Abstract: A sharpener (1) for a medical instrument has a housing (2) with an opening (3) for receiving the fingers of a hand and a sharpening element (6), having an abrasive surface (1), bisecting another opening (9) and defining two apertures (9a/9b) for respectively receiving the prongs of an instrument having edges which can be sharpened by simultaneously drawing them across the sharpening element.

Abstract: A scissor sharpener has a recurved frame forming a U-shaped channel and an opening for receiving four fingers of a hand for grasping. A sharpening stone spans the channel at a predetermined angle to the adjacent surfaces of the frame. Surgical scissors can be wedged within the channel while their cutting edges are drawn over the stone for sharpening.

Abstract: The working surfaces of dental and surgical instruments are coated with a ceramic material formed by plasma spraying of a composition including a cemented carbide matrix and a ceramic dispersion to form a hardened surface with improved gripping ability. The cemented carbide matrix preferably contains tungsten and/or chromium carbide and/or cobalt. The ceramic dispersion preferably consists of alumina or other oxides.

Abstract: Self-extinguishing polycarbonates consisting of mixtures of polycarbonates with at least one salt of particular carboxylic organic compounds, said salt being of metals of Group I A and/or B, and/or Group II A and/or B of the Periodic Table of elements, and/or of ammonium.

Abstract: This invention concerns the production of 1,4-cis polybutadiene, or copolymers of butadiene with other related diolefins, through the catalytic polymerization or copolymerization of butadiene monomer by a continuous or discontinuous process carried out in the absence or substantial absence of solvents or diluents and operating in the presence of solid bodies.

Abstract: This invention concerns the production of 1,4-cis polybutadiene or copolymers of butadiene with other related diolefins through the catalytic polymerization or copolymerization of butadiene monomer by a continuous or discontinuous process carried out in the absence or substantial absence of solvents or diluents, operating in two successive phases (the first at a T<30.degree. C. and the second at a T=or>30.degree. C.) by control of the molecular weights.

Abstract: Self-extinguishing polycarbonates are disclosed, which consist of mixtures of polycarbonates with at least one salt of metals of the I and/or the II A and B Groups of the Periodic Table, and/or ammonium salts of organic carboxylic compounds having the general formula (I) ##STR1## and, as an adjuvant, at least one compound which is a member selected from the group consisting of the following classes of compounds:(i) a halogenated phenyl ether;(ii) a phthalimide or naphthalimide;(iii) an organic sulphone or a derivative thereof;(iv) an inorganic compound selected from the group consisting of halides of alkali metals or of alkaline earth metals, oxides of metals of the Groups IB,VIB,VIIB,IIIA,IVA and VIII of the Periodic Table, of the lanthanide group, carbon black and the residues of the pyrolysis of the organic acid salts of formula (I).

Abstract: There are disclosed oligomeric aluminum hydride iminic derivatives, to be employed as catalysts in polymerization processes and which are prepared by causing alkali-metal or alkaline-earth-metal alanates to react with a primary amine which contains a group of the type --X--R".sub.m, wherein X is a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom and m is equal to the valence of X minus one. The compounds have a trimeric or a tetrameric "open cage" spatial configuration.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for synthesizing compounds of aluminium and alkaline earth metals containing hydride hydrogens and alkoxy radicals, of compositionM[A1H.sub.4-n (OR).sub.n ].sub.2.xBin which 0.5.ltoreq.n.ltoreq.3.5; OR is an alkoxy radical derived from a primary, secondary or tertiary alcohol; R is an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon radical; M is an alkaline earth metal; B is a Lewis base; x can vary between 0 and 4; and R can also contain functional groups OR', SR', NR'.sub.2 ect., consisting of reacting together:(a) a halide of an alkaline earth metal;(b) an alanate of an alkaline earth metal of formula M' A1H.sub.4 (M'.apprxeq.alkaline metal);(c) an alcohol chosen from primary, secondary or tertiary aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic alcohols containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Mixed alkoxy-hydride derivatives of aluminum and alkaline-earth metals are disclosed having the formulaM[AlH.sub.4-n (OR).sub.n ].sub.2which may be complexed with a Lewis base wherein M is an alkaline-earth metal, R is selected from an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and n is a number between 0.5 and 3.5. There is also disclosed a novel process for preparing said derivatives which are useful as reducing agents.

