Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods and compositions for separating materials are provided. The present invention provides a method of separating first material from a second material such as mixing the first material and the second material in a slurry with a beneficiation composition. The beneficiation composition can comprise methyl isobutyl carbinol mixture derived from a methyl isobutyl ketone and/or methyl isobutyl carbinol manufacturing process. Additionally air bubbles can be provided in the slurry to form bubble-particle aggregates with the first material and the bubble-particle aggregates can be allowed to be separated from the second material.

Abstract: The invention is directed towards methods and compositions for treating piles of particulate materials to inhibit and prevent the loss of valuable fuel or mineral dust from being released from storage piles or open containers. The method involves applying to the pile a binder coating containing VAE and crude glycerin. The binder coating cures and hardens slowly so it is able to remain flexible while the pile or payload is still settling, jostling, being bumped, and otherwise moving around. This coating is especially effective for coal piles and also for piles within and for being moved by open topped railroad cars. The coating's flexibility prevents the coating from becoming brittle and shattering. The coating has better performance than its ingredients do alone. The coating is effective both when it is flexible and after it cures. As a result the invention can both prevent unwanted dust pollution as well as save its users money by avoiding loss of blown away material.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the production of alumina hydrate. The invention involves adding one or more polysaccharides to liquor or slurry in the fluid circuit of the production process. The one or more polysaccharides can be a cross-linked polysaccharide (such as cross-linked dextran or cross-linked dihydroxypropyl cellulose). The various polysaccharides can impart a number of advantages including at least some of: greater flocculation effectiveness, increasing the maximum effective dosage, faster settling rate. The production process can be a Bayer process.

Abstract: This invention is method of creping a paper web comprising a) applying to a rotating creping cylinder an adhesive composition having a pH of about 6.5 to about 8 and comprising one or more vinylamine/N-vinyl formamide polymers composed of about 10 to about 99 mole percent vinylamine monomer and about 90 to about 1 mole percent N-vinylformamide monomer; b) pressing the paper web against the creping cylinder to effect adhesion of the paper web to the creping cylinder; and c) dislodging the paper web from the creping cylinder with a doctor blade.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of efficiently removing selenium from water. The method involves: adding an oxidant to the liquid, adjusting the liquid's pH to below 7.5, adding ferric salt in an amount such that less than a quarter of selenium in the liquid precipitates and adding a poly dithiocarbamate material to the liquid in an amount such that the amount of poly dithiocarbamate material (in ppm) is greater than the amount of ferric salt (in ppm). This method removes far more selenium than previous methods, and does it using a smaller amount of expensive chemicals. Moreover this method makes it far more likely to achieve cost effective compliance with the ever-increasing environmental standards for selenium in water.

Abstract: A composition for anti-microbial effect in a water system such as a pulp and paper processing line with an aqueous slurry. The composition comprises a free chlorine-generating biocide comprising a chlorine source, urea, and an alkali in a concentration sufficient to provide a pH greater than 10, and typically at least pH 11.

Abstract: This invention provides a composition and method for improving a mechanical pulping process by decreasing freeness and amount of shives, providing energy and chemical savings, and enhancing brightness and mechanical strength of a paper product made from a pulp material in the process. The composition includes formulations, such as surfactants, chelants, hydrotropes, reductive and oxidative pulp modifiers, and pH-controlling chemicals. The method includes selectively introducing these formulations to the pulp material in the mechanical pulping process.

Abstract: Oxidative compositions and processes that preserve and enhance the brightness and improve color of pulp or paper when applied during different stages of the papermaking process are identified. The oxidative composition and method maintains and/or enhances brightness, prevents yellowing, and enhances the performance of paper products. Used in combination with optical brighteners and/or chelants the oxidative agents produce a synergistic effect not previously identified in the paper process.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions of matter, methods of their synthesis, and methods of their use in polymerization reactions. The compositions include polyfunctional initiators used to make star polymers when polymerized with monomers. The polyfunctional initiators are synthesized out of a multifunctional core with at least two functional groups and two or more initiator units bonded to the functional groups. The initiator units have two electron-withdrawing groups bonded to a central carbon atom and an azo group between the central carbon atom and the functional group. The polyfunctional initiators are particularly effective because when they decompose to form the radical core of a star polymer, the electron-withdrawing groups prevent the corresponding radical from forming any linear polymer contamination and only desired star polymers result.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for improving the production of alumina. The invention involves adding a product containing one or more polysaccharides to liquor within the fluid circuit of the production process, where one of the polysaccharides is scieroglucan. The use of scleroglucan can impart a number of advantages including at least some of: greater flocculation effectiveness, increasing the maximum effective dosage, faster settling rate. The production process can be a Bayer process.

