This week in the lab, Trevor Holm has been working on a soy-based pour point depressant (PPD). PPDs are oil additives that allow for the use of oils at lower temperatures. PPDs are used to prevent frozen tank and oil lines, improve transportation properties of shale oil, and overall assist as a cold flow additive. PPDs are also employed for “cold starts.” People usually think of a cold start as trying to start the car… Read More

Airable Research Lab has developed a soy-based scale-inhibiting additive that prevents the buildup of calcium scale in water systems. The lab has licensed this technology and filed for a provisional patent. Airable’s licensing partner supports the oil industry, which has a significant need for scale inhibitors. When oil wells begin pumping, minerals in the reservoir water are precipitated and deposited in the system, creating “scale.” Over time, these deposits grow and harden, preventing fluid from… Read More

Airable staff attended the American Coatings Show (ACS) in early April. The show saw the some of the biggest names in the coatings industry—BASF, Dow, Evonik, Arkema, and many more—come together to show their newest technologies. Airable was at the ACS to see what was new in the coatings industry, learn more about the industry and their needs, and build relationships with potential partners. Sustainability had a big presence at the show and in the… Read More

Airable Research Lab has synthesized a soy-based wax that can replace carnauba wax in formulations. Carnauba has useful properties that make it popular across multiple industries: a high melting point, UV ray protection, water resistance and extreme density. However, this material is sourced from the carnauba palm tree, which grows only in Brazil, presenting supply chain challenges (as well as a history of environmental and social implications within Brazil). Furthermore, the very density that makes… Read More

At the urging of the Ohio Soybean Association and other state and national organizations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reviewed and approved the use of Enlist One and Enlist Duo in 134 additional counties, including several counties in Ohio, providing growers with additional weed management options for the 2022 growing season. Enlist One and Enlist Duo, two herbicides used to control weeds in conventional and genetically-modified corn, cotton, and soybean crops, can now… Read More