Abstract: A novel process is provided for producing a poly(dithiocarbamate) resin chelating agent which comprises dissolving a polyimine in an alcohol solvent to form a polyimine solution. A polyisocyanate is admixed in the polyimine solution to produce a cross-linked polyamine-polyurea precursor resin. The cross-linked polyamine-polyurea precursor resin is then reacted with a mixture of NH.sub.4 OH and CS.sub.2 to produce a poly(dithiocarbamate) resin chelating agent.The novel process can employ a polyimine in anhydrous or aqueous suspension form and uses non-hazardous solvents for the polyisocyanate reactant.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for removing heavy metal contaminants from impure alkali metal nitrates containing them. The process comprises mixing the impure nitrates with sufficient water to form a concentrated aqueous solution of the impure nitrates, adjusting the pH of the resulting solution to within the range of between about 2 and about 7, adding sufficient reducing agent to react with heavy metal contaminants within said solution, adjusting the pH of the solution containing reducing agent to effect precipitation of heavy metal impurities and separating the solid impurities from the resulting purified aqueous solution of alkali metal nitrates. The resulting purified solution of alkali metal nitrates may be heated to evaporate water therefrom to produce purified molten alkali metal nitrate suitable for use as a heat transfer medium. If desired, the purified molten form may be granulated and cooled to form discrete solid particles of alkali metal nitrates.

Abstract: A method for stabilizing metal-silica, particularly aluminum-silica colloidal complexes in an alkali metal halide, particularly sodium chloride, brine used as an anolyte feedstock for membrane electrolytic cells. Such stabilization is achieved by modifying the startup procedure of the cell so as to promote a sufficient level of hydroxyl ion backmigration during electrolysis so as to keep the pH of said brine at a value about 3.5.

Abstract: Hydrogenation processes utilizing improved Raney nickel alloy catalysts are disclosed. The catalyst comprises a monolithic mesh type structure of a nickel alloy having an integral Beta phase Raney Ni.sub.x M.sub.1-x coating on its outer surfaces, where M is a catalytic activator selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum and titanium and where x, the weight fraction of nickel in the combined alloy, is between about 0.80 and about 0.95. The catalyst is effective in processes for hydrogenation of aromatic compounds of the type ##STR1## wherein K is either benzene or naphthalene, R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 9 carbon atoms or a phenyl radical, R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are hydrogen atoms, hydroxy, or nitro groups.

Abstract: A process for producing a concentrated aqueous solution of an alkali metal chlorate and an alkali metal chloride comprises feeding an aqueous alkali metal chloride solution to an electrolysis zone at a constant feed rate. Electric current is supplied to the electrolysis zone at an initial current load. The aqueous alkali metal chloride is electrolyzed to produce a concentrated chlorate solution comprised of an alkali metal chlorate and the alkali metal chloride. A portion of the concentrated solution is fed to an analysis zone and analyzed to measure the ratio of the concentration of the chlorate ion to the concentration of the chloride ion. The measured ratio is compared in a processing zone with a predetermined value range for the ratio and, where the measured ratio falls outside of the predetermined value range, altering the initial current load to the electrolysis zone. The concentrated alkali metal chlorate solution is recovered.

Abstract: A continuous process for producing granular calcium hypochlorite particles comprises admixing lime and an aqueous liquid in a mixing zone to form a lime slurry. The lime slurry is fed into a crystallizing zone along with a calcium hypochlorite-containing liquid to produce a slurry of coarse dibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals and to elutriate a fines slurry from the crystallizing zone. The coarse dibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals are separated from a dibasic hypochlorite mother liquor and fed to a chlorinating zone. Reaction of the coarse dibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals with a chlorinating agent is conducted to produce a slurry of hemibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals. The slurry is fed to a separator to separate a hemibasic hypochlorite mother liquor from the hemibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals.

Abstract: Hydrogenation processes utilizing improved Raney nickel alloy catalysts are disclosed. The catalyst comprises a monolithic mesh type structure of a nickel alloy having an integral Beta phase Raney Ni.sub.x M.sub.1-x coating on its outer surfaces, where M is a catalytic activator selected from the group consisting of molybdenum, ruthenium, tantalum and titanium and where x, the weight fraction of nickel in the combined alloy, is between about 0.80 and about 0.95. The catalyst is effective in processes for hydrogenating an amine-substituted aromatic compound of the type ##STR1## wherein K is either benzene or naphthalene, R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms or a phenyl radical, R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, an amine group or an aliphatic chain containing from about 1 to about 3 carbon atoms, R.sub.3 is hydrogen or an amine group, and R.sub.4 is an amine group.

