Arkema, HTE conclude catalysis research

London - Arkema and HTE Aktiengesellschaft - a company specialising in high-throughput experimentation - have concluded a joint research project on catalysis for converting reactions. The collaboration aimed to provide performance screening for a variety of suitable catalysts for conversion reactions of glycerol, a biodiesel byproduct derived from biomass, to acrolein and acrylic acid.

Arkema, which has already registered a number of patents in this field, opted for the services of HTE’s laboratories in Heidelberg, Germany, which use a proprietary parallel testing technology to accelerate this exploration and evaluation, thus moving interesting catalysts more quickly from experimentation to potential commercialisation.

The production of acrolein and acrylic acid from biomass processing falls in line with Arkema’s strategy to develop sustainable chemicals based, in particular, on more efficient processes and on the use of renewable raw materials.

With industrial facilities in Carling, France, and in Bayport, US, Arkema’s main applications comprise paints and coatings, super-absorbents, water treatment and the paper and textile industries.