PSA purification adsorbents (activated charcoal / molecular sieves)

Honeywell UOP LLC (Des Plaines, IL; subsidiary of Honeywell International) is the world's leading manufacturer of PSA-grade LiX zeolite molecular sieves for medical oxygen concentrators. UOP's OXYSIV product family — OXYSIV-5, OXYSIV-7, and OXYSIV MDX — are the dominant adsorbents specified by medical oxygen concentrator OEMs globally. Li-LSX (lithium low-silica X zeolite) has uniquely high nitrogen/oxygen selectivity enabling concentrators to produce >90% oxygen from air using pressure swing adsorption. UOP originated as Universal Oil Products Company (founded 1914); acquired by Allied Signal (later Honeywell) in 1988. The Baton Rouge, Louisiana zeolite synthesis plant is UOP's primary molecular sieve manufacturing facility. UOP's process catalyst and adsorbent business is also used in petroleum refining (FCC catalysts, hydroprocessing) — same zeolite synthesis infrastructure serves both medical oxygen and refinery applications.

American specialty chemicals company (NYSE: CBT, HQ Boston MA; ~$4B revenue); Cabot Norit activated carbon division is world's largest producer of activated carbon/activated charcoal for gas purification, water treatment, and pharmaceutical applications. In helium PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) purification plants, Cabot Norit activated charcoal beds at cryogenic temperatures adsorb trace impurities (neon, hydrocarbons, trace organics) from raw helium streams. Cabot Norit's activated carbon is simultaneously used in: helium plant gas purification, municipal water treatment (removing chlorine, THMs, and pharmaceuticals), air purification masks (same activated charcoal in military gas masks and HVAC filters), and pharmaceutical drug purification (decolorization of pharmaceutical intermediates). The same activated charcoal that cleans hospital water systems also purifies the helium that cools MRI superconducting magnets.

American specialty materials company (NYSE: GRA, HQ Columbia MD; ~$2.0B revenue); Materials Technologies division produces silica-based adsorbents, molecular sieves, and specialty silicas for gas purification, petroleum refining, and pharmaceutical applications. W. R. Grace molecular sieves compete with Honeywell UOP for PSA helium purification adsorbent applications. W. R. Grace has a complicated corporate history: the conglomerate was once one of the largest US companies (W. R. Grace & Co. also ran W. H. Grace shipping lines and Grace Steamship); in the 1990s-2000s, Grace faced massive asbestos liability from its vermiculite mining operations (Libby Montana) and filed for Chapter 11 in 2001 (one of the most complex asbestos bankruptcies in US history, lasting 11 years). The specialty materials company that survived the asbestos liability now makes the molecular sieves in helium purification units.