materials at a thickness of membrane technology in collaboration
Technology Institute, SKIET’s Research about 200-nm. This was combined with with SKIET, which has both global com-
and Development (R&D) Centre, and the synergistic effect of a proprietary petitiveness and commercial production
Professor Kim Jong-hak’s research team organic additive, resulting in a membrane capabilities in the field of lithium-ion
from Yonsei University’s Department of that is both highly permeable and low in battery separators.
ACQUISITION
Jiangtian to buy Sanyo Chemical’s superabsorbent

polymer plant in China

Chinese fine chemicals manufac- price for the exclusive intellectual evaluation results. Sanyo Chemical
turer, Jiangtian Chemical, said it will property rights to the factory’s patents, was the first company to commercia-
acquire the Chinese unit of Japanese trademarks and company name has lise SAP materials. But despite being a
chemical producer Sanyo Chemical not yet been determined, Jiangtian leader in this niche industry, the Kyoto-
Industries for CNY285-mn ($40.6-mn) Chemical said. based company said in March that it
to branch into superabsorbent polymers had decided to exit this field. Jiangtian
(SAP). The price will be negotiated by Chemical said it would make an offer
both parties depending on the asset immediately after the announcement.
Jiangtian Chemical will purchase
100% equity in San-Dia Polymers DSM-Firmenich completes sale of ‘MEG-3’
(Nantong), which is the biggest SAP fish oil and yeast extract businesses
factory in China.
DSM-Firmenich has announces the of the business was announced in July
The factory, which was set up successful completion of the sale and this year. DSM-Firmenich also closed
by Sanyo Chemical in 2003, mainly transfer of its MEG-3 fish oil business, the sale of its yeast extract business
makes personal hygiene items such as together with the production facilities to Lesaffre, a France-based player in
diapers and sanitary napkins. in Piura, Peru and Mulgrave, Canada fermentation and microorganisms. As
to Swiss firm, KD Pharma Group SA. part of the transaction first announced
Sanyo Chemical has also agreed As part of the transaction, the company in June, 46 DSM-Firmenich employees
to sell all intangible assets of its SAP received a minority stake of 29% in working on yeast extracts will transfer
technology and commercial trade- KD Pharma’s parent company MidCo to Lesaffre. Financial details of both
marks to Jiangtian Chemical, but the Omega GmbH. The sale and transfer transactions were not disclosed.

Chemical Weekly October 15, 2024 169

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