Abstract: Cellulosic materials are physically and/or chemically modified by contact with a combination of urea and sulfuric acid in which at least 25 percent of the sulfuric acid is present as the monourea adduct of sulfuric acid. The cellulosic materials thus treated posses uniquely modified physical and chemical properties. The methods of the invention can be employed to weaken the physical structure of the cellulosic material and thereby to assist in clearing land of vegetation and vegetation residue and in compacting and other processing of waste cellulosic materials. The methods of the invention can also be employed to increase the food value of cellulosic materials for animals, including humans, and, in particular, to increase the food value of such materials for ruminant mammals.

Abstract: Waxy shale oil feeds containing organonitrogen and/or organosulfur components are contacted with a catalyst comprising a Group VIB metal component on a support containing silicalite and a porous refractory oxide under conditions of elevated temperature and pressure and in the presence of hydrogen so as to simultaneously reduce its pour point and its organosulfur and/or organonitrogen content.

Abstract: Normally tacky, pressure sensitive adhesive compositions comprise one or more polymers containing pendant functional groups attached to a polymer backbone and having the formula: ##STR1## in which R.sub.

Abstract: Methods for depositing metals on or removing metals from substrates are provided which involve the use of electrolytic cells comprising an anode and cathode, sulfuric acid, and a chalcogen-containing compound soluble in said bath and having the empirical formula ##STR1## wherein X is a chalcogen, each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is selected from hydrogen, NR.sub.3 R.sub.4 and NR.sub.5, at least one of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is other than hydrogen, each of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 is hydrogen or a monovalent organic radical, and R.sub.5 is a divalent organic radical, in which the molar ratio of the chalcogen compound to sulfuric acid is about 1 or more, and the molar ratio of water to the combination of acid and chalcogen compound is about 20 or less.

Abstract: Certain urea-sulfuric acid components, comprised of urea and sulfuric acid in a 1/4 to 7/4 molar ratio, contain a monourea adduct of sulfuric acid, which is catalytically active for promoting organic chemical reactions. The invention provides methods employing such urea-sulfuric acid components for catalyzing organic reactions such as oxidation, oxidative addition, reduction, reductive addition, esterification, transesterification, hydrogenation, isomerization (including racemization of optical isomers), alkylation, polymerization, demetallization of organometallics, nitration, Friedel-Crafts reactions, and hydrolysis. Novel catalysts are disclosed which involve combinations of the urea-sulfuric component with one or more transition metal halides and/or with one or more surfactants. The surfactant-containing compositions are particularly useful for the treatment of materials containing lipophilic substances.

Abstract: Compositions containing sulfuric acid and one or more of certain chalcogen-containing compounds in which the chalcogen compound/H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 molar ratio is below 2 contain the mono-adduct of sulfuric acid which is catalytically active for promoting organic chemical reactions. Suitable chalcogen-containing compounds have the empirical formula ##STR1## wherein X is a chalcogen, each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is independently selected from hydrogen, NR.sub.3 R.sub.4, and NR.sub.5, at least one of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is other than hydrogen, each of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 is hydrogen or a monovalent organic radical, and R.sub.5 is a divalent organic radical. Such compositions are useful for catalyzing organic reactions such as oxidation, oxidative addition, reduction, reductive addition, esterification, transesterification, hydrogenation, isomerication (including racemization of optical isomers), alkylation, polymerization, demetallization of organometallics, nitration, Friedel-Crafts reactions, and hydrolysis.

Abstract: The biuret content of biuret-containing urea is reduced by contacting a solution or melt of biuret-containing urea with a polar adsorbent under conditions sufficient to remove at least a portion of biuret from the urea. The resulting biuret-containing adsorbent can be regenerated for further use by contact with a polar desorbent under conditions sufficient to desorb at least a portion of the biuret contained on the adsorbent. Optionally, biuret can be recovered by recovering the biuret-containing desorbent, and biuret concentration in the desorbent can be increased by recycling the biuret-containing desorbent into contact with biuret-containing adsorbents, and biuret can be recovered from the desorbent by low temperature crystallization.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for treating an aerosol comprising electrostatically charged particles, suspended in a gas, to separate said particles from said gas, which comprises mixing said aerosol, in the absence of electrostatically charged water particles, with another aerosol including particles having the opposite charge to provide flocculated particles having a substantially neutral charge, and separating said flocculated particles from said gas.The method of this invention is useful for treating an aerosol emission from a power plant or a smelter which emission generally comprises positively charged particles. The emission may be mixed with a negatively charged aerosol comprising particulate sulfur to neutralize said positively charged particles and thereby flocculate said particulate sulfur. The neutralized particles are passed into a liquid water phase to provide an aqueous solution and flocculated sulfur, which may be separated from said aqueous solution as an insoluble sulfur phase.

