Abstract: Elevated temperature distortion characteristics of freshly prepared olefin polymer foams are substantially improved by employing in the preparation thereof a small amount (e.g., from about 0.15 to about 10 weight percent based on the olefin polymer) of certain selected N-substituted fatty acid amide compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group of from 11 to 17 carbon atoms and R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group of from 12 to 18 carbon atoms.

Abstract: The char-forming characteristics of vinyl aromatic polymers are improved by the incorporation therein of (1) active allyl and/or benzyl carbon moieties and (2) an arylsulfonate ester. In an example, a styrenic polymer comprising polyvinylbenzylacetate is given increased char-forming ability by the presence of pentaerythritol parabromobenzenesulfonate.

Abstract: The use, in an otherwise conventional polyolefin extrusion foaming process, of a stability control agent (e.g., stearamide, EAA copolymer, etc.) in conjunction with certain mixed blowing agent systems (e.g., 5-50 weight percent trichloromonofluoromethane and 50-95 weight percent dichlorodifluoromethane) provides closed-cell olefin polymer foam articles having increased maximum achievable cross-sections and good dimensional stability.

Abstract: A method for foaming heat foamable thermoplastic resin preforms and the product produced thereby. Said preforms are foamed in a series of foaming stages, said series comprising at least one stress-relieving foaming stage and at least one additional foaming stage subsequent thereto and at a higher temperature. This method facilitates the production of foam sheets, slabs and planks of better quality than that provided by previously known single stage foaming methods. In an example, a crosslinked, expandable, polyethylene preform is foamed by such a method using two foaming stages.

Abstract: Method for treatment of a solid material submerged in a body of liquid wherein the material is sticky and/or has relatively low tensile strength. The material being treated is supported, while so submerged, by a dynamic boundary layer of a liquid material between the treated material and a stationary porous restraining surface, the layer being created by the forced diffusion of said liquid through the pores of said stationary surface. The method is illustrated by heating and thereby foaming a strip of heat foamable thermoplastic resin while it is held submerged in a denser heat transfer liquid by a dynamic layer of said heat transfer liquid, said layer of heat transfer liquid being created by the forced diffusion thereof through a porous plate in operative communication with a pressurized chamber containing a supply of said liquid.

Abstract: Aqueous copolymer latexes comprising colloidally dispersed, substantially spheroidal copolymer particles having a predominantly hydrophobic core portion and having a relatively hydrophilic polymeric portion which is preferentially oriented toward the outer surface thereof (e.g., a relatively hydrophilic shell portion) are prepared by (a) first emulsion polymerizing an initial monomer charge to form a first aqueous latex of a substantially linear, relatively hydrophilic polymer and (b) thereafter emulsion polymerizing a major proportion (e.g., from about 50 to about 95 parts by weight) of a second (and relatively more hydrophobic) monomer charge in the presence of a minor proportion (e.g., from about 5 to about 50 parts by weight on a polymer solids basis) of said first, relatively hydrophilic polymer latex.

Abstract: Lightweight coated paper articles having a desirable combination of properties are obtained through the use of coating compositions employing as the binder component thereof certain novel polymeric dispersions which comprise a major proportion on a dry basis of an alkali insoluble polymer and a minor proportion (e.g., from about 0.5 to about 25 weight percent on a dry basis based upon the alkali insoluble polymer) of certain alkali soluble polymers. Exemplary of the alkali insoluble polymers employed herein are both the carboxylated and noncarboxylated versions of known addition polymerized synthetic polymers having a glass transition temperature of about 50.degree. C. or less. Exemplary of the alkali soluble polymers employed herein are synthetic addition polymers comprising (in polymerized form and in weight percent based on such polymer) from about 40 to about 90 percent of a vinyl ester of a carboxylic acid (e.g., vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate, etc.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for detecting the presence of, for measuring the magnitude of, and for determining the location of, variations in the distance between the tenter chains in a carpet drying oven. Such apparatus facilitates the measurement of the distance between the tenter chains at various positions along the length of the oven without the need for prolonged shut-down of the oven as has heretofore been required for manual obtention of such measurements. In addition, the instant apparatus allows such measurement to be made while the tenter is under tension due to the weight of the carpet thereon.

Abstract: Aqueous antimicrobial compositions which comprise a halogenated amide antimicrobial, such as 2,2-dibromonitrilopropionamide, a water miscible organic solvent such as a straight chain polyalkylene glycol (e.g., polyethylene glycol 200) or an ether thereof (e.g., a mono- or di-lower alkyl and/or phenyl ether) and water are stabilized against decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial by the addition of an acid or anhydride stabilizer such as acetic acid, glycolic acid, boric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, succinic anhydride, etc. The compositions, so stabilized, exhibit reduced rates of decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial relative to the corresponding non-stabilized aqueous compositions.

Abstract: Aqueous antimicrobial compositions which comprise a halogenated amide antimicrobial, such as 2,2-dibromonitrilopropionamide, a water miscible organic solvent such as a straight chain polyalkylene glycol (e.g., polyethylene glycol 200) or an ether thereof (e.g., a mono- or di-lower alkyl and/or phenyl ether) and water and which have improved stability are obtained by ensuring that such compositions are substantially free of glycols having a molecular weight of less than about 70 and of salts of organic acids. The resulting improved compositions exhibit reduced rates of decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial relative to the corresponding aqueous compositions containing salts of organic acids and/or glycols having a molecular weight of less than about 70.

