BEDFORD PARK, Ill., Sept. 10, 2001 — Donlar Biosyntrex Corporation, a participant in green chemistry, products and technology, today announced the issuance of a new patent (U.S. 6,277,302) that uses an environmentally friendly technology to prevent and control the corrosion of metals.
This patented technology is designed for use in water-based systems that are corrosive to metals found in typical industrial water treatment and agricultural applications.
The corrosion of metal equipment is a widespread and expensive problem in many industrial applications such as open recirculating cooling systems and in agriculture where liquid fertilizers are used. Millions of dollars in metal replacement, repair and lost production due to corrosion problems occurs annually in the U.S. alone.
In industrial water treatment, the formation of scale and corrosion is a major problem. The growth of mineral crystals on heat transfer surfaces leads to decreased heat transfer. Corrosion of the heat transfer components can lead to costly replacements and failures. Whereas the addition of existing chemicals are known to reduce scale, they are not known to inhibit corrosion and they have a negative effect on the environment. Donlar's new technology provides a more environmentally acceptable solution to both scale and corrosion control.
In agriculture, the storage and application of fertilizer solutions can be problematic due to the corrosive nature of the fertilizers themselves. Donlar's technology provides effective corrosion inhibition of metals in contact with known fertilizer solutions, such as urea ammonium nitrate. An additional benefit of this technology is the potential to enhance the performance of fertilizers.
"This patent opens some exciting new opportunities for Donlar," stated Dr. Grace Fan, Donlar's Director of Research and Development. "Various industries, including chemical, utility and agriculture, are continuously looking for ways to effectively prevent corrosion in systems where water and liquid fertilizers are used. Donlar has developed a technology that can help prevent corrosion and at the same time deliver a more environmentally acceptable solution."
About Donlar
Donlar Biosyntrex Corporation is at the forefront of providing unique synthetic proteins that reduce product manufacturing costs while satisfying environmental concerns for the creation of non-toxic products for a wide range of industrial and consumer markets. The company's non-hazardous, non-toxic, hypoallergenic, environmentally friendly and biodegradable thermal polyaspartate (TPA) biopolymers are protected by 130 Company owned patents.
The company's products are being rolled out into a broad variety of industrial, agricultural and consumer markets, with applications in markets including oil field operations, fertilizers and diapers. Donlar Biosyntrex also markets a superior natural protein used in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. Donlar's products are manufactured in its state-of-the-art facility located in Peru, Illinois. (www.donlar.com)