Abstract: Purified biuret is recovered from mixtures containing biuret and higher molecular weight urea condensation products by contacting melts or solutions of such mixtures with a polar adsorbent and extracting biuret from the adsorbent with a polar desorbent. The useful biuret-containing mixtures also may contain urea. These methods are capable of recovering biuret of 99.9 percent plus purity from mixture containing higher molecular weight urea condensations products such as triuret, melamine, ammelide, and others. The biuret-containing desorbent can be recycled into contact with biuret-containing adsorbents to increase its biuret concentration, concentrated by evaporation of otherwise, and/or treated to crystallize biuret. An integrated process is provided which involves pyrolyzing urea to form biuret and higher molecular weight condensation products and selectively recovering biuret from the resulting pyrolyzed urea as described.

Abstract: An electrolytic bath, suitable for depositing a metal on or removing a metal from a substrate is provided which comprises an anode and cathode, an acid having a pK.sub.a of about 6 or less, and a chalcogen-containing compound soluble in said bath and having the empirical formula ##STR1## wherein X is a chalcogen, each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is selected from hydrogen, NR.sub.3 R.sub.4 and NR.sub.5, at least one of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is other than hydrogen, each of R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 is hydrogen or a monovalent organic radical, and R.sub.5 is a divalent organic radical, in which the molar ratio of the chalcogen compound to the acid is about 1 or more, and the molar ratio of water to the combination of acid and chalcogen compound is about 10 or less.

Abstract: The productivity of plants is enhanced by enhancing one or more physiological responses of photosynthesizing plants by contacting the foliage of such plants during the early stages, i.e. about the first half, of the grand response period for the selected physiological response with a solution containing biuret in an amount and under conditions sufficient to introduce into the plant a non-phytotoxic amount of biuret sufficient to enhance the selected physiological response.

Abstract: Acid-soluble and/or hydrolyzable obstructions are removed from conduits by contacting such obstructions with a composition containing urea and sulfuric acid in which the urea/sulfuric acid molar ratio is less than 2. The urea/sulfuric acid compositions may optionally contain other components such as surfactants and/or non-aqueous polar solvents which accentuate the activity of the compositions toward hydrophobic materials. Urea-sulfuric acid compositions which contain water and which have H.sub.2 O/(urea+H.sub.2 SO.sub.4) molar ratios below about 2.5 are particularly useful for removing obstructions by partial or complete hydrolysis.

Abstract: Polysaccharides are at least partially hydrolyzed by contact with a composition containing urea, sulfuric acid, and water in which the urea/sulfuric acid molar ratio is less than 2. Such proportions of urea and sulfuric acid assure the presence of the monourea adduct of sulfuric acid. The polysaccharide can be hydrolyzed to an extent sufficient only to hydrate the polysaccharide to produce a hydrated polysaccharide such as hydrated cellulose, or it can be completely hydrolyzed to its constituent monosaccharides. Thus, cellulose can be converted to glucose.

Abstract: Methods are provided for removing biuret from biuret-containing aqueous urea solutions which methods involve contacting a quantity of a biuret-containing aqueous urea feed solution with the hydroxide ion form of an anion exchanger under conditions sufficient to remove at least a portion of the biuret from the feed solution, and regenerating the resulting biuret-containing anion exchanger, at least in part, by contact with a substantially non-alkaline aqueous regenerant under conditions sufficient to remove at least a portion of the biuret from the anion exchanger. After completion of the described contacting with the substantially non-alkaline aqueous regenerant, the anion exchanger can optionally be further regenerated by contact with an aqueous solution of a strong base to remove additional quantities of biuret and/or other anion exchanger contaminants such as alkaline earth metal and carbonate ions and/or compounds.