Abstract: Certain sulfonium salts are herein described which are useful corrosion inhibitors in aqueous acidic cleaning solutions, even in the presence of ferric ions.

Abstract: Low molecular weight polymers of an unsaturated dicarboxylic anhydride monomer (e.g., maleic anhydride) and a copolymerizable monomer (e.g., styrene) are prepared by an improved process which comprises polymerizing the monomers in the presence of the hydroxide or a nucleophilic salt of a monovalent cation (e.g., a nucleophilic salt or the hydroxide of the ammonium cation, a quaternary ammonium compound, a protonated primary, secondary or tertiary amine, a sulfonium compound, a phosphonium compound or an alkali metal cation). By the practice of this process, low molecular weight polymers are conveniently and economically obtained without the use of high catalyst concentrations, high temperatures, conventional chain transfer agents, high boiling chain transfer solvents or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Novel cyclic sulfonium ylids corresponding to the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a hydrocarbylene radical (or a hydrocarbylene radical whose chain length is interrupted by an atom of oxygen or sulfur) of from 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, are useful as cross-linking agents for carboxyl-containing polymers. The compounds are conveniently prepared by reacting phenacyltetrahydrothiophenium bromide with the corresponding hydrocarbylene diisocyanate in the presence of a strong base (e.g. sodium hydride) and anhydrous tetrahydrofuran.

Abstract: Aqueous antimicrobial compositions which comprise a halogenated amide antimicrobial, such as 2,2-dibromonitrilopropionamide, a water miscible organic solvent such as a straight chain polyalkylene glycol (e.g., polyethylene glycol 200) or an ether thereof (e.g., a mono- or di- lower alkyl and/or phenyl ether) and water are stabilized against decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial by the addition of a cyclic ether stabilizer such as tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydropyran, 1,4-dioxane, sym-trioxane, N-methyl morpholine, etc. The compositions, so stabilized, exhibit reduced rates of decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial relative to the corresponding non-stabilized aqueous compositions.

Abstract: Low molecular weight polymers of an unsaturated dicarboxylic anhydride monomer (e.g., maleic anhydride) and a copolymerizable monomer (e.g., styrene) are prepared by an improved process which comprises polymerizing the monomers in the presence of the hydroxide or a nucleophilic salt of a monovalent cation (e.g., a nucleophilic salt or the hydroxide of an ammonium compound or of an alkali metal). By the practice of this process, low molecular weight polymers are conveniently and economically obtained without the use of high catalyst concentrations, high temperatures, conventional chain transfer agents, high boiling chain transfer solvents or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Improved copolymer latexes and flame-retardant or self-extinguishing adhesive compositions comprising such latexes are provided wherein the copolymer particles of the latexes are beneficially composed of from about 5 to about 60 weight percent of an aliphatic conjugated diolefin; from about 5 to about 55 weight percent of an aromatic vinyl monomer, an acrylate ester or a methacrylate ester; from about 0.5 to about 10 weight percent of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid; and from about 25 to about 70 weight percent of vinylidene chloride and wherein the copolymer latexes are obtained by first emulsion copolymerizing a first monomer mixture which includes substantially all of the vinylidene chloride, and then emulsion copolymerizing, in the presence of the first copolymerization product, a second monomer mixture which includes substantially all of the aliphatic conjugated diolefin and substantially all of any aromatic vinyl monomer to be employed.

Abstract: Aqueous antimicrobial compositions which comprise a halogenated amide antimicrobial, such as 2,2-dibromonitrilopropionamide, a water miscible organic solvent such as a straight chain polyalkylene glycol (e.g., polyethylene glycol 200) or an ether thereof (e.g., a mono- or di-lower alkyl and/or phenyl ether) and water are stabilized against decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial by the addition of an azine or nitrile stabilizer, such as s-triazine-2,4,6-triol (i.e., cyanuric acid), 2-chloro-4,6-(ethylamino)-s-triazine, succinonitrile, cyanoguanadine, etc. The compositions, so stabilized, exhibit reduced rates of decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial relative to the corresponding non-stabilized aqueous compositions.

Abstract: Aqueous antimicrobial compositions which comprise a halogenated amide antimicrobial, such as 2,2-dibromonitrilopropionamide, a water miscible organic solvent such as a straight chain polyalkylene glycol (e.g., polyethylene glycol 200) or an ether thereof (e.g., a mono- or di-lower alkyl and/or phenyl ether) and water are stabilized against decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial by the addition of a carbamoyl or sulfamoyl stabilizer, such as dimethyl formamide, sulfamide, urea, oxamide, biuret, caprolactam, succinimide, etc. The compositions, so stabilized, exhibit reduced rates of decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial relative to the corresponding non-stabilized aqueous compositions.

Abstract: Aqueous antimicrobial compositions which comprise a halogenated amide antimicrobial, such as 2,2-dibromonitrilopropionamide, a water miscible organic solvent such as a straight chain polyalkylene glycol (e.g., polyethylene glycol 200) or an ether thereof (e.g., a mono- or di- lower alkyl and/or phenyl ether) and water are stabilized against decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial by the addition of an aldehyde stabilizer, such as formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, N-formyl piperidine, vanillin, etc. The compositions so stabilized exhibit reduced rates of decomposition of the halogenated amide antimicrobial relative to the corresponding non-stabilized aqueous compositions.

Abstract: Certain sulfonium salts are herein described which are useful corrosion inhibitors in aqueous acidic cleaning solutions, even in the presence of ferric ions.