Abstract: A method for conditioning edible seeds (cereal grains, pulses, etc.) prior to rolling is disclosed wherein a sorbate is dispersed in steam with which the seeds are contacted. The conditioned grain has increased shelf life (improved resistance to growth of microorganisms) and is also less prone to production of fines.

Abstract: An improved animal feed supplement having reduced corrosion characteristics is obtained by forming an aqueous solution containing 87-90 percent by weight 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio)-butanoic acid and partially neutralizing the solution to a pH of 0.9-1.2.

Abstract: Adhesive compositions providing high bond strength, long shelf life, desirable flow characteristics and end use versatility are prepared by mixing a copolymer of olefinic monomers including maleic anhydride and/or derivatives thereof, plasticizer and at least one monofunctional compound which reacts with the copolymer to render it soluble in the resulting mixture and substantially soluble in the plasticizer. Water based, hot melt and pressure sensitive embodiments of such compositions are included.

Abstract: Acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphate having a length to average diameter ratio of at least 10:1 can be prepared by forming a melt of materials used as a source of calcium, phosphorus and alkali metal, cooling the melt to about 550.degree. C. to about 970.degree. C., inducing acicular crystal formation, and recovering the acicular crystals. The diameters of the resultant acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphates can average as small as 0.5 micron or smaller. Acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphate can also be prepared with an average diameter of several microns and a length of several centimeters. Such acicular, crystalline calcium metaphosphates are useful in a number of applications, and particularly to prepare composites with organic polymeric materials.

Abstract: Asbestiform crystalline calcium M phosphate, where M is sodium or lithium, having a length to average diameter ratio of at least 5:1, can be prepared by forming a melt of a source of oxygen, calcium, phosphorus and M having a mole ratio of about 15 percent to about 30 percent M.sub.2 O, about 48 percent to about 60 percent P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and about 20 percent to about 37 percent CaO, cooling the melt within the range of about 500.degree. C. to about 750.degree. C. for a sufficient time to permit blocks of calcium M phosphate to form, and fiberizing the blocks into the asbestiform crystals. Such asbestiform crystalline calcium M phosphates are useful to prepare composites of organic polymeric materials.

Abstract: Including an aminophosphonate and a hydroxyphosphonate in an aqueous bath in which a textile material is dyed with a water-insoluble (e.g. disperse) dye results in improved dyeing (uniformity, water-fastness, etc.) and, in dyeing of polyester fiber, eliminates the need for use of a swelling agent.

Abstract: Various clay substances, such as kaolin, can be reversibly deflocculated by treating the flocculant clay slurry with a deflocculating amount of a polymer having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n averages at least 4; M is selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, ammonium, and alkanol amine groups having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are individually any chemically stable group which stabilizes the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution. When the polymer depolymerizes, the clay slurry will reflocculate under agitated or quiescent conditions. The length of time that the slurry remains fluid depends on the pH, the concentration of the polymer, and the hydrolytic stability of the polymer.

Abstract: Ultraphosphoric acid containing a phosphorus to hydrogen ratio of greater than 1 can be prepared by bringing together in a reaction zone elemental phosphorus and a sufficient amount of oxygen in a free-oxygen containing gas to form phosphorus pentoxide, and a sufficient amount of water to form ultraphosphoric acid. The mole ratio of water to phosphorus pentoxide is maintained less than 1:1. Heat is removed from the product stream of the reaction zone to condense at least some of the ultraphosphoric acid which is then collected. In the preferred embodiment, a heat exchange fluid such as pressurized water is circulated through a cooling coil positioned to remove heat from the product stream of the reaction zone. The ultraphosphoric acid can be combined with water to provide polyphosphoric acid.

Abstract: A polymer having the average structure: ##STR1## wherein Y is a moiety containing 1 to about 20 carbon atoms randomly distributed along the polymer chain derived from a comonomer selected from the group consisting of aldehydes and epoxy compounds; p is 0 or 1; the product of q and n averages at least 4; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are individually any chemically stable group which stabilizes the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution; and Z is a mixture of H and members selected from the group consisting of alkali metals, ammonium and alkanol amine groups having from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, is useful for the reversible deflocculation of clay slurries. In the preferred embodiments, p is 0 to provide a homopolymer, the product of q and n averages between about 10 and about 200, and Z is a mixture containing at least 1 percent H, the remainder being alkali metal, e.g., sodium.

Abstract: The alkali metal, ammonium and alkanol amine salts of acetal carboxylate polymers are known to be stable detergent builders and chelating agents which depolymerize in acid media making the polymer fragments more readily biodegradable in waste streams. Now, according to the present invention, the hydrolytic stability of an acetal carboxylate polymer can be controlled by bringing together under polymerization conditions an ester of glyoxylic acid and a polymerization initiator and adding to the termini of the resulting polymer end groups having substituents which are selected to be more electron withdrawing as the desired hydrolytic stability increases.

Abstract: Oral compositions such as mouth washes, toothpastes, other oral hygiene products, foods, beverages, chewing gums and the like containing certain bis(carboxyalkoxy)-butanedioic acid compounds inhibit dental calculus formation.

