Abstract: A manually operated vent valve assembly for a bung hole in a drum lid. The low profile valve assembly is inserted into the bung hole and the lid sealed. The drum is vented by opening a valve stem in the assembly. The vented gas leaves through a gas outlet which is recessed in a reservoir within the valve assembly. By filling the reservoir with fluid, the venting gas can be observed as bubbles.

Abstract: Combined antiblocking agent and lubricant concentrate based on polyolefin, which contains diatomaceous earth, precipitated silica and/or silica gel as the antiblocking agent, one or more amides of unsaturated C.sub.18 -C.sub.22 -fatty acids and optionally further conventional additives and which is characterized in that it contains 5 to 35% by weight of antiblocking agent and 5 to 30% by weight of lubricant. The high lubricant concentration in the combination concentrate according to the invention is obtained in that the antiblocking agent and the lubricant are incorporated into the polyolefin in the form of a homogeneous, finely divided mixture. The antiblocking agent serves as a carrier for the micronized lubricant, i.e. the lubricant is adsorbed on the large surface of the antiblocking agent, so that the "flowing away" of the lubricant otherwise observed in the case of high lubricant concentrations during incorporation into the polyolefin is avoided.

Abstract: An alpha alumina monohydrate, AlO(OH), powder is produced which is capable of readily dispersing in aqueous solutions to yield a shear-rate thinning mixture. The alpha alumina monohydrate is made by reacting an acid reactant and a base reactant, wherein at least one contains aluminum, in an aqueous medium in proportions to yield a solution having a pH of from about 7.5 to 10. Then the mixture is given the unique heat treatment at a temperature of from about 60.degree. to 100.degree. C. for a period of from about 2 to 7 hours. The excess water is removed from the product such as by filtration. The solid can be optionally washed to remove by-product salts. The solid product can be readily redispersed in water to yield a shear-rate thinning liquid without the aid of any further acid or base or the use of excessive high shear mixing. The solid product can be further dried to recover a solid product with greater than 10% AlO(OH) and even greater than 35% AlO(OH).

Abstract: A weldable sealant composition is made by adding ferrous metal particles to a sealant having a viscosity of at least 6 million centipoises. The sealant composition is placed between two metal plates and permits resistance welding, i.e. spot welding, to take place.

Abstract: Alumina supported platinum-group metal pelleted catalysts are made which exhibit excellent performance and which have unique Pt concentration profiles. The catalysts are doubly promoted with ceria and alkali metal oxides, especially ceria along with lithia, and can optionally have nickel (oxide) as a base metal catalytic ingredient. The unique Pt profile is obtained by adding at least part of the Rh component separately from any other Pt group metals.

Abstract: Oxidation reactions and unsaturation producing reactions are disclosed to be carried out in a solid-state electrocatalytic reactor for electrolytic energy conversion and chemicals production. Additional reactions are disclosed to be carried out in a solid-state electrocatalytic cross flow monolith which has a high ion transport surface area per reactor volume. The additional reactions include selected oxidation reactions, selected addition reactions, electrolysis of steam to hydrogen, decomposition of nitric oxide to nitrogen and oxygen and the manufacture of aluminum from Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 in a eutectic solution.

Abstract: A polyvinyl alcohol-aldehyde reaction product is produced continuously in a rotating contactor by contacting solid particles of polyvinyl alcohol with the aldehyde in an acidic aqueous salt solution. The product can be dried and then sieved to remove oversize particles. A preferred aldehyde is either formaldehyde or glutaraldehyde which reacts with the polyvinyl alcohol to produce a reaction product that can be used as a fluid loss control agent in oil fields.

Abstract: Formaldehyde is made from methane and a molecular oxygen containing gas by using a silica supported catalyst having less than 350 parts per million by weight of sodium and having a catalytically effective amount of MoO.sub.3. The low sodium form of the silica support can be made by washing silica gel or precipitated silica, by using a fumed silica or by making an ultrapure form of silica having a silica purity of at least 99.99% silica. The ultrapure form can be made by the hydrolysis of silicon tetraalkoxides. In general, the lower the sodium level, the better is the catalyst.

Abstract: Alumina supported platinum-group metal catalysts exhibit exceptionally good performance and durability when the support is sequentially modified to include support stabilization by lanthana or lanthana-rich rare earth oxides, double promotion by ceria and alkali metal oxides, especially ceria along with lithia, and optionally nickel (oxide) as a base metal catalytic ingredient. For a pelleted Rh containing catalyst to exhibit such an outstanding performance at least part of the Rh component is added separately from any other Pt group metals.

Abstract: A high temperature stable catalyst is made with fine particles of a base metal such as chromium, hafnium and niobium or their oxides dispersed throughout a matrix made of composite particles having at least one platinum group metal on a ceria promoted, high temperature chemically stabilized refractory oxide powder. The refractory oxide powder can be either alumina, alumina powder which has been calcined at a temperature near incipient alpha alumina formation, silica-alumina or zirconia. The base metal or base metal oxide comprises about 15% to 90% by weight of the total weight and the platinum group metal comprises 0.05% to 10% by weight of the total weight. The catalyst composition can be applied as a washcoat to conventional substrates or it can be formed into shaped catalysts. The washcoat is made by mixing together one slip containing the composite particles with a second slip containing the base metal or base metal oxide particles.