Abstract: A poly(-N-alkyliminoalane) having the composition (HAlNR).sub.n, wherein R represents an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or alkyl-aromatic group, and n is a number in the range of 3 to 50, is prepared by directly reacting metallic aluminum with a primary amine having the formula H.sub.2 NR, wherein R has the meaning given above, in the presence of hydrogen at a pressure in the range of from 1 to 1000 kg/cm.sup.2 and at least a stoichiometric quantity of aluminum, at a temperature in the range of from room temperature to the dissociation temperature of the end product, and in the presence of a promoter such as a small quantity of the poly(-N-alkyliminoalane) constituting the end product of said reaction.

Abstract: A method for the production of alkoxyalanates of alkaline earth metals is disclosed, which comprises the step of reacting an alkali metal alanate, an alkaline earth metal halide and an aluminum alcoholate.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of alkoxyalanates of alkaline earth metals is disclosed, which comprises the step of reacting an alcoholate of an alkaline earth metal and an alkaline earth metal alanate and an aluminum alcoholate, the reaction being of the additive type.The products thus obtained are effective catalysts for reactions of reduction, more particularly of hydrogenation of a number of organic compounds.

Abstract: For hydrogenating unsaturated compounds, and especially those containing aromatic rings, a catalytic system of novel conception is suggested. This is a quaternary heterogeneous system which comprises an elemental metal of Groups IIA or IIIA, a primary or a secondary amine, a Ni or a Co halide, and an activator such as Na, NaH, NaAlH.sub.4 or AlEt.sub.3.Very satisfactory results as to yields and smoothness of reaction are obtained in the conversion of benzene to cyclohexane and of toluene to methylcyclohexane.

Abstract: There are disclosed oligomeric aluminum hydride iminic derivatives to be employed as catalysts in polymerization processes and, which are prepared by causing alkali-metal or alkaline-earth-metal alanates to react with a primary amine which contains a group of the type --X--R".sub.m, wherein X is a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom and m is equal to the valence of X minus one. The compounds have a trimeric or a tetrameric "open cage" spatial configuration.

Abstract: Mixed alkoxy-hydride derivatives of aluminum and alkaline-earth metals are disclosed having the formulaM[AlH.sub.4-n (OR).sub.n ].sub.2which may be complexed with a Lewis base wherein M is an alkaline-earth metal, R is selected from an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and n is a number between 0.5 and 3.5. There is also disclosed a novel process for preparing said derivatives which are useful as reducing agents.

Abstract: For hydrogenating unsaturated compounds, and especially those containing aromatic rings, a catalytic system of novel conception is suggested. This is a quaternary heterogeneous system which comprises an elemental metal of Groups IIA or IIIA, a primary or a secondary amine, a Ni or a Co halide, and an activator such as Na, NaH, NaAlH.sub.4 MgEt.sub.2 or AlEt.sub.3.Very satisfactory results as to yields and smoothness of reaction are obtained in the conversion of benzene to cyclohexane and of toluene to methylcyclohexane.

Abstract: A single stage process is provided for the direct synthesis of mixed polyimino derivatives of aluminum and alkaline earth metals consisting of reacting aluminum, an amine, the alkaline earth metal or hydride or amide derivative thereof, in the presence of hydrogen, the reaction being promoted by an activator in either hydrocarbon or ether solvents.

Abstract: A single stage process is provided for the direct synthesis of mixed polyimino derivatives of aluminium and alkaline earth metals consisting of reacting aluminium, an amine, the alkaline earth metal or hydride or amide derivative thereof, in the presence of hydrogen, the reaction being promoted by an activator in either hydrocarbon or ether solvents.

Abstract: Novel organic aluminum imides, highly resistant to oxidation and moisture and useful for polymerization and alkylation reactions, are prepared by reacting a poly(N-alkyliminoalane) with an aluminum alkyl, or with a halogen acid and then with an alkyl derivative of an alkali metal.