Abstract: Non-stressed, high strength, substantially inflexible, rigid, cement-containing pipe, for example, asbestos-cement pipe well adapted as high pressure water pipe, comprising a tubular article body of spirally wound up layers of asbestos-cement, and a plurality of helical windings of a continuous filament of an aromatic polyamide fiber known and obtainable as KEVLAR aramid fiber about one or more of the asbestos-cement layers within the interior of the pipe without being stretched and without being in tension. The aromatic polyamide fiber of the continuous filament is of high tensile strength of about 390,000 psi or higher and a low elongation capability of no more than 7%, and the continuous filament of the belical windings is maintained about the cement-containing composition within the interior of the pipe without being stretched and without being in tension. Non-stressed, high strength concrete pipe is also embodied in the invention.

Abstract: Solar collector including a copper or copper alloy base and a selective solar heat energy-absorptive coating or film of improved stability to liquid water on the base. The selective film is characterized by having a solar absorptivity of 0.90 or higher, infrared emissivity no more than 0.20, and a stability such that its selectivity is not significantly reduced after contact with liquid water condensate over a prolonged, cumulative, non-continuous time in excess of 15,000 hours.

Abstract: Alkaline bismuthide is concentrated in a debismuthizing dross comprising the alkaline bismuthide and molten lead by a method involving charging the dross onto a heat-resistant screen or sieve of suitable mechanical strength. The screen has openings of such size as to enable the formation and retention thereon of a molten lead-pervious residue cake comprising particles of the alkaline bismuthide, for example of crystals of calcium magnesium bismuthide (Ca Mg.sub.2 Bi.sub.2). The dross is subjected on the screen to the influence of a partial vacuum drawn from the opposite side of the screen from the dross, and the molten lead is sucked or pulled through pore channels of the porous residue cake of the alkaline bismuthide particles which is formed on the screen, and without any significant physical compression of the cake with attendant blockage of the pores of the cake, and then through the screen openings under the influence of the partial vacuum.

Abstract: Bismuth is recovered as elemental bismuth or as a Pb-Bi alloy from an air-pervious residue cake of de-bismuthizing dross of concentrated alkaline bismuthide content, by heating the cake in air to the ignition temperature of the cake to ignite the cake, and burning autogenously in a flameless or substantially flameless combustion the thus-ignited cake to oxidize the alkali and a portion of the lead to the exclusion of the bismuth. A powder-like residue, formed by the burning, comprises bismuth, lead, lead oxide and alkali oxide. The lead oxide and alkali oxide of the residue are then selectively dissolved in an oxide-dissolving flux, e.g. molten lead chloride, and the flux containing the lead oxide and alkali oxide is skimmed from the resulting lead bismuthide alloy. The lead of the alloy can, if desired, be separated to recover elemental bismuth, for example, by reacting the Pb-Bi alloy in molten droplet or molten particulate form with Cl.sub.2 to form PbCl.sub.

Abstract: Copper sulfide in the presence or absence of metallic copper contained in a dross obtained from the copper drossing of lead bullion is separated from metallic lead entrained or occluded in the dross by introducing the dross into a vessel other than a reverberatory furnace, usually a kettle, also introducing an alkali metal sulfide, preferably sodium sulfide, into the kettle, and heating the dross and alkali metal sulfide together in the kettle at an elevated temperature not in excess of 1200.degree. F. and for a time sufficient to melt together the dross and alkali metal sulfide. The thus-obtained molten dross releases the entrained molten lead which falls to the bottom of the kettle.

Abstract: Decrepitation of the catalyst occurring in the initial upstream portion of the catalyst bed of the reaction zone in a process for catalytically reducing sulfur dioxide to obtain elemental sulfur is avoided or minimized by employing as the catalyst in at least the initial upstream portion of the bed a supported sulfate of an iron group metal.

Abstract: Acidic solutions for selectively stripping tin or tin-lead alloys from copper substrates comprising an aqueous solution of at least one nitro-substituted aromatic compound; an inorganic acid capable of readily reacting with tin and lead to form water-soluble salts thereof and incapable of reacting with tin and lead to form a water-insoluble compound film on the tin or tin-lead alloy surface, preferably fluoboric acid; a thiourea; an organic acid of the formula RCOOH wherein R is 1-2C alkyl or hydrogen; and a haloacetic acid wherein the halogen is chloro or bromo. The haloacetic acid in combination with the acid of the formula RCOOH result in a pronounced synergism in accelerating the rate of stripping the tin or tin-lead alloy deposit from the copper substrate.

