Nalco Chemical Company recognized for technical innovation
In its annual listing of the 100 most significant new technologies of the year, R&D Magazine has recognized Nalco Chemical Company for its invention of ULTIMER 1460, the first flocculant polymer manufactured through a proprietary, water-continuous dispersion polymerization technique using completely water-soluble monomers. Nalco was honored for this technical innovation at an awards ceremony on September 23 at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry.
ULTIMER 1460 belongs to a family of water-based dispersion polymers and is used in the papermaking and food and beverage industries. In the paper industry, it is used in the paper machine, saveall and DAF and is designed for:
Nalco's ULTIMER polymers are water-based dispersions that remove suspended solids, organic matter and other materials from water prior to its use in industrial processes. Being water based, ULTIMER polymers contain neither hydrocarbon oils nor surfactants, which means reduced air emissions, toxicity, flammability and transportation hazards.
"The Nalco process is a technical breakthrough that produces a completely water-soluble polymer as fine particles dispersed in water by conducting the polymerization in aqueous salt solution. Traditionally, these polymers have been produced as water-in-oil emulsions using hydrocarbon solvents and surfactants. Nalco's ULTIMER polymers eliminate the need for oil and surfactants and provide environmental, as well as performance, benefits for wastewater treatment and papermaking," said Manian Ramesh, technical director of Nalco's Global Polymer Science Department.
This is the second year in a row Nalco has been included in R&D Magazine's list of 100 significant technologies. In 1998, Nalco STA•BR•EX, a stabilized liquid bromine-based technology, was recognized.
This is the third time in less than a year that Nalco's ULTIMER technology has been publicly recognized. On December 7, 1998, Nalco was recognized by the State of Illinois for its pollution prevention efforts at the 12th Annual Governor's Pollution Prevention Award Ceremony.
On June 28, 1999, Nalco received the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for development of ULTIMER Technology. The Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge recognizes and promotes the research, development and implementation of innovative green chemical technologies that prevent pollution and that have broad industrial applications. Green chemistry involves a reduction in, or elimination of, the use or generation of hazardous substances from a chemical process. It encompasses all aspects and types of chemical processes that reduce negative impact on human health and the environment relative to the current state of the art.
Nalco Chemical Company is the largest manufacturer and marketer of specialty water treatment and process chemicals and services in the world. Nalco and its affiliated company, Nalco/Exxon Energy Chemicals, L.P., have combined annualized sales of nearly $2 billion and serve customers in steelmaking, pulp and papermaking, mining and mineral processing, automotive, metalworking, oil refining and petroleum, power generation, food and beverage, light industrial, hospitals and office buildings in more than 120 countries.
For more news about Nalco, visit our website at www.nalco.com
Nalco Chemical Company, One Nalco Center, Naperville, IL 60563-1198. Tel: 630-305-1000; Fax: 630-305-2900.