Abstract: The invention is a process for the aqueous conversion and upgrading of organic resource materials carried out by contacting organic resource materials selected from the group consisting of coal, shale, coal liquids, shale oil, and bitumen with liquid water in the absence of externally supplied hydrogen or reducing agents, controlling the temperature in the range from above about 200.degree. C. to below the critical temperature of water to maintain water in a liquid phase, wherein the pressure is the corresponding vapor pressure (autogenous pressure) of the system, for a time sufficient to effect the conversion and upgrading process. Additionally, the contacting may be conducted in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of a brine catalyst, clay catalyst and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed in this invention are novel road paving asphaltic compositions having improved viscoelastic properties and storage stability and unexpected phase compatibility. They contain neutralized mixtures of oxidized asphalt and an acid functionalized polymer, which polymer is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated EPDM, sulfonated styrene-butadiene, and acrylic acid terpolymers, in an amount that is sufficient to result in an asphaltic composition having a softening point greater about 55.degree. C. and a viscosity in the range from about 150 cPs to 2000 cPs or from about 3000 cPs to about 8000 cPs at 135.degree. C. and effective to allow the formation of one continuous phase or two interdispersed phases that do not segregate on standing at elevated temperatures. The basic neutralizing agent used in these compositions contain cations having a valence of from +1 to +3, preferably +2. The invention also relates to the products produced by the process and method of making the compositions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for reactively separating hydrolyzable polymers, such as PET, in mixtures of the polymer and certain non-hydrolyzable polymers, specifically polyolefins by converting the hydrolyzable polymers to their corresponding water soluble components (e.g., PET to ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid) in the presence of liquid water at temperatures from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water and autogenous pressure. The process has utility in recycling and waste material separation processes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for making metal fulleride compositions having the formula A.sub.n (C.sub.x).sub.m, wherein A is a metal cation and C.sub.x is a fullerene anion, preferably C.sub.x is C.sub.60 or C.sub.70, wherein n is a number equal to the absolute value of the valence of the fullerene anion, wherein m is equal to the absolute value of the valence of A, wherein the values of n and m are divided by their greatest common factor, if any, and wherein the metal fulleride composition is neutral in charge. This process comprises reacting a metal with a fullerene in a solvent or mixture of solvents in which the fullerene is at least partly soluble at a temperature from greater than the freezing point to equal to or less than the boiling point of the solvent, for a time sufficient to form the metal fulleride composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for dehydrochlorinating polyvinylchloride polymers to remove about 30 wt % chlorine therefrom by heating the starting materials PVC and deoxygenated liquid water, preferably neutral liquid water at temperatures from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure to maintain the water as a liquid phase. The process has utility in recycling by enabling PVC to be dechlorinated specifically by a means that does not release chlorine gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for depolymerizing polyacrylonitrile into water soluble by-products, including ammonia and lower molecular weight carbonaceous materials by contacting the starting materials, polyacrylonitrile, and neutral, hot liquid water at a temperature from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure. The present invention has utility as a means for degrading polyacrylonitrile without producing toxic hydrogen cyanide as a by-product.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel compositions of matter that are lube oils comprising an oil/hydrocarbon soluble fullerene grafted amine-containing polymers and a suitable base oil and, optionally other suitable additives for use as a lubricating oil. This invention also relates to the method of using the fullerene grafted amine-containing polymer itself as additives to base oils. The graft is made by reacting a fullerene with a primary or secondary amine-containing polymer, preferably hydrocarbon containing polymers. Suitable starting polymers are those containing primary or secondary amino groups, e.g., EPDM amine, PIB-amine, PIBSA-PAM, and Mannich based polymers. The lube oil compositions are made by adding an effective amount of the polymer, and optionally, other suitable additives to a base oil typically on an active ingredient basis of from about 0.01 to about 20 wt. %.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel compositions of matter, fullerene graft amine-containing polymers, and the process of making them. The graft is made by reacting a fullerene with a primary or secondary amine-containing polymer, preferably a hydrocarbon containing polymer in effective amounts, typically from about 10:1 to about 1:10 mole ratio of reactive amine in polymer to fullerene for a time and under conditions effective to produce the compositions. Suitable starting polymers are those containing primary or secondary amino groups, e.g., EPDM amine, PIB-amine, PIBSA-PAM, and Mannich based polymers. The preferred polymers are oil soluble, as the novel compositions of that type may be used as viscosity modifiers and lube additives. The crosslinked compositions may be used in essentially any application as the original polymer, but in which an increase in tensile strength would be desired.

