Abstract: A process for preparing alumina-containing nodules characterized with improved mechanical properties which includes mixing powder of alumina, aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof with an aqueous slurry having a pH in the range from about 7.5 to about 9 and comprising from about 0.2 to about 5 percent by weight of aluminum hydroxide, calculated as alumina, followed by forming, drying and calcining. The products include minor amounts of alumina binder and find use as sorbents, catalysts, and catalyst supports.

Abstract: High pore volume silica materials are useful as thickening, reinforcing and flatting agents. This invention comprises selectively forming silica gels having pore volumes in the range of 1.2 to 3.0 cc/g. These high pore volume silica gels can be produced by the alkaline gelation of a mixture of silicate and ammonium hydroxide at a pH of from 10.6 to 11.2, using a water soluble silica desolubilizing agent selected from the group consisting of ammonia, monohydric alcohols, glycols, ketones and salts. The silica is then aged, neutralized, optionally aged a second time, filtered and washed. This silica may then be dried and directly used, or it may be milled to a smaller size. For use as a thickening agent, the silica is milled in a fluid energy mill to an average particle size of less than about 1 micron, and preferably to less than 0.5 micron.

Abstract: A stable rare earth exchanged zeolite having high catalytic activity and improved coke selectivity is prepared by a series of exchange steps whereby the rare earth is introduced into the zeolite in a multi-step e.g., two step manner. The method comprises exchanging a sodium zeolite to less than 4.0 weight percent Na.sub.2 O, exchanging with rare earth to give an initial rare earth oxide content of 0.3 to 5 weight percent, calcining, and further rare earth exchanging the zeolite to give a final rare earth content of 1.0 to 10 weight percent.

Abstract: A method for preparing coatings, particularly imaged surfaces such as photoresists, printing plates, etc. which includes coating the surface of a substrate with a solid curable composition containing liquid polyene and solid styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer based polythiol components, curing the composition by exposing selected areas thereof to a free radical generating source, e.g. actinic radiation and removing, e.g., by dissolving, the uncured, unexposed areas of the curable composition to bare the underlying substrate. The solid polythiol is a reaction product of a copolymer of styrene-allyl alcohol and a mercaptocarboxylic acid, e.g. .beta.-mercaptopropionic acid.

Abstract: A method for preparing coatings, particularly imaged surfaces such as photoresists, printing plates, etc. which includes coating the surface of a substrate with a solid curable composition containing styrene-allyl alcohol copolymer based polyene and polythiol components, curing the composition by exposing selected areas thereof to a free radical generating source, e.g. actinic radiation and removing e.g. by dissolving the uncured, unexposed areas of the curable composition to bare the underlying substrate. The solid polyene component is a reaction product of a copolymer of styrene-allyl alcohol and an unsaturated isocyanate e.g. allyl isocyanate or an unsaturated acid e.g. acrylic acid. The solid polythiol is a reaction product of a copolymer of styrene-allyl alcohol and a mercapto carboxylic acid, e.g. .beta.-mercaptopropionic acid.

Abstract: A fire-retardant, intumescent laminate system suitable for application to combustible or heat-sensitive substrates comprises an intumescent layer which is a porous sheet material, e.g., paper or foams saturated with an intumescent composition and having a flexible protective layer adhered to the intumescent layer. The intumescent laminate system may include a vapor barrier layer, e.g., aluminum foil and/or a thermal barrier layer, e.g., glass wool or cardboard adjacent to the intumescent layer, and is particularly suitable as a protective, fireretardant overlay on thermally delicate substrates such as organic foams, e.g., polystyrene.