Abstract: Water sanitizing compositions are disclosed which are comprised of a mixture of trichloroisocyanuric acid and an alkaline earth metal solubility promoting additive selected from the group consisting of the bicarbonate, carbonate, hydroxide, oxide and mixtures thereof of said alkaline earth metal. The compositions have a molar ratio of said additive to trichloroisocyanuric acid of from about 0.3:1 to about 3:1 and a moisture content of less than about 0.2 percent by weight of the compositions.The novel compositions rapidly dissolve in water bodies such as those found in swimming pools, commodes, automatic dishwashers and the like to quickly provide a sanitizing amount of available chlorine for sanitizing the water.

Abstract: A methanation reactor utilizing an improved catalyst for the conversion of CO, CO.sub.2 and mixtures thereof to CH.sub.4 is disclosed. The catalyst comprises a monolithic mesh type structure of a nickel alloy having an integral Beta phase Raney coating on its outer surfaces. When used, substantially higher reactant flow rates and lower operating temperatures are possible as compared to conventional fluidized bed granular catalysts.

Abstract: A process for drying wet particles of an available halogen compound which comprises:a. forming a substantially vertical circulating bed of dried particles of said available halogen compound suspended in a heated gas in a circular annular zone, said zone having an exterior perimeter and an interior perimeter and having contiguous sections comprised of a top, a feed side, a bottom and a dryer side,b. feeding wet particles of said available halogen compound into said circulating bed from the exterior perimeter of said feed side,c. feeding additional heated gas tangentially into said zone from the exterior perimeter of said bottom, the velocity of said heated gas being sufficient to maintain said circulating bed in said zone,d. withdrawing a product portion from said circulating bed from the interior perimeter of said feed side, downstream from said top, ande. recovering said dried particles of available halogen compound from said product portion.

Abstract: An improved process for the electrolysis of an aqueous electrolyte in an electrolytic membrane cell is provided. The membrane cell is comprised of an anode compartment having at least one anode and containing the aqueous electrolyte and a cathode compartment containing at least one cathode and a concentrated catholyte liquor. A vertically positioned cation exchange membrane separates the anode compartment from the cathode compartment. The process improvement comprises exposing a substantial portion of the cathode to a gaseous atmosphere, this substantial portion of the cathode is not immersed in the concentrated catholyte liquor produced. The concentrated aqueous catholyte liquor is removed from the cathode compartment to prevent a substantial accumulation of catholyte liquor in the cathode compartment.

Abstract: A process for producing calcium hypochlorite comprises wetting lime with an aqueous slurry of fine basic calcium hypochlorite crystals in a mixing zone to form an aqueous lime slurry. The aqueous lime slurry is reacted with a calcium hypochlorite solution in a crystallizing zone to produce a slurry of basic calcium hypochlorite crystals. The slurry of basic calcium hypochlorite crystals is separated in a first separation means into a slurry of fine basic calcium hypochlorite crystals and a slurry of coarse basic calcium hypochlorite crystals. The slurry of fine basic calcium hypochlorite crystals is returned to said mixing zone. The slurry of coarse basic calcium hypochlorite is conveyed to a second separation means to separate coarse crystals of basic calcium hypochlorite from a calcium hypochlorite mother liquor. Coarse crystals of basic calcium hypochlorite are admixed with lime and an alkali metal hypochlorite in a third mixing zone to form a mixed alkali slurry.

Abstract: A process for the production of m-fluoroacetophenone comprises reacting m-aminoacetophenone with a diazotization agent in the presence of hydrogen fluoride. The diazonium fluoride compound produced is decomposed by heating to produce highly pure m-fluoroacetophenone in good yields.