Abstract: Fire retardant compositions comprising (a) ammonium sulfate; (b) a carboxyalkyl or hydroxyalkyl ether of a polygalactomannan; and optionally (c) other fire retardant chemicals from the groups consisting of monoammonium orthophosphate, diammonium orthophosphate; monoammonium pyrophosphate; diammonium pyrophosphate; triammonium pyrophosphate; tetraammonium pyrophosphate; ammonium, substituted ammonium, amide and melamine polyphosphates; ammonium-alkali metal mixed salts of ortho-, pyro- and polyphosphates; ammonium-alkaline earth metal mixed salts of ortho-, pyro- and polyphosphates; and mixtures thereof. There are disclosed both aqueous forms and concentrated non-aqueous forms of the compositions which are particularly useful for preventing, extinguishing and suppressing forest fires.

Abstract: Aqueous compositions useful as disinfectant hard-surface and general purpose household cleaners comprise:(a) from about 0.03 percent to about 20 percent by weight ortho-benzyl-para-chlorophenol;(b) from about 1.0 to about 2.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of an alkali metal salt of an alkyl naphthalene sulfonic acid or mixtures thereof;(c) from about 0.03 to about 1.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of a sulfobetaine surfactant;(d) from about 0.2 to about 0.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (c), of an anionic surfactant which is a C.sub.10 to C.sub.18 alkyl sulfate or mixtures thereof;(e) from about 0.02 to about 0.05 parts by weight, per combined parts by weight of Components (b), (c) and (d), of a detergency boosting acrylic copolymer.

Abstract: The trialkali metal salts of nitrilotriacetate are well known detergent builders. However, when hypochlorite bleach is added to the wash water it can oxidize the soluble uncomplexed nitrilotriacetate with the resultant loss of the beneficial effects of the use of such salts as a builder. Now, a method has been developed of protecting the desirable builder properties of the trialkali metal nitrilotriacetate in an aqueous solution containing active chlorine which comprises adding to the nitrilotriacetate a sufficient amount of trialkali metal imidodisulfate to protect at least some of the nitrilotriacetate from damage by the chlorine.

Abstract: Aqueous compositions useful as disinfectant hard-surface cleaners comprise:(a) from about 0.03 percent to about 20 percent by weight orthobenzyl-para-chlorophenol;(b) from about 1.0 to about 2.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of an alkali metal salt of an alkyl naphthalene sulfonic acid or mixtures thereof;(c) from 0 to about 1.5 parts by weight, per part by weight of Component (a), of a surfactant which is different from Component (b) selected from the group consisting of(1) anionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of water soluble organic sulfonates and sulfates;(2) sulfobetaine surfactants; and(3) mixtures thereof; and(d) from about 0.02 to about 0.05 parts by weight, per combined parts by weight of Components (b) and (c), of a detergency boosting acrylic copolymer.

Abstract: Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate containing a sufficient amount of trimagnesium phosphate and/or tetrasodium pyrophosphate to inhibit spontaneous hydrolysis and/or decomposition of the dicalcium phosphate dihydrate is widely used as a dental polishing agent with and without added fluoride. Now it has been found that dicalcium phosphate dihydrate containing a sufficient amount of pyrophosphate to provide hydrolytic stability to the dicalcium phosphate can have improved fluoride stability when about 0.1 weight percent to about 5 weight percent of trimagnesium phosphate, and about 0.1 weight percent to about 3 weight percent of at least one pharmaceutically acceptable condensed phosphate salt is added to the formulation. In the preferred embodiment less than 2 percent sodium tripolyphosphate provides satisfactory results.

Abstract: Dicalcium phosphate dihydrate containing a sufficient amount of trimagnesium phosphate and/or tetrasodium pyrophosphate to inhibit spontaneous hydrolysis and/or decomposition of the dicalcium phosphate dihydrate is widely used as a dental polishing agent with and without added fluoride. Now it has been found that dicalcium phosphate dihydrate containing a sufficient amount of pyrophosphate to provide hydrolytic stability to the dicalcium phosphate can have improved soluble fluoride stability when at least 0.1 weight percent of trimagnesium phosphate and a pharmaceutically acceptable polyphosphate salt are each added to the formulation. In the preferred embodiment, less than 2 percent pentasodium tripolyphosphate provides satisfactory results.

Abstract: The alkali metal, ammonium and alkanol amine salts of polymeric acetal carboxylates are stable detergent builders and chelating agents. Now, in the improved process of the present invention for preparing an acetal carboxylate polymer wherein a glyoxylate ester and a polymerization initiator are brought together under polymerization conditions and a chemically stable end group is added to the termini of the resulting polymer to stabilize the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution, the improvement comprises contacting the resulting polymer in the presence of an acid catalyst with a sufficient amount of an acetal having 3 to 20 carbon atoms to stabilize the resulting polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution, and an agent to remove liberated alcohol.

Abstract: The alkali metal, ammonium and alkanol amine salts of polymeric acetal carboxylates are stable detergent builders under laundry use conditions, but depolymerize in acid media, making the polymer fragments more readily biodegradable in waste streams. Now, in the improved process of the present invention for preparing an acetal carboxylate polymer wherein an ester of glyoxylic acid and a polymerization initiator are brought together under polymerization conditions and a chemically stable end group is added to the termini of the resulting polymer to stabilize the polymer against rapid depolymerization in alkaline solution, the improvement comprises adding to the resulting polymer a sufficient amount of an alkali metal hydride, preferably sodium hydride, and a dialkyl sulfate having 1 to about 20 carbon atoms in each alkyl group, preferably dimethyl sulfate, to add to the termini of the resulting polymer an alkyl group derived from the dialkyl sulfate.

Abstract: The alkali metal, ammonium and alkanol ammonium salts of polymeric acetal carboxylates are stable detergent builders under laundry use conditions but depolymerize in acid media, making the polymer fragments more readily biodegradable in waste streams.