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ONE-STEP FERMENTATIVE PRODUCTION OF POLYLACTIC ACID

SBE Special Section

May

2012

Sang Yup Lee, Si Jae Park, Min Kyung Kim

The use of PLA has been hindered by its complex and expensive synthesis process. A new technology promises to change this — giving PLA a chance to compete with fossil-based plastics.

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Navigating NFPA Codes and Standards

Follow the recommendations and how-to Guidance provided by the National Fire Protection Association to safeguard against fires and explosions.

The Other Bio: Chemicals and Materials

Just in case you haven’t noticed, a new wave of biotechnology is underway. Over the last three decades, we have seen biological technologies used in therapeutics and agriculture. More recently, we have seen the use of biotechnology for industrial purposes.

Economic Opportunities and Challenges for Bio-Based Materials

In order to stay competitive, the bio-based chemicals industry will need to pave a path within the existing value chain, with a sharp focus on economic considerations.

Meet the Authors

Bio-Based Materials in the New Bio Economy

Biological feedstocks are expected to gradually replace some fossil-based raw materials to create eco-friendly products, from car parts and packaging materials to electronic devices and other consumer goods - laying the foundation for a reduced-carbon economy.

SYNTHETIC SPIDER SILK PROTEINS AND THREADS

E. coli can be genetically engineered to mimic the complex natural process by which a spider makes the proteins that it uses to spin the fibers for its web. With additional processing, fibers with properties similar to those of natural spider silk can be obtained..

ONE-STEP FERMENTATIVE PRODUCTION OF POLYLACTIC ACID

The use of PLA has been hindered by its complex and expensive synthesis process. A new technology promises to change this — giving PLA a chance to compete with fossil-based plastics.

RHEOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BIO-BASED MATERIALS

Experimental and analytical tools combined with computational studies can be used to design new bio-based materials tailored for specific applications.

A ChE’s Guide to Intellectual Property

Patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and copyrights are an important part of any company's business strategy.

Smart Blogging for Chemical Engineers

Blogs have come a long way since their first appearance in the late 1990s, when they were little more than online diaries. Today, people are just as likely to turn to blogs (Internet shorthand for “Web log”) as to newspapers or magazines for information and news.

Books

Learn about Physical and Chemical Equilibrium for Chemical Engineers, 2nd Edition; Chemical Thermodynamics for Process Simulation; and Piping System Fundamentals: The Complete Guide to Gaining a Clear Picture of Your Piping System, 2nd Edition.

Hopefully, Change Won't Be Difficult

I was taught that the word hopefully means “in a hopeful manner” or “full of hope.” Authors who start a sentence with the word hopefully usually mean “I (we) hope” or “it is hoped” — which is an incorrect usage of the word.

Institute News

Read the latest Institute News reported by CEP.

What's New?

See the latest in laboratory equipment—benchtop meters featuring intelligent sensors, instrumentation, operations and maintenance, and materials.

CEP: News Update

Shape-Shifting Polymers Go 3D; MOF Cuts Energy Costs of Gas Separation; Plastic Morphs from Smooth to Bumpy, and Back Again; Nanoscale Topography Puts the Brakes on Cancer Growth; Metamaterials Enter a New Dimension; and more.

CEP: Process Safety Beacon - Mechanical Integrity of Tubing

Proper installation, maintenance, and inspection of metal tubing is important in preventing fires and toxic material releases in process plants. Do not forget about tubing just because it is usually small. Even a small leak can cause a fire that can grow much larger, and small releases of toxic...

Commencement Advice for Young Job Seekers

This is the time of year when thousands of undergraduates are completing their degrees and beginning their careers and chemical engineers. As I travel to chemical engineering schools to attend AIChE's spring regional student conferences, the question students ask most is what can they do to get a...

Software & Information Technology

Learn about the latest MathCAD release and how it enhances computational power, integrated software that facilitates refinery development, software that identifies safe operating limits, and much more.

Product Digest - Safety Equipment

Check out warning devices for hazardous areas and high-visibility work vests that reduce static electricity.

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