Abstract: The composition of and method for preparing a novel catalyst is disclosed for use in the hydrogenolysis of methyl glycol formals. The novel catalyst is prepared by impregnating a porous alumina substrate with a solution of compounds of nickel and ruthenium, and evaporating and reducing the resulting slurry to provide a substrate impregnated with a catalytic surface composition comprised of a mixture of metallic nickel and metallic ruthenium. When this catalyst is used as the catalyst in the hydrogenolysis of methyl glycol formals, improved reaction rates in the formation of the desired glycol dimethyl ether are obtained.

Abstract: A process for removing chlorate ions from a recirculating anolyte brine as typically used in membrane chlor-alkali cells is disclosed. In this, a portion of the circulating brine after dechlorination and resaturation with additional alkali metal chloride is diverted and treated with a stoichiometric amount of hydrochloric acid to convert substantially all of the chlorate to chlorine gas and chloride ion. When performed in this manner, substantially lower quantities of acid are required as compared to prior art processes and the problems with the generation of ClO.sub.2 are minimized.

Abstract: Water sanitizing compositions are disclosed which are comprised of a mixture of trichloroisocyanuric acid and an alkaline earth metal solubility promoting additive selected from the group consisting of the bicarbonate, carbonate, hydroxide, oxide and mixtures thereof of said alkaline earth metal. The compositions have a molar ratio of said additive to trichloroisocyanuric acid of from about 0.3:1 to about 3:1 and a moisture content of less than about 0.2 percent by weight of the compositions.The novel compositions rapidly dissolve in water bodies such as those found in swimming pools, commodes, automatic dishwashers and the like to quickly provide a sanitizing amount of available chlorine for sanitizing the water.

Abstract: A process for the production of chlorine dioxide comprises feeding an inert gas to a reaction zone and applying an electrical discharge to the inert gas to produce a high temperature plasma. Chlorine gas and oxygen gas are supplied simultaneously to the reaction zone and reacted in the plasma to produce a gaseous mixture comprised of chlorine dioxide, chlorine, oxygen and inert gas, the molar ratio of oxygen to chlorine in the reaction zone being at least about 2.5:1. The gaseous mixture is recovered from the reaction zone. Chlorine dioxide, which may be recovered as a gas or reacted to produce an alkali metal chlorite, is employed as a bleaching agent and a water treatment agent.

Abstract: Calcium hypochlorite is produced by admixing a slurry of lime containing soluble impurities with a saturated calcium hypochlorite solution in a crystallizing zone. An impure slurry of coarse and small dibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals and fine insolubles in a mother liquor is formed and fed to the intermediate section of a separation zone. An aqueous sodium chloride elutriant is fed to the lower section of the separation zone to separate a slurry of fine insolubles, which is conveyed in the elutriant to the upper section of the separation zone, and small crystals of dibasic calcium hypochlorite, which can be recycled to the crystallizing zone or destroyed by chlorination, from the dibasic calcium hypochlorite solution. A slurry of purified coarse dibasic calcium hypochlorite crystals in the elutriant is removed from the lower section of the separation zone at a rate controlled to maintain a rising velocity in the lower section of the separation zone of from about 0.5 to about 7 centimeters per minute.

Abstract: A porous diaphragm for an electrolytic cell for the electrolysis of alkali metal halides is comprised of a thermoplastic support fabric impregnated with particles of a siliceous composition. The thermoplastic support fabric has an anode side, a cathode side opposite the anode side, and a thickness of at least 0.3 millimeters. The cathode side has a greater hydrophobicity than the anode side. To provide greater hydrophobicity which results in controlled, reduced cell voltages, for example, the cathode side of the support fabric is treated with an oxidizing agent.

Abstract: An improved reticulate electrode is produced by coating only one surface with a hydrophobic coating agent. Suitable hydrophobic coating agents includes thermoplastic polymers such as polyolefins, polyhalo-olefins, polyarylene sulfides and sulfone polymers. A preferred embodiment of the reticulate electrode is produced in a method which comprises:(a) affixing filaments to a support fabric to form a network of filaments, the filaments being comprised of a metal or metal sensitized plastic,(b) depositing an electroconductive metal on the filaments to form metal coated filaments, the deposition providing interfilament bonding at contact sites between adjacent filaments,(c) removing the support fabric from the metal coated filament network to produce a reticulate electrode having a porosity of at least 80 percent, and(d) depositing on only one surface of the reticulate electrode a coating of a hydrophobic coating agent.