Abstract: This invention relates to polymeric compositions comprising unhydrogenated or substantially unhydrogenated sulfonated copolymers of (poly)styrene and a (poly)conjugated diene, e.g., (poly)butadiene or (poly)isoprene, preferably (poly)butadiene containing less than about 1.0 wt. %, preferably less than about 0.8 wt. % sulfur, preferably from about 0.2 to about 0.7, more preferably from about 0.22 to about 0.6 wt. % sulfur, as well as base-neutralized products thereof. The invention includes the polymeric compositions produced by the process of sulfonating unhydrogenated copolymers of (poly)styrene and a conjugated diene, e.g., (poly)butadiene or (poly)isoprene, preferably (poly)butadiene, which process optionally includes base neutralizing the sulfonated copolymer. This invention further relates to the process for making these novel copolymers comprising combining an unhydrogenated or substantially unhydrogenated copolymer of (poly)styrene and a conjugated diene, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for depolymerizing and dehalogenating rubber materials by heating the rubber materials with neutral liquid water at temperatures from about 200.degree. C. up to the critical temperature of water at autogenous pressure. The process has utility in degrading rubber materials, and further does not release hydrogen halogen into a gas phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel compositions of matter comprising fullerenes and polymers, wherein the fullerenes are combined with the polymer in an amount sufficient to result in a change or modification in the viscoelastic properties of the resulting composition from that of the unmodified polymer typically within the range of from about 0.01 wt. % to about 85 wt. %. Also included in the present invention is the process for making the novel fullerene-polymer compositions and the products produced by the process disclosed therein. The novel compositions show changes in the viscoelastic properties in comparison to the unmodified polymer, and hence, have utility in any application in which the unmodified polymer may be used, but wherein the application would benefit from the resulting change in the viscoelastic properties.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for selectively producing alkyl halides from alkanes, such as methane and ethane at relatively mild temperatures and pressures in an organic liquid phase in the presence of halogen and transition metal complex. The alkane may be neat if in a liquid form, or may be solubilized with a suitable organic solvent, if the alkane not a liquid at reaction conditions. The reaction is for a time, under conditions of temperature and pressure and in effective amounts that will permit the formation of alkyl halides. Optional hydrolysis to the corresponding alcohols may follow. The alkyl halides have utility as precursors for alternative fuels, such as methanol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for producing silicon and/or aluminum containing iron alloy product as well as the material produced from same in either sheet or bulk structure form for electromagnetic circuit application. The process entails modifying an iron feedstock containing less than about 2.5 wt % silicon, aluminum or a combination thereof. The process further consists of diffusion of silicon or silicon and aluminum or aluminum into an iron feedstock by a pack diffusion or a chemical vapor deposition method in which the iron feedstock is heated to a temperature at which diffusion occurs in the presence of a pack containing silicon and/or aluminum sources, a reducing agent, a catalyst, and a filler, or in the presence of a flowing gas stream containing a volatile silicon compound. The resulting iron alloy product, which has a silicon content in the range of 0.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing organic hydroperoxides by selectively oxidizing aryl alkyl hydrocarbons to their corresponding organic hydroperoxides using a catalyst certain tetranuclear manganese complexes. The process is carried out without appreciable decomposition by the catalyst of the resulting organic hydroperoxides, and without oxidation by the catalyst of other hydrocarbons present in the starting mixture.The process of the present invention is useful for producing organic hydroperoxides, which themselves are useful as starting materials for a number of commercial reactions, for example, phenol and acetone production.

Abstract: Novel polymers consisting essentially of frecurring moieties selected from polyquinoxaline and substituted polyquinoxalines are disclosed. These polymers are prepared by contacting 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline or 1,2,3,4-organo substituted tetrahydroquinoxaline compounds with a transition metal sulfide catalyst at elevated temperatures. Also disclosed are quaternary ammonium derivatives of the novel polymers, their preparation and use.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst for hydrogenation of aromatic compounds, which comprises a hydrophilic support material; and a stationary aqueous acid phase supported by the hydrophilic support material, the aqueous acid having a transition metal catalyst dissolved therein, Preferably, the solid hydrophilic support material is an acidic material, such as an acid-treated clay.The foregoing catalyst is particularly useful in hydrogenating aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract: The present invention is predicated on the discovery that quinoline and substituted quinoline derivatives, having substituents in positions other than the 2 and 6 position, undergo polymerization in the presence of tetrahydroquinoline or substituted tetrahydroquinolines and a transition metal sulfide catalyst to produce polymers that have repeating quinoline and substituted moieties.Thus, in one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a novel method of preparing polymers having the formula ##STR1## which comprises contacting a tetrahydroquinoline having the formula ##STR2## with a quinoline compound having the formula ##STR3## at elevated temperatures and in the presence of a transition metal sulfide catalyst wherein the metal is selected from Groups VIB, VIIB of the periodic table and mixtures thereof and wherein the Rs (i.e. R.sub.3, R.sub.4, etc.) and the R's (i.e. R'.sub.3, R'.sub.4, etc.