Abstract: Polyurethane polyene compositions are obtained by reacting from about 10 to about 50 parts by weight of a polyene in the presence of about 100 parts by weight of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The resulting products will swell and increase in weight upon immersion in water and are permeable to gases, moisture vapor ions, and other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory.

Abstract: Polyurethane quaternary ammonium salts are obtained by heating a solution of a polyurethane resin characterized by having present in the polymer backbone hydroxyl groups and at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of carboxylate radicals and carboxyl radicals dissolved in a water-miscible organic solvent for the resin at a temperature above 64.degree. C. and below the decomposition temperature of said polyurethane resin with an organic chloride for a period of time; adding a strong base to the reaction mixture and continuing to heat said mixture to form a polyurethane quaternary ammonium hydroxide in solution; and precipitating the polyurethane quaternary ammonium hydroxide by pouring the reaction mixture into an excess of water.

Abstract: A mixed phenyl/mesityl phosphate ester composition that is useful as a fire retardant additive, having a phosphorus content of from about 8.2% to about 8.4% is prepared by reacting with agitation at about 120.degree. C. to 130.degree. C. distilled still bottom phenols with phosphorus oxychloride in the presence of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst to form a reaction product containing a substantial quantity of monoaryl phosphodichloridate and diaryl phosphochloridate. This reaction product is then further reacted at an elevated temperature with sufficient phenol to form a triaryl phosphate ester mixture. The mixed phenyl/mesityl phosphate ester so obtained remains a liquid at room temperature over a substantial period of time.

Abstract: A flame retardant polyphenylene ether-styrene resin composition having a UL-94 rating of V-1 or better, a heat distortion temperature greater than 92.degree. C. and a melt viscosity at 260.degree. C. of less than 200 pascal second is obtained by incorporating with said polyphenylene ether-styrene resin composition from about 4 to about 7 parts per hundred of a triaryl phosphate ester and from about 0.5 to about 3 parts per hundred of a 3-hydroxyalkyl phosphine oxide having the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 may be the same or a different radical selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and the methyl radicals, R.sub.2 is a radical of 4 to 8 carbon atoms and n is either zero or one.

Abstract: Epoxy resins are rendered fire retardant by the addition thereto of a 3-hydroxyalkylphosphine oxide. Other halogen containing flame retardants may or may not be present in the composition. Mixtures containing a brominated epoxide and/or a halogenated phosphine oxide provide a high level of flame retardance at low levels of the additive. The epoxy resins may be heat cured in the presence of an acid anhydride or amine to form a polymer having the phosphine oxide incorporated in the polymer molecule.

Abstract: Polyurethane diacrylate compositions are obtained by reacting a diacrylate in the presence of from about 65 to about 95 weight percent of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The compositions will form a hydrogel upon immersion in water and are permeable to gases, ions and other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory. The compositions are useful as carriers for pharmacologically active agents in forming an oral delivery system.

Abstract: Gas and ion permeable membranes useful as burn dressings, surgical drapes and the like formed of polyurethane diacrylate compositions obtained by reacting a diacrylate in the presence of from about 65 to about 95 weight percent of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The compositions will form a hydrogel upon immersion in water and are also permeable to other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory.

Abstract: Canulae formed of or having a coating of polyurethane diacrylate compositions obtained by reacting a diacrylate in the presence of from about 65 to about 95 weight percent of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The compositions will form a hydrogel upon immersion in water and are permeable to gases, ions and other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory.

Abstract: Surgical implants, intrauterine devices and the like formed of polyurethane diacrylate compositions obtained by reacting a diacrylate in the presence of from about 65 to about 95 weight percent of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The compositions will form a hydrogel upon immersion in water and are permeable to gases, ions and other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory. The shaped products contain distributed therein a desired medicament.

Abstract: Polyurethane diacrylate compositions are obtained by reacting a diacrylate in the presence of from about 30 to about 95 weight percent of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The resulting products will form a hydrogel upon immersion in water and are permeable to gases, ions and other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory. The compositions are useful for making contact lenses and numerous forms of surgical devices, among other things.

