DES PLAINES, Ill., Oct. 20, 2016 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON) today announced that the North American Catalysis Society has awarded its 2017 Eugene J. Houdry Award in applied catalysis to Dr. Jeffery Bricker, Sr. Director of Research at Honeywell UOP.

Catalysis is the process by which certain manufactured substances are engineered to perform highly specialized and selective chemical reactions without being consumed, so they can act repeatedly. Modern catalytic process are responsible for the development of cleaner fuels, and the production of advanced plastics and petrochemical compounds, more effective detergents.

“Jeff’s contributions to applied catalysis research over several years have advanced UOP’s leadership in a wide variety of process solutions in the oil and gas industry,” said Jim Rekoske, Chief Technology Officer at Honeywell UOP. “Under Jeff’s leadership, our entire research and development organization has accomplished very high levels of innovation and commercialization of hundreds of new inventions.”

Dr. Bricker’s achieve­ments include the discovery of key reaction mechanisms in thiol oxidation chemistry in refinery fuels, which led to the commercialization of an oxidation catalyst that functions in the absence of caustic. The removal of thiols from refinery streams is required to meet fuel regulations because thiols left in fuel streams will degrade the fuel quality through gum formation and cause corrosion of metallurgy.

He also invented new light paraffin dehydrogenation catalysts with superior diffusional properties, and which have been commercialized in Honeywell UOP technologies that today account for more than 60 percent of the world’s production of paraxylene, the primary ingredient in many plastics.

Bricker invented and developed a very selective and stable catalyst for the oxidation of hydrogen for inter-stage reheating in ethylbenzene dehydrogenation. Commercialized for production of styrene, the catalyst has superior economic and energy consumption characteristics.

Finally, Dr. Bricker led a team that pioneered diffusion control to improve the dehydrogenation technology for production of linear alkylbenzenes (LAB), which are the precursors for biodegradable detergents. This new catalyst technology, developed in conjunction with UOP’s Japanese affiliate Nikki-Universal, reduces by-product heavy alkylate by 20 percent, improving the profitability of the product.

Honeywell UOP earned a record 671 patents for new inventions globally during 2015, bolstering its position as the leading developer and licensor of technologies for the petroleum refining, petrochemicals and gas processing industries.

The Catalysis Society of North America created the biennial award in 1967, naming it for Eugène Jules Houdry (1892-1962), a pioneer in the catalytic cracking of petroleum. The Houdry award recognizes individual contributions in the field of catalysis with an emphasis on the development of new and improved catalysts and processes.

Honeywell UOP (www.uop.com) is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. Honeywell UOP is part of Honeywell’s Performance Materials and Technologies strategic business group, which also includes Honeywell Process Solutions (www.honeywellprocess.com), a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas, refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials.  For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

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Contact:
John Simley
847-391-2278
john.simley@honeywell.com