Abstract: Fracturing of arcuate anode segments per se or of an anode section of a sacrificial anode during installation of bracelet-type anodes about a pipeline to be cathodically protected is minimized. Distortion of the anode segment during cooling of the metal after casting the segment is also minimized. The minimizing of the distortion and fracturing of the anode segments is attained in certain embodiments of the invention, for a given pipeline of a certain diameter, by the arcuate-shaped anode segments each being of an arc length which is not above a predetermined maximum arc length in the range of about 14 inches to about 27 inches.

Abstract: Ammonia is added to combined aqueous scrubbing solutions containing an organic base-sulfuric acid reaction product, preferably an aromatic amine-sulfuric acid reaction product, an organic base-sulfurous acid reaction product, preferably an aromatic amine-sulfurous acid reaction product, and water in one or more separating zones located exteriorly of an absorption tower. The combined aqueous scrubbing solutions are obtained from sulfurous acid and sulfuric acid solution scrubbing sections of the absorption tower wherein an organic base, preferably an aromatic amine, is utilized as absorbent in a lower absorber section of the tower to remove SO.sub.2 from a SO.sub.2 -containing gas mixture, followed by scrubbing the SO.sub.

Abstract: SO.sub.2 is removed from a SO.sub.2 -containing gas mixture utilizing an aromatic amine as absorbent, followed by scrubbing the SO.sub.2 -depleted, aromatic amine-enriched effluent gas with sulfurous acid-and ammonium sulfate-containing aqueous solution to remove substantially all of the gaseous aromatic amine from the gas. The effluent gas is discharged ultimately to the atmosphere without any additional scrubbing of the gas, after its discharge from the sulfurous acid scrubbing zone, with sulfuric acid solution or any other acid solution or any acid.

Abstract: Surfaces intended to be electrolessly metal plated, for instance the surfaces of through holes on through hole printed circuit boards, are treated with a colloidal catalyst metal-free acid liquid solution of a soluble, lower alkanol-modified noble metal-tin chloride complex until the surface is rendered catalytic. The noble metal of the complex is a noble metal which is catalytic to the deposition of the metal destined to be electrolessly plated on the surface.

Abstract: Non-cyanide alkaline aqueous solutions for stripping non-ferrous metals, especially copper, from ferrous metal such as, for example, steel. The stripper solution comprises a water-soluble nitrate, a water-soluble compound of the formula ##EQU1## wherein R represents a valence bond, --CH.sub.2).sub.x wherein x is an integer of 1 to 2, ##EQU2## WHEREIN Y IS AN INTEGER OF 1 TO 2, OR ##EQU3## and M is a compatible, hydrophilic, i.e. water-loving or water-solubilizing, cation, a water-soluble persulfate, a water-soluble urea compound, and ammonium hydroxide. Brass, cadmium and zinc can also be stripped from steel by the stripper or dissolving solutions herein.

Abstract: Tetrahedrite ore concentrate, sodium sulfide added as such or formed in situ, calcium values preferably supplied as lime, and a reducing agent, e.g. coke, are smelted for a period sufficient to convert a major portion or substantially all of the antimony to a water-soluble sodium compound of antimony and sulfur and a major portion or substantially all of the arsenic also contained in the concentrate to a water-insoluble calcium compound of arsenic and oxygen. The sodium sulfide is incorporated into the charge for the smelting in an amount sufficient to convert at least a major portion of the antimony into the water-soluble sodium compound of antimony and sulfur; and the lime is incorporated into the smelting charge in amount sufficient to convert at least a major portion of the arsenic into the water-insoluble calcium compound of arsenic and oxygen.

Abstract: SO.sub.2 is removed from a SO.sub.2 - containing gas mixture utilizing an aromatic amine as absorbent, followed by scrubbing the SO.sub.2 - depleted, aromatic amine - enriched gas with sulfurous acid solution to remove most of the gaseous aromatic amine therefrom and then with dilute sulfuric acid solution to remove substantially all of the small amount of residual gaseous aromatic amine from the gas. The aqueous scrubbing solutions containing aromatic amine sulfite and aromatic amine sulfate from the respective sulfurous acid and sulfuric acid scrubbing zones are combined and ammonia is added thereto, resulting in release of the aromatic amine and in the formation of ammonium sulfate. Aqueous solution containing the ammonium sulfate is introduced into the upper portion of the sulfurous acid scrubbing section.

Abstract: Zinc dust composed of generally spherical zinc dust grains and having a grain size distribution such that at least about 98% of the grains have a grain size less than 15 microns and no more than about 3% of the grains have a grain size less than 2 microns, and especially well adapted for use in corrosion-inhibiting coating compositions where thin but effective protective coatings are desired or required. The zinc dust has a metallic zinc content of about 96%-98%. The corrosion-inhibiting coating compositions, and apparatus and method for the preparation of such zinc dust are also disclosed.