A new method for producing ethanol on an industrial scale, using a catalyst made from platinum and tin, has been patented by researchers in Clear Lake, Texas.

The team of inventors filed their patent in July 2008 and have now been granted it.

They discovered that ethanol can be made from acetic acid, a compound used in many industrial processes, Ultimate Clear Lake reports.

The owner of the patent is listed as Dallas-headquartered Celanese International Corporation, which has a significant presence in the Houston area.

One of the researchers involved in the project, Josefina T Chapman, was also recently the recipient of a patent for a method of producing another crucial industrial chemical from acetic acid.

Recently, scientists in China reported that they had come up with a new way of changing the chemical composition of water to create a "healthier" version of the liquid which is lower in D20.

The method also uses a platinum catalyst, which can quickly remove deuterium from water.

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Four Clear Lake area inventors among team patenting new process to make ethanol (7/01/11)
 

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