Matt Blois

Nashville

Business Reporter at Journal of the American Chemical Society

Journalist at C&EN

Journalist writing about clean technology, food and ag for @cenmag. Opinions are my own, not my employer's.

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Articles

Trump administration cancels billions for chemical decarbonization

3 weeks ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is canceling billions of dollars in awards intended to reduce industrial carbon emissions, and it is proposing major cuts to programs focused on decarbonization. Clean technology proponents warn that the moves may slow adoption of methods that reduce pollution and could undercut the country's status as a clean technology leader.
How will Trump treat pesticide regulation?

4 weeks ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

As the Donald J. Trump administration begins to define its stance on pesticide regulation, it's trying to balance concerns from farmers who rely on pesticides and critics who want to restrict their use. Not yet clear is which side will command more influence. In recent decades, conventional farmers have aligned with conservative politicians who pushed for less regulation of chemical pesticides.
Pilanda Watkins-Curry

1 month ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

Pilanda Watkins-Curry keeps a chessboard on her coffee table at home. She started playing with her father and grandfather when she was 5 years old. Now, playing with her family gives her a chance to focus her analytical mind on an orderly puzzle and block out the chaos that comes with founding a chemistry start-up. In 2021, Watkins-Curry cofounded Olokun Minerals, where she serves as chief technology officer and leads R&D.
Denka closes neoprene plant criticized for harmful emissions

1 month ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

The neoprene maker Denka Performance Elastomer (DPE) is ceasing production at a plant near LaPlace, Louisiana that regulators have scrutinized for harmful emissions. While the Donald J. Trump administration has promised to relieve the regulatory pressure, DPE says the cost of controlling emissions has rendered the plant unprofitable. Neoprene, also known as polychloroprene, is an elastic rubber used to make wet suits, hoses, gaskets, and many other products.
Under pressure

1 month ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

In brief For many years, the vibrant yellow of Kraft Heinz's iconic macaroni and cheese came from the artificial food colorings yellow no. 5 and yellow no. 6. In 2012, the company started searching for a natural replacement. It was an enormous technical challenge. To color the cheese powder in each packet, Kraft needed a natural yellow that would stain the macaroni like the synthetics do.
Will China's rare earth export rules spur production elsewhere?

2 months ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

New rules requiring firms in China to get a license before exporting some rare earth elements are bolstering plans to establish rare earth processing in other countries. The US and European Union are eager to support these projects, but new producers still face a difficult path forward. Rare earth elements are used to manufacture powerful magnets for electric motors, wind turbines, missiles, and many other products.
Battery materials face a rocky path ahead

2 months ago | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

Battery materials producers across the globe are hitting the brakes on expansion plans. Umicore, LG Chem, and other firms say that subdued demand for electric vehicles and uncertainty about policies supporting the battery industry are forcing them to pull back. Umicore executives recently told investors that the company is halving the amount of money it will spend on battery materials projects between 2025 and 2028.
Shrinking the carbon footprint of yoga pants

Mar 27, 2025 | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

Several biobased chemical makers plan to scale up production of nylon precursors made via fermentation. They are responding to demand from consumer product companies that want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from yoga pants, athletic clothes, and other plastic products. The clothing company Lululemon says it will work with the start-up ZymoChem to scale up a fermentation process for adipic acid, a precursor of nylon 6,6.
US government layoffs rattle chemistry start-ups

Feb 26, 2025 | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

Chemistry start-ups are scrambling to adjust their plans after layoffs at US government agencies and delays in federal funding have thrown obstacles into their paths. Many entrepreneurs also worry that uncertainty about the US government's commitment to emerging chemistry technologies will stifle progress. The trouble for the agricultural technology start-up Pheronym started almost as soon as President Donald J. Trump took office.
The search for long-duration energy storage

Feb 21, 2025 | cen.acs.org | Matt Blois

The stationary energy storage business that Mateo Jaramillo started while working for Tesla was gaining momentum. At the end of 2016, the company had installed one of the world's largest lithium-ion battery systems for a utility in California. But Jaramillo felt that weaning the electrical grid off fossil fuels would require a cheaper form of energy storage. Although lithium-ion batteries excel at delivering short bursts of electricity, they were too expensive for long- duration storage.