Abstract: An alpha alumina monohydrate, AlO(OH), gel is produced which is capable of readily dispersing in aqueous solutions to yield a shear-rate thinning mixture. The alpha alumina monohydrate is made by reacting an acid reactant and a base reactant, wherein at least one contains aluminum, in an aqueous medium in proportions to yield a mixture having a pH of from about 7.5 to 10. The gel is treated to remove much of the by-product salts. One preferred method involves filtering the reaction product to remove the by-product salts and then further washing the filter cake with water. Upon dispersing the filter cake in water it yields a shear-rate thinning liquid having increased viscosifying power per unit weight of the AlO(OH) and this is measured as a higher K value in the rheological power model.

Abstract: A weldable sealant composition is made by adding ferrous metal particles to a sealant having a viscosity of at least 6 million centipoises. The sealant composition is placed between two metal plates and permits resistance welding, i.e. spot welding, to take place.

Abstract: Composition and method for inhibiting corrosion in aqueous systems using synergistic combination of an inorganic nitrite and a phosphonate, e.g., 10-20 ppm sodium nitrite plus 0.5-5 ppm hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid.

Abstract: An aqueous flocculant solution containing a tannin based polymer compound is produced which is stable and has a shelf life of at least 3-6 months before gelling. The solution is made by reacting at a temperature of from 150.degree.-200.degree. F. a tannin, an amino compound, and an aldehyde under slightly acidic conditions where the pH is less than 7 and where the molar ratio of the primary amine from the amino compound to the tannin repeating unit is from about 1.5:1 to 3.0:1. The intermediate viscosity of the reaction mixture is monitored until the reaction mixture has an intermediate viscosity within the range of the system key intermediate viscosity range. This system key intermediate viscosity range is previously determined for each reactant system to be employed. It is a narrow intermediate viscosity range that is experimentally determined which permits the resulting product to have a long shelf life.

Abstract: Aqueous drilling fluids containing a hydroxy containing alumina component such as AlO(OH) and a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) reaction product such as an aldehyde reacted PVA are stabilized for use at temperatures as high as 350.degree. F. (177.degree. C.) by adding stabilizer anions such as sulfate, tartrate and citrate to the resulting drilling fluid. The anions can be added as an acid or in the salt form with sodium and potassium salts being preferred. The salts are preferably added in 0.2 to 10% by weight of the drilling fluid. These stabilized drilling fluids can also be used in seawater.

Abstract: An aqueous completion or workover fluid for oil or gas wells having at least two solid components. One component is a hydroxy containing aluminum compound represented by the formula AlO(OH).xH.sub.2 O. The second component is a fluid loss control agent which can be either a cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol or a cross-linked hydroxyalkyl cellulose reaction product. An acid soluble weighting agent can be added for wells having higher down hole pressures. Examples of the weighting agents include iron carbonates, iron oxides, calcium carbonates, dolomite, sodium or calcium chloride, zinc bromide and calcium bromide. After use, the fluid can be displaced from the well with acid, e.g. 15% HCl, and the cake previously deposited on the bore-hole wall is dissolved by the acid so that no damaging residue remains.

Abstract: An extrudate catalyst suitable for auto emission control is made from a solid, transitional alumina. It has a partially hollow interior and one or more platinum group metals deposited on the extrudate. The cylindrical extrudate has internal reinforcing vanes or ribs extending from the inner wall to the center of the extrudate particle. This configuration permits the catalyst to have the large geometric surface area per reactor volume yet, because of the openings inside the extrudate, the catalyst particles do not exhibit a large pressure drop when packed in a deep bed. These catalysts provide greater hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide conversions than do similar size spherical particles and they have improved light-off characteristics.

Abstract: An extrudate catalyst suitable for auto emission control is made from a solid, transitional alumina with a partially hollow interior. Deposited on the extrudate are two promoters, ceria and an alkali metal, and one or more platinum group metals. The preferred alkali metal is in the oxide form as lithia. The cylindrical extrudate has internal reinforcing vanes or ribs extending from the inner wall to the center of the extrudate particle. This configuration permits the catalyst to have the large geometric surface area per reactor volume yet, because of the openings inside the extrudate, the catalyst particles do not exhibit a large pressure drop when packed in a deep bed. These catalysts provide greater hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide conversions than do similar size spherical particles and they have improved light-off characteristics.

Abstract: Alumina particle catalysts which can be used for auto emission control and especially as a three-way catalyst have increased performance. The alumina particles which are preferably spheroids have a low compacted bulk density of about 20 to 36 pounds per cubic foot and a smaller size on the order of less than 2.6 mm for the preferred spheroids. The spheroid embodiment also has a high crush strength. Because of the small size the ratio of the geometric surface area to the bulk volume (GSA/BV) is at least about 14 cm.sup.2 /cm.sup.3. These alumina particles are impregnated with a catalytically-effective amount of one or more platinum group metals such as platinum, palladium or rhodium and additional promoters can also be added. In the preferred embodiment the alumina particles have a GSA/BV ratio of from about 17 to 25 cm.sup.2 /cm.sup.3 for substantially improved performance.

Abstract: A sodium Y type faujasite having a high silica/alumina ratio is obtained by lowering the active soda content below the conventionally employed levels. This is done by adding an acid and/or an aluminum salt solution such as an aluminum sulfate solution to the sodium silicate in the zeolite synthesis slurry. Alternatively, the desired alumina and silica starting materials can be supplied in part by using an aluminum salt gelled mother liquor such as an alum gelled mother liquor. This permits the use of less reactants which are high in soda such as sodium silicate and sodium aluminate which in turn reduces the amount of soda present. The addition of these soda removers or the use of low soda reactants permits the production of NaY having a silica/alumina ratio of 5.0 and higher. These Y zeolites have a high degree of crystallinity as measured by an NMR sharpness index defined herein and they have an absence of occluded silica. The final product can be ion exchanged to a low level of Na.sub.