Abstract: A process for improving the flowability of resin coated sand which comprises the use of a flow promoter with the mixture of sand and resin. Also provided is a foundry mix comprising foundry sand, a resin binder and the flow promoter, as well as a process for making foundry cores and molds using the foundry mix. The resins are ester-curable alkaline phenolic resole resins. The flow promoter is selected from the group consisting of fatty acids, fatty alcohols, fatty amines, fatty amides and fatty alkanolamides.

Abstract: A process is provided for treating impure silica-containing sands to make them more suitable for foundry use. The sands are treated with aqueous alkali metal silicate solutions and the resulting mixture is heated before the sands are coated with a resin binder. Foundry cores and molds prepared with these treated sands show improved hot and cold tensile strengths.

Abstract: A silicone molding composition with improved thermal shock resistance having a plasticizing amount of a silicone resin comprising chemically combined RSiO.sub.3/2 units and R.sub.2 SiO units where the R to Si ratio may vary from 1.0 to 1.9 and the ratio of RSiO.sub.3/2 units to R.sub.2 SiO units may vary from 1:2.5 to 1:5.0 and containing less than 0.5 weight percent of silanol groups and preferably being substantially free of silanol groups where R is a monovalent hydrocarbon radical. There is also provided by the present invention a process for improving the thermal shock resistance of a silicone molding composition by having in said composition the aforesaid resin.