Abstract: A one-pot process of preparing a substituted 7-cyano quinone methide in which i) a substituted phenol is chloromethylated to form a substituted 4-chloromethylphenol; ii) converting the substituted 4-chloromethylphenol to a substituted 4-cyanomethylphenol; and iii) oxidizing the substituted 4-cyanomethylphenol to the substituted 7-cyano quinone methide, where steps i)-iii) are carried out in a single reaction vessel in a solvent system comprising water and one or more organic solvents and where after steps i) and ii) the aqueous portion of the reaction mixture is removed and the reagents for the subsequent step are added in aqueous solution. The 7-cyano quinone methides are effective inhibitors of the polymerization of reactive monomers.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of continuously producing high quality quaternized N,N-dialkylaminoethyl (meth)acrylates (DMAEA.MCQ) that has a long shelf life and which is stable in water. The method involves placing starting materials into a continuously stirred tank reactor in the presence of less than 6% water. This low amount of water causes two liquid phases to form and prevents unwanted side reactions. The denser liquid phase contains DMAEA.MCQ and the lighter phase contains the starting materials. Liquid from the denser phase is removed from a position where little of the lighter phase has been mixed in. The removed liquid then has any last traces of the starting materials reacted into DMAEA.MCQ and strips away any starting materials with a gas flow. The resulting liquid is high purity DMAEA.MCQ. Water can then safely be added to ease in the transport and use of the produced DMAEA.MCQ.

Abstract: Compositions and processes that preserve and enhance the brightness and improve color of pulp or paper when applied during different stages of the papermaking process are identified. The composition and method maintains and/or enhances brightness, prevent yellowing, and enhances the performance of paper products. Used in combination with optical brighteners and/or chelants the described agents produce a synergistic effect not previously identified in the paper process.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of removing sulfides from viscous petroleum streams such as asphalt, crude oil, and oil slurry using zinc octoate in which the molar ratio of zinc complexed with octanoic acid is not 1:2. Because zinc has a +2 charge and carboxylic acid has a ?1 charge, it was previously assumed that all zinc octoates must have a 1:2 ratio of zinc moieties to carboxylic acid. Zinc octoate formulations however, that contain a non 1:2 ratio, and those with 2.1:3 to 1.97:3 in particular, have in fact been shown to work better. In addition, these non 1:2 formulations have lower viscosity and therefore are easier to use than the previous formulations including a 1:2 ratio.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method of synthesizing chemicals according to the ene reaction. The method addresses two problems that previously could not be addressed simultaneously, preventing charring of the reaction, and preventing gaseous degradation of the reagents. The method involves adding a boron bearing compound and an aromatic/antioxidant compound to the ene reaction. Combining these two compounds together inhibits charring and also causes an effect that neither compound can accomplish alone. The addition of these two compounds together also more effectively prevents either of the reagents from degrading than when either reagent is added alone. As a result the method reduces costs by reducing the amount of reagents needed for a synthesis and further reduces costs by eliminating the need to filter out char from the end products of the ene reaction. The method is particularly useful in the ene reaction synthesis of ASA from olefins and maleic anhydride.

Abstract: A method of preparing a stable dispersion of flocculated filler particles for use in papermaking processes comprises sequential addition of high and low molecular weight flocculating agents to an aqueous dispersion of filler particles followed by shearing of the resultant filler flocs to the desired particle size resulting in shear resistant filler flocs with a defined and controllable size distribution.

Abstract: A coating oil composition and methods of using the composition for dust control is provided. The coating oil comprises utilizing a by-product from the manufacture of biodiesel and/or fatty alkyl esters, wherein the by-product comprises C6-C24 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, C6-C24 saturated and unsaturated fatty acid salts, methyl esters, ethyl esters and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for separating materials are provided. The present invention provides a method of separating a first material from a second material such as mixing the first material and the second material in a slurry with a beneficiation composition. The beneficiation composition can comprise methyl isobutyl carbinol mixture derived from a methyl isobutyl ketone and/or methyl isobutyl carbinol manufacturing process. Additionally air bubbles can be provided in the slurry to form bubble-particle aggregates with the first material and the bubble-particle aggregates can be allowed to be separated from the second material.

Abstract: The invention provides a composition of matter useful for producing very soft high grades of tissue paper. The composition of matter comprises an adhesive composition that includes a glycerol-based polyol. The glycerol-based polyol prevents the composition from becoming brittle and is non-volatile. This allows the composition to become rewetted after creping and allows for strong levels of adhesion even at high temperatures.

Abstract: The invention provides compositions of matter, methods of their synthesis, and methods of their use in polymerization reactions. The compositions include polyfunctional initiators used to make star polymers when polymerized with monomers. The polyfunctional initiators are synthesized out of a multifunctional core with at least two functional groups and two or more initiator units bonded to the functional groups. The initiator units have two electron-withdrawing groups bonded to a central carbon atom and an azo group between the central carbon atom and the functional group. The polyfunctional initiators are particularly effective because when they decompose to form the radical core of a star polymer, the electron-withdrawing groups prevent the corresponding radical from forming any linear polymer contamination and only desired star polymers result.