Latest Chemical Stories
Rapid mobile-phone charging is closer to becoming a realityNovember 7, 2017
Chemical engineers are using nanotechnology to significantly improve energy-storage devices known as supercapacitors, doubling the amount of electrical energy that the rapid-charging devices can hold
Could whiskey-powered cars make gasoline obsolete?October 24, 2017
Cork-born Prof Martin Tangney, president of Celtic Renewables, has developed a method of producing a biofuel from the by-products of whiskey making and the first test-drive for whiskey-powered cars has been completed, writes Christopher McFadden
Microfluidics probe ‘cholesterol’ of the oil industry to keep pipes openOctober 24, 2017
Chemical engineers have employed microfluidic devices to show how and why dispersants are able to break up deposits of asphaltene that hinder the flow of crude oil in wellheads and pipelines
Solving the enigma: Irish biotech company develops new drug-screening systemOctober 10, 2017
Dr Finola Cliffe, Anne O’Sullivan and Prof Mark Davies outline the development of Enigma, Hooke Bio’s microfluidic high-throughput drug analysis platform, and its benefits for the pharma industry
Novel microparticle means multiple doses of vaccine can be delivered with just one injectionOctober 10, 2017
A new 3-D fabrication method has been developed that can create a new type of drug-carrying particle that could allow several doses of a drug or vaccine to be delivered over an extended time period with just one injection
Engineers help develop dissolvable, easy-to-use milk capsules for your coffeeSeptember 26, 2017
Have your coffee without spilling the milk: researchers have developed a milk capsule that dissolves when placed in a hot drink. Not only does this reduce the consumption of packaging material, the capsules are easier to use than conventional plastic containers
Bio SNG – turning black bin-bag waste into biogas with gasification technologySeptember 26, 2017
Taking bio synthetic natural gas from concept to commercialisation has been the focus of two projects supported by Cadent. The next stage is to build a commercial demonstration plant with contracts for waste feedstock supply and gas offtake. James Harrington reports
Waste not, want not: engineering water, energy and food solutions from natureSeptember 12, 2017
Part of this year's RebelBio cohort in Cork, NuLeaf Tech uses biochemical and ecological biomimicry to turn wastewater into a resource, using engineered wetlands, microbial fuel cells and vertical farming. Rachel Major and Ari Ochoa report
Self-sufficient wastewater treatment: energy recovery from sewage sludgeAugust 29, 2017
Karla Dussan and Rory Monaghan describe the economic and environmental benefits of sludge management through integrated anaerobic digestion and thermal conversion, while acknowledging the technical challenges of its implementation
Why chemical engineers — not just economists — are key to a circular futureAugust 1, 2017
Amidst the growing interest in the ‘circular economy’ as a way to improve resource efficiency, Prof Roland Clift argues that we need a better understanding of the term - and chemical engineers might hold the answer
Engineers develop biodegradable microbeads from cellulose for cosmetics industryAugust 1, 2017
The biodegradable cellulose microbeads come from cellulose, a sustainable source that could potentially replace harmful plastic microbeads that contribute to ocean pollution
Heat transfer systems – thermal fluid maintenance to maximise productivityJuly 18, 2017
Clive Jones outlines three considerations for manufacturers operating thermal fluid heat transfer systems to minimise downtime and safeguard the system's future for the long term
Water might have first been formed deep within Earth’s mantle, say UCD engineersJuly 18, 2017
The new theory, based on research carried out by chemical engineers in UCD, offers an alternative explanation as to how the life-giving liquid might have originated on Earth. Jamie Deasy reports
Computer system predicts products of chemical reactions to aid industrial processesJuly 3, 2017
Chemical engineers have developed a machine-learning system trained on thousands of experimental reactions to predict a reaction’s major products, which could aid the design of industrial processes for drug manufacturing
Chemical engineers develop new way to clear pollutants from waterJune 20, 2017
Engineers have developed a new way to remove toxic micropollutants, including pesticides and pharmaceuticals, from water, even when present in extremely low concentrations
Esterification: the essential processes and what they entailJune 6, 2017
Esterification is the equilibrium reaction of acids and alcohols to form esters and is one of the most practiced technologies in the chemical industry. Brian Tarbit takes a closer look at the processes behind esterification and what must be considered
Why engineers in project management should consider an ATEX Route MapMay 23, 2017
Richard Coffey outlines the main phases of a project and describes how an ATEX Route Map approach can help project managers to navigate their way through a typical project where explosive atmospheres can arise
No sweat – engineers design moisture-responsive workout suitMay 20, 2017
Ventilating flaps in the responsive fabric open and close in accordance with an athlete’s body heat and sweat. These flaps are lined with live microbial cells that shrink and expand in response to changes in humidity
Mega is out and bio is in: biomanufacturing is the future of chemical productionMay 9, 2017
Engineers propose that the future of chemical production lies in decentralised biomanufacturing facilities that will push innovation and achieve efficiency not possible at today's megaplants
Optimisation of film-coating suspension mixing for vessel scale-upMay 9, 2017
Rebecca Power, a chemical and biopharmaceutical engineering student at Cork Institute of Technology, outlines the final-year research project she undertook as part of her industrial placement in a pharmaceutical company