VYNOVA

While many industries have faced forced closures and a strong reduction in demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for caustic soda (NaOH), also called sodium hydroxide, seems to have been far less affected. The explanation for this trend is quite simple: caustic soda is, to a large extent, used in applications that are essential to our daily lives, sometimes even more so in pandemic times.

When producing any type of cleaning product, the base needs to have certain characteristics. For example, it needs to be a strong chemical base, react well with grease and fats, have a high affinity for water and be able to degrade various materials. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) has all these characteristics and more.

“Oxygen is the greatest enemy of wine” according to Louis Pasteur, the father of modern microbiology. However, there are ways to defeat this enemy, extending the longevity of wine and preserving its flavours. To discover how to achieve this, we need to take a look at the role of oxygen in the production and storage of wine.

Alkaline batteries have literally become an essential part of our lives. They are used in everything from hearing aids to remote controls, toys and video games. In fact, the industry has grown into a multi-billion dollar industry since its inception in the 1950s. The market for alkaline batteries is expected to grow to a value of 8 billion euros by the year 2022.

Preservation of food is something humans have had to do for generations. This is the way we prevent food from deteriorating due to microorganisms, light, heat or oxidation so that it lasts longer. In ancient times salt was the primary preserving agent. The process of smoking meat also originated from the need to prolong its storage time before it becomes harmful for human consumption.