Significant Breakthrough in Industrial Test of the "Methanol to Olefins" Process Developed by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics,Chinese Academy of Sciences

A process of ＂Methanol or Dimethylether to Olefins＂ developed by Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics （DICP）, designated as the DMTO process, has attained great success in industrial scaling up testing. DICP, by collaborating with the Xinxing Coal Chemical Co., Ltd. of Shaanxi Province and the Luoyang Petrochemical Engineering Co. of the SINOPEC Group, operated successfully a 50t（methanol）/d unit for the conversion of methanol to lower olefins, with a methanol conversion of close to 100%, and a selectivity to lower olefins（ethylene, propylene and butylenes） of higher than 90%. On 23rd August, the industrial test project has passed a state appraisal. The experts of the Appraisal Group, headed by Prof. YUAN Qingtang, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, drew the conclusions that the DMTO process, by utilizing a proprietary SAPO-34 catalyst system and a recycling fluidized bed reaction system for the production of lower olefins from methanol, is the first unit in the world having a capacity of producing nearly ten thousand tons lower olefins per year. The technological level of the industrial test is at a leading position internationally. This accomplishment will provide a sound base for the subsequent commercialization of the DMTO process.

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Elsevier Signed a Publishing Agreement of the Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics （DICP） /Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS） and Elsevier have concluded a publishing agreement for the Journa/of Natural Gas Chemistry （JNGC） on June 07, 2005. Beginning from 2006, Elsevier will publish JNGC on ScienceDirect, the online full text and bibliographic information resource, and take care of JNGC＇s international institutional print subscriptions. JNGC will also be covered in Elsevier＇s EI Compendex.

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Elsevier Signed a Publishing Agreement of the Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) /Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Elsevier have concluded a publishing agreement for the Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry (JNGC) on June 07, 2005. Beginning from 2006, Elsevier will publish JNGC on ScienceDirect, the online full text and bibliographic information resource, and take care of JNGC’s international institutional print subscriptions. JNGC will also be covered in Elsevier’s EI Compendex.

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics/Chinese Academy of Sciences and Elsevier Signed a Publishing Agreement of the Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry

Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics （DICP）/Chinese Academy of Sciences （CAS） and Elsevier have concluded a publishing agreement for the Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry （JNGC） on June 07, 2005. Beginning from 2006, Elsevier will publish JNGC on ScienceDirect, the online full text and bibliographic information resource, and take care of JNGC＇s international institutional print subscriptions. JNGC will also be covered in Elsevier＇s EI Compendex.

Scoping biology-inspired chemical engineering

Biology is a rich source of great ideas that can inspire us to find successful ways to solve the challenging problems in engineering practices including those in the chemical industry. Bio-inspired chemical engineering(Bio Ch E)may be recognized as a significant branch of chemical engineering. It may consist of, but not limited to, the following three aspects: 1) Chemical engineering principles and unit operations in biological systems; 2) Process engineering principles for producing existing or developing new chemical products through living ‘devices';and 3) Chemical engineering processes and equipment that are designed and constructed through mimicking(does not have to reproduce one hundred percent) the biological systems including their physical–chemical and mechanical structures to deliver uniquely beneficial performances. This may also include the bio-inspired sensors for process monitoring. In this paper, the above aspects are defined and discussed which establishes the scope of BioChE.

Nuclear Planetology:Especially Concerning the Moon and Mars

To approach basic scientific questions on the origin and evolution of plan- etary bodies such as planets, their satellites and asteroids, one needs data on their chemical composition. The measurements of gamma-rays, X-rays and neutrons emit- ted from their surface materials provide information on abundances of major elements and naturally radioactive gamma-ray emitters. Neutron spectroscopy can provide sen- sitive maps of hydrogen- and carbon-containing compounds, even if buried, and can uniquely identify layers of carbon-dioxide frost. Nuclear spectroscopy, as a means of compositional analysis, has been applied via orbital and lander spacecraft to extrater- restrial planetary bodies： the Moon, Venus, Mars, Mercury and asteroids. The knowl- edge of their chemical abundances, especially concerning the Moon and Mars, has greatly increased in recent years. This paper describes the principle of nuclear spec- troscopy, nuclear planetary instruments carried on planetary missions so far, and the nature of observational results and findings of the Moon and Mars, recently obtained by nuclear spectroscopy.

School of Chemical and Biological Science and Engineering of YTU

The school consists of four first-level interdisciplines： chemistry, biological science, chemical engineering and technology, and food science and engineering. There are three basic teaching divisions： chemistry, biological science and chemical engineering; four research institutes： biological science and technology, food science and technology, chemical materials, and applied chemistry; four basic experimental teaching centers： biology, chemistry, chemical engineering and technique, and food science and engineering; and one food quality and safety testing and detecting center.

Photoinduced Reorientation Process and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Ag Nanoparticle Doped Azo Polymer Films

Azobenzene polymer films doped with and without Ag nanoparticles are prepared. The photoinduced reorientation process is investigated by using an Nd：YVO4 pump beam at 532 nm and a low semiconductor laser beam at 650 nm. The reorientation rate of azo polymer films is enhanced in the presence of Ag nanoparticles, and the rate of the azo polymer film with Ag concentration of 2.2 μg/ml is larger than that of the azo polymer films with Ag concentrations of 1.1 μg/ml and 4.4 μg/ml. The third-order nonlinear optical properties of the Ag/azo composite film are obtained by the Z-scan technique at a wavelength of 532 nm, and the measured nonlinear refractive index is 9.258×10-9 esu. It is shown that the main mechanisms involved in the large nonlinear optical responses come from the local field enhancement of Ag nanoparticles and the nonlinear effect of the azo polymer matrix.