Abstract: A rinse aid composition containing: (a) a hydroxy mixed ether corresponding to formula I: R1O[CH2CHR2O]x[CH2CHR3O]yCH2CH(OH)R4  (I) wherein R1 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing from about 4 to 22 carbon atoms, R2 is hydrogen or a methyl or an ethyl group, R3 is hydrogen or a methyl or an ethyl group, R4 is an alkyl group containing from about 2 to 22 carbon atoms, x is a number up to 30, y is a number up to 30, and x+y is greater than or equal to 1; (b) an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside corresponding to formula II: R5O—[G]p  (II) wherein R5 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing from about 4 to 22 carbon atoms, G is a sugar unit containing 5 or 6 carbon atoms, and p is a number from 1 to 10; and (c) a nonionic co-surfactant, and wherein (a) and (b) are present in the composition in a ratio by weight of from about 10:0.1 to 1:10.

Abstract: A detergent composition containing a surfactant mixture, the surfactant mixture containing: (a) a nonionic surfactant corresponding to formula (I): R1O(CH2CH2O)nH  (I) wherein R1 is a hydrocarbon radical having from about 16 to 18 carbon atoms and n is a number from about 5 to 10, and wherein the nonionic surfactant has an iodine value of from about 20 to 50; and (b) a co-surfactant selected from the group consisting of an alkyl oligoglycoside, an alkenyl oligoglycoside, an alkyl ether sulfate, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A laundry detergent composition containing a surfactant system having: (a) an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside; (b) from about 5 to 35% by weight of a fatty alcohol; and (c) up to 2% by weight water, all weights being based on the weight of the surfactant system.

Abstract: A process for decreasing skin irritation caused by shaving involving contacting the skin with a composition containing chitosan.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of linear and/or branched fatty alcohols containing at least 12 carbon atoms in the molecule and/or to the use of mixtures of such fatty alcohols with carboxylic acid esters as a lubricating additive in water-based drilling fluids for their use in geological exploration by drilling. The fatty-alcohol-based lubricants or lubricant systems are particularly suitable for use in water-based alkali metal silicate drilling muds which are known to be distinguished by comparatively high pH values. The additives according to the invention combine their lubricating effect with a foam-suppressing effect, i.e. prevent unwanted foaming.

Abstract: PIT emulsions containing pesticides are comprised of: (a) from about 1% to about 20% by weight of a pesticide; (b) from about 5% to about 15% by weight of a nonionic emulsifier; (c) from about 0 to about 40% of a nonpolar solvent. These emulsions exhibit improved storage stability and higher activity compared with conventional pesticide emulsions.

Abstract: A thickener composition containing a reaction product of a hydroxycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid and mixtures thereof, and a fatty alcohol polyglycol ether corresponding to formula I: R1O(CH2CH2O)nH  (I) wherein R1 is an alkyl and/or alkenyl group containing from 6 to 22 carbon atoms, and n is a number from 20 to 150.

Abstract: A process for making carbohydrate partial esters having a degree of esterification of from 1 to 6 involving the steps of: (a) providing a catalytically active mixture containing: (i) an alkali metal carbonate; and (ii) a fatty acid lower alkyl ester; (b) providing an emulsifier mixture containing: (iii) a glycose component having from 5 to 12 carbon atoms; and (iv) a carbohydrate partial ester; and (c) combining the catalytically active mixture with the emulsifier mixture, with vigorous stirring, to form an emulsion/dispersion containing particles having a mean diameter of from 10 to 60 &mgr;m.

Abstract: Polymers having increased hydrophilicity are made by adding to the polymer an effective amount of an additive which is a di-C10-12 fatty acid ester of polyethylene glycol.

Abstract: A detergent composition having improved solubility in water comprising: (a) a surfactant selected from the group consisting of an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, and mixtures thereof; (b) a disintegrator component; and (c) defoamer granules containing silicones and support materials, wherein the detergent composition is in solid-form.

