Abstract: A compound electrode incorporating a lead substrate utilizes the lead as a support structure. This support structure provides a surface that engages a valve metal expanded metal mesh. The mesh member has a front and back surface with the back surface facing the lead support structure. At least the front surface of the mesh member is an active surface. Securing of the mesh member to the lead support structure in electrical connection permits the lead support structure to serve as a current distributor for the mesh member. The mesh member may engage the surface of the lead support structure by pressing or rolling the mesh onto the lead. Other engagement means can include the use of fasteners, or welding and the like. The resulting structure can be particularly useful as an electrode assembly for use in an electrolytic cell that serves for the electrowinning of a metal.

Abstract: High-temperature oil-resistant elastomers are prepared from butadiene alkenylpyridine copolymers, butadiene-acrylate copolymers, and copolymers of butadiene with 1,3-dienes containing fluorine. The unsaturated olefinic backbone and pendant unsaturation derived from the hydrocarbon diene of each of the copolymers is hydrogenated to a high degree by a catalyst which improves the heat resistance of the copolymer without hydrogenation of the polar groups thereof which would lower the oil-resistance of the copolymer. A complexing agent for the hydrogenation catalyst prevents poisoning of the catalyst by the polar groups of the copolymers thereby enabling the catalyst to complex with unsaturated sites along the olefinic copolymer backbone to achieve high levels of hydrogenation thereof.

Abstract: Vinyl ester resins of the type already having reactive liquid polymers reacted into the backbone of the resins, are cured in the presence of a reactive liquid polymer additive admixed with the prereacted vinyl ester resin. Heating of the system during cure causes the reactive liquid polymer additive to miscibilize with the vinyl ester base resin. The vinyl ester resin modified in the manner described above shows a significant enhancement in toughness as measured by fracture energy over unmodified counterparts or counterparts modified by known methods of adduction or admixing alone.