Johnson Matthey Technology Review - Volume 68, Issue 3, 2024

Neutron scattering methods such as quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS) have been used to study the reactivity of propene and 1-octene over the acid zeolite catalyst H-ZSM-5. The high activity of the catalyst causes the alkenes to form linear oligomers below room temperature. INS has shown that the reaction proceeds through a hydrogen-bonded intermediate. Studies using Read More

End-of-life plastics present a significant challenge to achieving a sustainable economy. It is crucial to develop environmentally friendly technologies to process the waste streams beyond landfilling. This review provides a detailed overview of end-of-life plastics management, covering mechanical recycling, pyrolysis and hydrocracking methods. Mechanical recycling is the predominant technique employed on a large scale in recycli Read More

Activated carbon (AC) is an effective material for various environmental and industrial applications. The characteristics and performance of AC is a result of interaction between source and method of preparation. In the current work, AC has been prepared from date seed waste using microwave heating under nitrogen using basic medium such as potassium hydroxide and acidic medium such as sulfuric acid as chemic Read More

Removal of sulfur compounds from transportation fuels is a requirement in the worldwide effort to reduce emissions from transportation fuels. Refineries use the hydrodesulfurisation (HDS) process to reduce sulfur compounds in fuels. However, the HDS process requires high hydrogen pressure and temperature, making it costly. An alternative to the HDS process is oxidative desulfurisation via solvent extraction, which r Read More

Bituminous binders, often referred to as asphalt, play a pivotal role in the construction and maintenance of flexible pavements. As the demand for durable and sustainable infrastructure continues to rise, a thorough understanding of the physical and rheological properties of bituminous binders becomes imperative. This manuscript presents a comprehensive review of various mechanical tests used to assess bituminous binder pr Read More

Recent progress has been made towards decarbonisation of transport, which accounts for one quarter of global carbon dioxide emissions. For the short to medium term, new European Union (EU) and national energy and climate plans agree on a strategy based on the combination of increasing shares of electric vehicles with the promotion of sustainable fuels, especially if produced from residual feedstock and routes Read More

Ammonia is emerging as a promising alternative fuel for longer range decarbonised heavy transport, particularly in the marine sector due to highly favourable characteristics as an effective hydrogen carrier. This is despite generally unfavourable combustion and toxicity attributes, restricting end use to applications where robust health and safety protocols can be upheld. In the currently reported work, a spark ignited thermodyna Read More

This experimental study investigates the palladium/rhodium based three-way catalyst (TWC) in a hydrogen-gasoline dual-fuel spark ignition (SI) engine under stoichiometric and lean conditions. The work focused on lean-burn engine operating conditions with the aim of reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions during the combustion process, where the TWC is not effective, while improving the thermal efficiency of the en Read More

Fossil fuel price continuous growth invites to look for alternative solutions to fuel for internal combustion engines. One of the most accepted options is biodiesel. In the present study, the multifrequency ultrasound-assisted synthesis of Sinapis alba oil biodiesel has been tested. For this purpose, an ultrasonic probe working at 20 kHz and an ultrasonic reactor with interchangeable transducers of discrete frequencies (195 kHz, 578 kH Read More

The evolution of three dimensional (3D) printed porous metallic biomaterials and their clinical applications are currently receiving much consideration. Many research works have been focused on the shaping by 3D printing of lightweight metal implants with improved mechanical properties. In the same way, the effect of surface finishes on roughness and porosity distribution on biological properties is still debated. Read More