Abstract: A process for making a fiber composite involving: (a) providing a natural fiber; (b) providing a matrix material produced by a radical polymerization reaction of: (i) a monomer selected from the group consisting of ring opening products of epoxidized fatty compounds with olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acids, and (ii) a comonomer selected from the group consisting of olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acids; (c) providing a radical initiator; and (d) conducting the radical polymerization reaction of (i) and (ii) in the presence of the natural fiber so that the matrix material envelops the natural fiber, thus producing the fiber composite.

Abstract: A process for making a self-dispersible, radiation curable coating composition involving: (a) providing a cationic oligomer; (b) providing an epoxy functional monomer; (c) providing a surfactant component; (d) providing a transfer agent; (e) providing a photoinitiator; and (f) mixing (a)-(e) to form the coating composition.

Abstract: A process for removing polyol impurities from a sorbitan ester solution involving: (a) providing a sorbitan ester solution containing polyol impurities; (b) adding to the sorbitan ester solution a clarifying-effective amount of a silica component; (c) adsorbing the polyol impurities from the sorbitan ester solution onto the silica to form a mixture of sorbitan ester and polyol-containing silica; and (d) removing the polyol-containing silica from the sorbitan ester solution.

Abstract: A process for making technical di/triglyceride mixtures involving: (a) providing a vegetable oil; and (b) partially transesterifying the vegetable oil by reacting it with a component selected from the group consisting of a mixture of glycerol and a fatty acid corresponding to formula I: R1COOH  (I) wherein R1CO is an acyl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms, a mixture of glycerol and a methyl ester of the fatty acid of formula I, and a triglyceride based on the fatty acid of formula I.

Abstract: A cleaning composition containing a gemini surfactant corresponding to formula I: R—CHOH—CH2—[OCH2CH2]x—O—CH2—CHOH—R  (I) wherein R is a linear or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl radical having from about 4 to 22 carbon atoms, and x is a number from about 5 to 90.

Abstract: Multipurpose cleaners are comprised of an alkoxylated carboxylic acid ester corresponding to the formula (I): wherein R1CO is an aliphatic acyl group, AlkO is CH2CH2O, CHCH3CH2O, CH2CHCH3O, or a combination thereof, n is a number from 1 to 20 and R2 is an aliphatic alkyl group, and a betaine, an amine oxide or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A process for recovering carboxylic acids from an aqueous mixture such as a fermentation broth using a solvent containing at least one olefin without the need for first removing the spent microorganism cells is provided. A co-solvent which increases the partition coefficient of the solvent relative to the carboxylic acid may optionally be included.

Abstract: A spin finish composition comprising a polyester carbonate corresponding to formula I: wherein R1 and R5 independently of one another represent linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alkyl groups containing from about 6 to 21 carbon atoms, R2 and R4 independently of one another represent alkyl groups containing from about 2 to 4 carbon atoms, R3 represents a saturated or unsaturated, linear or branched difunctional hydrocarbon radical containing 1 to 22 carbon atoms, k has a value of 0 or 1 to 50, l has a value of 1 to 300, n has a value of 2 to 50 and m has a value of from 2 to 50.

Abstract: A hair treatment composition containing: (a) an esterquat; (b) an alkyl and/or alkenyl oligoglycoside; (c) a partial glyceride; and (d) a fatty alcohol ethoxylate.

Abstract: A water treatment unit having: (a) a cooling tower; (b) a source of cooling water; (c) a main flow pipe for receiving the cooling water; (d) a source of fresh water connected to the source of cooling water; (e) a heat exchanger for heating the cooling water to form heated water; (f) a branched flow pipe for separating the heated water into a main stream of heated water and a partial stream of heated water; (g) a non-backwashable filter capable of separating waste contained in the partial stream of heated water into a compact waste residue and a first filtrate, in the absence of backwashing; and (h) a return pipe for transporting the main filtrate back to the cooling tower, wherein the cooling water is introduced through the main flow pipe into the heat exchanger where it is heated, after which it is split into a main stream of heated water and a partial stream of heated water, the main stream of heated water being transported back to the cooling tower, with the partial stream being transported, by way of the