ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020 - 13

In the Know
AMES RESEARCHERS FIND A MORE EFFICIENT, COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO SPLIT
CHEMICAL BONDS
Scientists and engineers typically use precious metals that are expensive and often scarce
when splitting strong chemical bonds. However, scientists at the U.S. Department of
Energy's Ames Laboratory have been experimenting with a type of heterogeneous catalyst,
nitrogen-assembly carbons (NACs). The theory is that NACs have the potential to be much
less expensive and more efficient for many industrial applications, including the manufacturing of biofuels and fossil fuels, electrocatalysis and fuel cells. Researcher Long Qi said,
" We discovered that how the nitrogen was distributed on the surface of these NACs really
mattered, and in the process realized that this was an entirely new kind of chemical activity. "
NISSAN'S NEW ENGINE EXTENDS OIL CHANGES TO 30,000 KILOMETERS
Nissan recently unveiled a new engine variant for the Qashqai in collaboration with the
Renault-Nissan Alliance project. The 1.3-liter DIG-T gasoline engine has been designed to
deliver reduced fuel consumption and lower carbon dioxide emissions. Alex Smith, managing director at Nissan Motor, told Engine + Powertrain Technology International, " The launch
of this all-new 1.3-liter unit is the right response to changing market conditions, meeting
customer demand for a highly effective petrol engine that delivers outstanding driving
performance and fuel efficiency. " Oil changes for this new engine have been extended from
20,000 kilometers (km) to 30,000 km.
GM PARTNERS WITH EV MAKER NIKOLA
General Motors (GM) has entered a 10-year partnership agreement with electric vehicle
(EV) maker Nikola Corp. The expectation is that the deal will reduce costs and deliver
$4 billion in benefits to GM as it advances its all-EV strategy. " This strategic partnership
with Nikola, an industry-leading disrupter, continues the broader deployment of General
Motors' all-new Ultium battery and Hydrotec fuel cell systems, " said GM CEO Mary
Barra. " We are growing our presence in multiple high-volume EV segments while building scale to lower battery and fuel cell costs and increase profitability. "
IOM DELIVERS 'JUST-IN-TIME' ACCESS TO ENGINE OIL DATA
The Institute of Materials' (IOM) online database provides the lubricant industry with
unprecedented access to engine oil data in the marketplace. Recently, IOM announced it
would be releasing data throughout the year upon completing oil collection, testing and
expert review. Per a statement, Norm Kanar, marketing and sales manager for IOM, said,
" This change in our process was a direct result of customer feedback. Subscribers spoke, and
we listened. " This new " Just-in-Time " process allows for data to be made available within
60 days from collection, and subscribers will receive regular updates when data is made
available throughout the year.
EAST COAST PORTS SEE HIGHER SHIPPING VOLUMES THAN WEST COAST
The trade situation with China and the ongoing rise of e-commerce are driving a greater
share of goods to flow into the U.S. East Coast rather than the traditionally higher-volume
West Coast ports, signaled by a largest-ever 15,000-container ship's arrival in New York in
mid-September. According to an article in The Wall Street Journal, although western ports
face fewer constraints on their ability to handle big ships, work to raise New York's Bayonne
Bridge and deepen navigation channels has allowed larger vessels from Asia to travel to
the port through the Panama Canal. California-based research group Beacon Economics,
citing U.S. Census figures, found that West Coast ports handled nearly 38% of all seaborne
imports coming into the U.S. in 2020 - down from a 47.6% share in 2006 - and East
Coast ports handled slightly more than half, which is up from 41.9% in 2006.

ILMA Compoundings - November/December 2020

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