Abstract: Epoxy resins are rendered fire retardant by the addition thereto of a 3-hydroxyalkylphosphine oxide. Other halogen containing flame retardants may or may not be present in the composition. Mixtures containing a brominated epoxide and/or a halogenated phosphine oxide provide a high level of flame retardance at low levels of the additive. The epoxy resins may be heat cured in the presence of an acid anhydride or amine to form a polymer having the phosphine oxide incorporated in the polymer molecule.

Abstract: Mixed ether compositions containing oligomers of polyhydroxyalkyl phosphine oxide are prepared by heating a polyhydroxyalkyl phosphine oxide in the presence of an acid catalyst at temperatures within the range of from about 139.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C. and removing water from the reaction mixture. When the reaction is conducted in the presence of an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic alcohol having one or more hydroxyl groups mixed phosphine oxide ethers of the added alcohol are formed. The mixed ether compositions of the present invention are useful fire retardant additives.

Abstract: Calcined trona and/or nahcolite bearing ore particles are separated into a plurality of fractions of relatively uniform particle size. Those calcined particles smaller than about 6.7 mm in size and larger than about 0.2 mm in size are passed through an electrostatic separator to obtain an ore concentrate containing a greater percentage of soda ash and a lesser percentage of insoluble impurities than were present in the ore; a middling fraction and an ore tailing fraction containing a lesser percentage of soda ash and a greater percentage of insoluble impurities than were present in the ore. The middling fraction may be recycled to increase the yield of ore concentrate. Calcined particles smaller than about 0.2 mm may be combined with the ore concentrate. The combined ore concentrate fraction may be marked as technical grade soda ash or used as a high grade feed to a monohydrate refining process.

Abstract: Removing hydrogen sulfide from geothermal steam condensate is described whereby the hydrogen sulfide that is present in the condensate from a geothermal steam plant is oxidized with a peroxygen compound such as hydrogen peroxide in the presence of catalytic quantities of sodium vanadate under neutral to alkaline conditions.

Abstract: Polyurethane diacrylate compositions are obtained by reacting a diacrylate in the presence of from about 30 to about 95 weight percent of a hydrophilic polyurethane resin. The resulting products will form a hydrogel upon immersion in water and are permeable to gases, ions and other low molecular weight species. The hydrophilic polyurethane diacrylate compositions may be molded to form shaped products that are dimensionally stable after repeated exposure to boiling water and exhibit memory.

Abstract: A polyphenylene ether resin composition comprising:(i) from about 30 to about 90 weight percent of a graft copolymer free from polyphenylene ether homopolymers prepared by polymerizing 20 to 200 parts by weight of styrene-type compound at a temperature in the range from 130.degree. C. to 200.degree. C. in the presence of 100 parts by weight of polyphenylene ether and 0.1 to 15 parts by weight of a radical initiator and(ii) 10 to 70 weight percent of a styrene-type compound polymer having a number average molecular weight in the range from 50,000 to 200,000; is rendered fire retardant by the addition of an effective amount of a phosphine oxide having the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 may be the same or different radicals selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and the methyl radical, R.sub.2 is an alkyl radical of 4 to 8 carbon atoms and n is either zero or one.

Abstract: The growth of Clostridium botulinum and the production of enterotoxin in comminuted meat products is inhibited by adding to such products an effective amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of hypophosphorous acid and non-toxic salts thereof in combination with minor amounts of sodium nitrite.

Abstract: Tertiary-alkyl phosphines, such as tris-(3-hydroxypropyl) phosphine may be oxidized by heating in the presence of water and between about 0.1 and about 10% by weight of an acid catalyst at a temperature above about 100.degree. C.

Abstract: Epoxy resins are rendered fire retardant by the addition thereto of a 3-hydroxyalkylphosphine oxide. Other halogen containing flame retardants may or may not be present in the composition. Mixtures containing a brominated epoxide and/or a halogenated phosphine oxide provide a high level of flame retardance at low levels of the additive. The epoxy resins may be heat cured in the presence of an acid anhydride or amine to form a polymer having the phosphine oxide incorporated in the polymer molecule.

Abstract: Polyurethane compositions are rendered fire retardant by substitution for some of the polyol normally present in the reaction mixture, an effective amount of a 3-hydroxypropyl phosphine oxide such as sec-butyl bis(3-hydroxypropyl) phosphine oxide.