The Catalyst Review December 2024 - 5

Independent Perspective
The views expressed are those of the individual author and may not reflect those of The Catalyst Review or TCGR.
and pour points compared to an industrial reference zeolite. It delivers a 30°C cloud point improvement
with diesel yield loss kept under 2 wt%. Additionally, Zeopore's catalytic dewaxing innovation minimizes
capacity-limiting gas formation, optimizes product slate composition, and ensures favorable zeolite activity
and longevity. The effectiveness of Zeopore's proprietary mesoporization technology has been validated
through high-throughput testing with industrial feeds and conditions. This tunable mesoporization approach
offers an economically compelling solution for catalyst manufacturers and refiners, particularly in sustainable
processes producing renewable fuels (like SAF or renewable diesel) and lubricants.
Over the past two years, Zeopore designed, built, commissioned and tested its new production facility
(Image 1). Until now we produced a range of mesoporized zeolite products. We are preparing for daily
production. We are lifting up our daily operations toward a fully autonomous production unit with dedicated
operators, economically producing industrial-scale volumes of mesoporous zeolites. Zeopore is assembling
the right partners to enable fast deployment and market access. Zeopore aims to reach break-even soon,
and foresees a long-term potential of over €200 million in the €4-5 billion global zeolite catalyst market.
In the next issue of The Catalyst Review, you will find a more comprehensive article on this topic.
Author
Kurt Du Mong - CEO Zeopore Technologies
Kurt Du Mong has a passion for bringing new technologies to market, and leading teams towards
success and growth. He likes to be on the interface between startups and larger corporations,
and feels at home in the international chemical business arena. In earlier times Kurt graduated
as chemical engineer with additional education in business management and corporate finance,
which gives him a solid basis to run Zeopore's operations as CEO. Kurt earned his colors on both
sides of the S-curve, i.e. leading mature businesses at Shell and Roche as well as investing and
growing new ventures at DSM. In 2016 Kurt started his own management company in building,
financing and managing technological companies. As CEO of Zeopore, Kurt is excited to lead the
journey of his team toward changing the world of zeolite catalysis, and enable the optimal use of
fossil and natural raw materials.
PROCESS NEWS
Tecnimont to build waste-to-biogas plant to
fuel local kitchens in India
Tecnimont's Indian subsidiary, TCMPL, has partnered with
Paradeep Municipality and National Institute of Technology,
Karnataka - Surathkal (NITK) to develop a waste-to-biogas
plant in Paradeep, Odisha. The plant will convert food waste
into biogas for community kitchens, supporting circular
waste management, creating jobs, and offering educational
benefits through student involvement. A pilot plant at NITK
has already promoted research and energy self-sufficiency.
Source: Gas Processing & LNG, 11/21/2024.
New Hybrid Catalyst for Clean Oxygen
Production
Researchers at TU Wien have developed a new approach
to enhance zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) for
electrocatalytic water splitting, a key process for sustainable
hydrogen production. By combining two organic ligands,
they created a hybrid ZIF with improved stability and
conductivity. This innovation boosts the catalyst's durability,
extending its lifespan from minutes to at least one day, and
increases the oxygen evolution reaction rate tenfold. This
The Catalyst Review
new method could be applied to other materials, advancing
technologies in catalysis, sensing, and solar energy conversion.
Source: ChemEurope, 11/29/2024.
Inside the Nano-Universe: New 3D X-Ray
Imaging Transforms Material Science
Researchers at the Swiss Light Source (SLS) have developed
a new X-ray technique called X-ray Linear Dichroic Orientation
Tomography (XL-DOT) to map the 3D orientation of nanoscale
material structures. This method, which uses polarized X-rays,
allows scientists to visualize the arrangement of grains and
defects in materials like catalysts at a high spatial resolution.
It provides crucial insights into the properties of materials
used in various fields, including energy storage, IT, and
biomedical applications. XL-DOT is non-destructive and offers
potential for studying systems like batteries and catalysts
in real-time. The technique's successful implementation is
expected to revolutionize material science, providing deeper
understanding of complex materials and their performance.
Source: SciTechDaily, 12/11/2024.
December 2024
5

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/1185019/new-hybrid-catalyst-for-clean-oxygen-production.html http://www.gasprocessingnews.com/news/2024/11/tecnimont-to-build-waste-to-biogas-plant-to-fuel-local-kitchens-in-india/?oly_enc_id=3914C7547589C2W https://scitechdaily.com/inside-the-nano-universe-new-3d-x-ray-imaging-transforms-material-science/

The Catalyst Review December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Catalyst Review December 2024