A group of chemical engineers from the University of Missouri has received the 2006 Glycerine Innovation Award from The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) and the National Biodiesel Board (NBB).
Dr. Galen Suppes, an associate professor at the University’s College of Engineering in Columbia, and his research team were honored at the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) in St. Louis, held April 30-May 3.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement for research into new applications for glycerine with particular emphasis on commercial viability. The fourth annual award, consisting of a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque, was presented at a dinner meeting of the AOCS Industrial Oil Products Division.
Dr. Suppes’ research team included Dr. Mohan Dasari, Chuang-Wei Chiu, and Dr. William R. Sutterlin. They received the Innovation Award for their research into technologies that convert natural glycerine, derived from conventional biodiesel production, into propylene glycol that can be used to make antifreeze and other products.
The propylene glycol developed from the research is a bio-based, non-toxic and renewable alternative to petroleum-based propylene and ethylene glycols. The product, currently licensed for commercialization, has the capability to meet additional market growth demands of propylene glycol, which is about 150 million pounds per year, globally.
Dr. Suppes gave the award address in St. Louis, entitled “Improved Process for Converting Glycerine to Propylene Glycol.”
This year marks the first time the Glycerine Innovation Award was sponsored jointly by SDA and NBB. Past winners of the award can be viewed online at http://www.cleaning101.com/oleo.
The Soap and Detergent Association, the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Product and Oleochemical Industries (SM), is the non- profit trade association representing manufacturers of household, industrial, and institutional cleaning products; their ingredients and finished packaging; and oleochemical producers.
SDA members produce more than 90 percent of the cleaning products marketed in the U.S. The SDA is located at 1500 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005.
The NBB is the national non-profit coordinating and research organization of the biodiesel industry, which has tripled in the last year. Biodiesel is made from any vegetable oils or fats. The renewable fuel can be used in any diesel engine with few or no modifications, in pure form or blended with petroleum diesel at any level. It is available at more than 700 retail filling stations and from more than 1,500 petroleum distributors nationwide. Visit http://www.biodiesel.org/ for more information on NBB and biodiesel.
Contact:
Brian Sansoni (Soap and Detergent Association)
phone +1-202-662-2517
mail bsansoni@cleaning101.com or
Amber Pearson (National Biodiesel Board)
phone +1-573-635-3893
mail apearson@biodiesel.org
Source
Soyatech.com May 08, 2006.
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