Industrial advanced applications development

In this brief review we illustrated on selected examples how combinatorial computational chemistry based on first principles quantum theory has made tremendous impact on the development of a variety of new materials including catalysts, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, functional materials, etc. Since the advent of modem computing resources, first principles calculations were employed to clarify the properties of homogeneous catalysts, bulk solids and surfaces, molecular, cluster or periodic models of active sites. Via dynamic mutual interplay between theory and advanced applications both areas profit and develop towards industrial innovations. Thus combinatorial chemistry and modem technology are inevitably intercoimected in the new era opened by entering 21 century and new millennium. 

When the users are not the developers, a major mismatch can result between the material design and the end use. Thus, the developer will have extensive product application development to do, which is both expensive and time-consuming. Initial market potentials can be small, and manufacturing capital costs can be high. Thus, the development of new performance materials as the foundation of a materials business does not look very attractive to materials suppliers. Yet, these enabling technologies are very important to the future development of many basic industries. Some models for the successful development of advanced-performance materials are the following ... 

Applications of biocatalysis in large-scale processes in industry advance only slowly against established chemical processes, even with stoichiometry-based chemistry. Introduction of biocatalysis into existing processes often requires process modifications that are not economical in view of the short life span of the product and/or the low fixed costs of the existing process owing to written-off plant. It should be emphasized that the desire to reduce chemical wastes, imposed by either company policy or governmental measures, needs to be matched by favorable process economics. Therefore, the introduction of biocatalytic options at the very beginning of product and process development is of the utmost importance. 

If we start relying on small companies to produce advanced technologies, the industry will be hurting 10 or 15 years down the road. Small companies are very focused on the development end of technology and ensuring that they have a revenue stream. They don t have the resources to do research in broad areas. Companies need to have a balanced portfolio that includes a number of different avenues for doing fundamental research in and of itself fundamental research as it may apply to a technology, industry, and applications and applied research and advanced development activities. We need to have a balanced perspective of the research path. 

The last five chapters of the book are devoted to major applications of CBPCs. Chapter 14 covers CBPC matrix composites that are finding commercial applications in the United States. Discussed in Chapter 15 are drilling cements developed mainly by the U.S. Department of Energy laboratories with industrial collaborations. Applications of CBPCs in the stabilization of hazardous and radioactive waste streams are discussed in Chapters 16 and 17. Finally, recent advances in CBPC bioceramics are covered in Chapter 18. Appendixes A, B, and C compile relevant thermodynamic and mineralogy data that were useful in writing the book. They serve as a ready reference to researchers who venture into further development of CBPCs. 

The themes for polymer colloids research presented in outline in the previous sections highlight the wide range of research that is necessary to take the field of polymer colloids forward in relation to industrial needs, and emphasise the importance of collaborative research across several disciplines. The principal disciplines that will be essential to advancing future research in the field of polymer colloids are shown in Figure 2. An increasing contribution from the disciplines of biochemistry and inorganic chemistry can be anticipated as newer, more specialised applications develop. 

The NMR techniques described in the last section provide the foundation for many of the advanced applications of NMR in the pharmaceutical industry. The challenges of this industry have lead to the optimization of hardware and experimental design to answer specific questions. Some of the most important questions and the NMR applications that have been developed to answer them will be described in the next sections. 

Continuing advances in development of new membranes with better thermal, chemical, and improved transport properties have led to many new possible applications. Development of newer membrane modules and operating procedures in recent years has provided a key stimulus for the growth of the membrane industry such as submerged membrane filtration for treating municipal water. 

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