and is expected to grow by 4%/y to$1.9 bn in 2007. Applications includeoil refining, pet litter, detergents, andwater treatment. Zeolites areexpected to be the largest market invalue to 2007. Zeolites accounted for46% of the nanoporous materialsmarket in 2002 valued at $875 M.Clays are expected to grow by 4.4%/yto 2007.

European Chemical News, 1 Mar 2004, 80 (2089), 25

Bioprocessing: reaping the benefits ofrenewable resources

If advocates of industrial biotech gettheir way, chemical companies couldsoon be adding products such as cornand soybeans to their raw materialneeds. A wave of projects is underway with the aim of convertingrenewable resources into industrialchemicals. Developments inenzymatic biocatalysis are alreadyenabling the production of newmaterials that have bettercharacteristics than existing products.Bioprocesses also have the potentialto produce existing chemicals at lowercost. The benefits of bioprocessinginclude better and more economicalproducts; reliable, cheaper feedstocks;and more environmentally-friendlyproducts and processes. There is apotential market of up to $1000 bn forbio-based materials. The percentageof chemical sales that depend onbiotech could rise from the current 5%to 10-20% by 2010. The big changewill be the growing importance ofbiotech processes in the manufactureof bulk chemicals, polymers, andspeciality chemicals. Cargill has bio-based chemical sales of over $100 Mbut this figure is expected to growrapidly as new bioprocesses arecommercialised. The economics arefavourable, as feedstock costs aremostly stable, and production costsare dropping quickly withimprovements in biocatalysis andprocess technology. Codexis haspartnerships with several chemicalcompanies to develop bioprocessesfor chemicals, but its main focus iscurrently on pharmaceutical projects.DuPont’s target is 25% of revenuescoming from products made usingrenewable materials by 2015.Companies including Cargill andDuPont are also involved in projectsfinanced by the Department of Energy

to develop routes to producechemicals from corn and otherrenewable feedstocks. DOE’s mainpush is to lower the cost of ethanol forfuel.

Chemical Week, 11 Feb 2004, 166 (5) (Website:http://www.chemweek.com)

Demonstration projects andestablishing lifecycle costs of fuelcells vital to expand marketopportunities

Proving the system durability andcost-benefit of fuel cells will ensurethat end-users begin to accept themas a superior alternative toconventional forms of energygeneration, and result in increasedsales. North American Stationary FuelCells Markets reveals revenues in thisindustry totalled $21.4 M in 2002 andare projected to reach $1.27 bn by2009. To increase awareness of fuelcells, companies set demonstrationprojects and conduct test trials. Fuelcell developers need to clearlyunderstand the operation andmaintenance requirements andestablish lifecycle costs of theirsystems and keep the customersaptly informed of them. The high-temperature fuel cell systems needexpensive materials that withstandheat, and the low-temperature versiondepends on costly reformers andprecious metal catalysts, placing fuelcells at a disadvantage whencompared to cheaper conventionaltechnologies. Reducing themanufacturing costs of fuel cells isone of the top challenges and thecurrent focus of the fuel cell industry

Press release from: Frost & Sullivan, 1040, EastBrokaw Road, San Jose, CA 95131-2309, USA.Website: http://www.frost.co (9 Dec 2003)

The fuel cells industry worldwide: amarket/technology report

The report analyses the current statusand potential markets for all fuel celltypes and their materials ofconstruction. Describes the activitiesof over 500 companies and researchorganisations, including 13manufacturers and developers ofelectrocatalysts, 17 manufacturersand developers of fuel processingcatalysts, and 41 fuel processors.Reviews the state ofcommercialisation of each of the

applications and discusses keygrowth areas. 230 pp, £740.

Materials Technology Publications, 40 Sotheron Road,Watford WD17 2QA, UK. Tel: +44 (0)1923 237910.Fax: +44 (0)1923 211510. Website: http://www.mat-tech.co.uk (Feb 2004)

Japan: new technology forphotocatalysts

Photocatalytic technology is to givenew impulse to the whole of Japan’sindustry. With its help, everydayproducts will be turned into high-techproducts that will provide big profitopportunities to those developingthem. Japan’s Ministry of EconomyTrade and Industry (METI) describesphotocatalysis as a leadingtechnology. Japan occupies a topposition. Areas of application, rangingfrom the automotive industry throughmedicine to environmental protection,offer big economic potential. TheMitsubishi Research Instituteestimates that the market could reachYen 1000 bn (€7.4 bn) between 2005and 2007. The Japan Association ofPhotocatalyst Products is morecautious in its estimates. It says saleswere Yen 25 bn in 2000 and Yen 40bn in 2002. Photocatalysts arecurrently used in products such asantimist car mirrors, in antibacterialsanitary ceramics, and in airpurification and deodorizing.

Nachrichten für Aussenhandel, 26 Feb 2004, 67 (40),3 (in German)

METI sets up first JIS standard fortesting photocatalysts

The first Japan Industry Standard fortest methods for the air cleaningperformance of photocatalysts hasbeen established by the Ministry ofEconomy Trade and Industry (METI).The ability to control quality throughthe standard is expected to lead toincreased demand and thedevelopment of new products. Japanis the leading supplier of photocatalyticproducts and technology. Guidelinesfor self-cleaning and water treatmentphotocatalysts are to be establishedby METI. Titanium dioxide is widelyused as a photocatalyst and it hasbeen confirmed recently that thesame properties are exhibited by zincoxide. Demand for photocatalysts forautomotive antifogging mirrors,antifouling wall paints, air cleaners,

2 APRIL 2004

F O C U S O N C A T A L Y S T S