Abstract: Biuret is removed from biuret-containing aqueous urea solutions in a multi-cycle process which involves sequential (A) removal of biuret by contact with an anion exchanger and (B) regeneration of the anion exchanger, in which method, in one or more cycles, the anion exchanger regenerant comprises an aqueous solution of a strong base which has been employed to regenerate the anion exchanger in a previous cycle. This procedure allows for recycling, and thus reuse, of the strong base regenerant which results in significant economy.

Abstract: Methods are provided for removing biuret from biuret-containing aqueous urea solutions by contacting the biuret-containing urea solutions with the hydroxide ion form of an anion exchanger under anion exchange conditions in which methods one or more aqueous process streams are either formed from materials which are substantially or completely free of alkaline earth metal and/or carbonate impurities or which process streams are treated either before or during their use in the anion exchange process to reduce their content of contaminant alkaline earth metal and/or carbonate compounds. The anion exchanger can be washed and regenerated with one or more aqueous media including water, aqueous solutions of strong base, acidic chloride solutions, and/or other aqueous solutions, and either batch or continuous (fixed bed) contacting can be employed.

Abstract: Methods are provided for recovering biuret from aqueous urea solutions and for producing relatively concentrated biuret-containing extracts which involve contacting a biuret-containing aqueous urea solution with the hydroxide ion form of an anion exchanger to retain at least a portion of the biuret on the exchanger, contacting the resulting biuret-containing ion exchanger with an aqueous extractant under conditions sufficient to form a biuret-containing extract, and contacting the resulting biuret-containing extract with the same or other biuret-containing anion exchanger in the same or subsequent cycles under conditions sufficient to increase the biuret concentration of the extract. The biuret-containing urea feed solution may also contain higher molecular weight urea condensation products, and the biuret can be selectively separated from such condensation products by the disclosed methods.

Abstract: Methods are provided for recovering purified biuret from aqueous solutions containing biuret and higher molecular weight urea condensation products by contacting such solutions with the hydroxide ion form of an anion exchanger and extracting biuret from the ion exchanger with an aqueous extractant. The useful biuret-containing solutions also may contain urea. These methods are capable of recovering biuret of 99.9 percent plus purity from solutions containing higher molecular weight urea condensations products such as triuret, melamine, ammelide, and others. Elevated temperatures increase biuret recovery rate and concentration, and the extractant can be recycled into contact with additional biuret-containing anion exchangers to increase biuret concentration even further. The biuret-containing extract can be employed as is, concentrated by evaporation or otherwise, or treated to crystallize biuret.

Abstract: Methods are provided for chemically reducing one or more oxides of nitrogen by contacting the nitrogen oxides with a composition containing a urea-sulfuric acid component having a urea-sulfuric acid molar ratio below 2. The urea-sulfuric acid component can be either solid or molten, or it can be dissolved in a suitable solvent. Particularly preferred compositions are those which have relatively low water concentrations and which are characterized by H.sub.2 O/(urea+H.sub.2 SO.sub.4) molar ratios below about 2.5.These methods can be employed to prevent or reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides from liquid systems and to convert nitrogen oxides contained in vapor streams to non-toxic materials, e.g. elemental nitrogen and water. Solutions of the urea-sulfuric acid components which are employed to remove nitrogen oxides from vapor streams may also contain surfactants which facilitate gas-liquid contacting.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing a porous, particulate sulfur by combining a coherent molten sulfur stream with a coherent water stream to provide an aqueous slurry of a porous, particulate sulfur having a uniform particle size distribution. In the process of this invention, a molten sulfur stream is passed through a substantially downwardly oriented, rectangular slot to provide a sheet of molten sulfur, and said sheet of molten sulfur is sheared by directing at least one sheet of water thereat, at a velocity and flow rate sufficient to disrupt said sheet of molten sulfur and provide solid sulfur particles having a substantially uniform size. The solid sulfur particles are recovered, as an aqueous slurry thereof, and separated from said slurry by substantially removing the water therefrom.