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Nitrogen+Syngas 396 Jul-Aug 2025

21 July 2025

BASF to partner with Plug Power on hydrogen liquefaction plants

BASF says that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Plug Power to offer BASF’s advanced DeOxo catalysts as part of Plug Power’s hydrogen liquefaction plants globally to enhance their market offerings, improving reliability and cost efficiency. DeOxo catalysts, including the Purivate™ Pd15 product, offer exceptional performance at low temperatures, reducing the need for expensive precious metals. These materials have been fully qualified for use in Plug Power’s hydrogen liquefaction plants, establishing BASF as a preferred and specified product provider. In addition to the DeOxo catalysts for the efficient removal of oxygen, Plug Power has also qualified adsorbents like Sorbead® Air for use in their hydrogen plants. Sorbead Air, a specialty aluminosilicate gel, offers energy-efficient dehydration of electrolysed hydrogen. The primary focus of this collaboration is on hydrogen liquefaction plants with capacities of 30, 60, and 90 t/d.

Latest in Commodity

Nickel Industries starts up ENC acid plant

Nickel Industries announced started up the sulphuric acid plant at its new Excelsior Nickel Cobalt (ENC) HPAL project in the final week of June. The ENC Project is a massive, multi-billion dollar high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) facility located in the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia. It is operated by Australia’s Nickel Industries to supply battery-grade materials for the electric vehicle (EV) market. At capacity, it is expected to yield roughly 72,000 t/a of contained nickel equivalent as mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), nickel sulphate, and nickel cathode.

Russia bans rail transport of Kazakh sulphur

Russia has ordered a “temporary cessation” of rail transport of all sulphur originating from Kazakhstan that is destined for Russian seaports and railway checkpoints, representing a significant policy shift, according to an official order from the Federal Agency for Railway Transport (Roszheldor). The directive, which took effect from May 26th, orders a halt to the loading and movement of Kazakh sulphur “until further notice.” While the measure is officially described as temporary, the order provides no specific timeline for when the transit might resume. The action cites instructions from Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister, D.V. Manturov, as its basis.

Cartagena refinery enters solid sulphur market

Cartagena Refinery has entered the solid sulphur market, diversifying its petrochemical portfolio, according to a company statement on 21 May. The first shipment of 260 tonnes has already been dispatched to the domestic market. This new venture is enabled by a recently commissioned pelletising plant that converts liquid sulphur into solid pellets, with a production capacity of 1,000 t/d. The refinery is targeting Colombia’s fertilizer, chemical, and mining industries, and is also planning to export to international markets, including Brazil, Peru, and countries in Africa.