Abstract: The invention relates to thermally expandable thermoplastic microspheres comprising a polymer shell made from ethylenically unsaturated monomers encapsulating a propellant, said ethylenically unsaturated monomers comprising from 20 to 80 wt % of acrylonitrile, from 20 to 80 wt % of monomers selected from the group consisting of esters of acrylic acid, from 0 to 10 wt % of methacrylonitrile, from 0 to 40 wt % of monomers selected from the group consisting of esters of methacrylic acid, the total amount of acrylonitrile and esters of acrylic acid constituting from 50 to 100 wt % of said ethylenically unsaturated monomers, and said propellant comprising at least one of methane, ethane, propane, isobutane, n-butane and isopentane. The invention further relates to the production and use of the microspheres.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flotation process for removal of slimes from potash ores wherein a collector is used selected from the group of ethoxylated fatty amines having the formulae (formula I) wherein R1 and R2 are, independently, a hydrocarbyl group having 1-22 C-atoms, and n is on average above 15 and less than 100, and (formula II) wherein R3 is a hydrocarbyl group having 8-22 carbon atoms; z is a number 1-3; X, Y and Y? are, independently, an alkyl group with 1-4 carbon atoms or the group -(EO)sH, wherein EO is an ethyleneoxy unit and s is on average 5-50, and the sum of all s is on average 15 or more, and less than 100; provided that at least one of X, Y and Y? is a group -(EO)sH. The invention further relates to a process wherein the step of flotation of slime is followed by a step of flotation of KCl using a different type of collector.

Abstract: A drag-reducing agent in an amount of 50-400 ppm in water having an electrolyte content of 0.01-7% by weight includes two zwitterionics, each including acyl containing surfactant and an anionic surfactant, where the hydrophilic group is a sulphate, a sulphonate or an ether sulphate. The water containing the drag-reducing agent is suitable to be used in injection water at oil recovery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a zwitterionic surfactant in combination with an ether sulphate or ether carboxylate surfactant in a water-based system as a drag-reducing agent. The combination has besides a high drag-reducing effect also a low sensitivity to hard water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bitumen or asphalt formulation for the pavement of road surfaces, said formulation comprising a mixture of bitumen and aggregates, and an additive package evenly distributed therein, said additive package comprising from about i) 10 to 60% by weight of an amine or modified amine surfactant, ii) from about 20 to 90% of an asphalt rheology modifying component.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a peroxide composition comprising, based on the total weight of the composition: a) 10-90 wt % of an organic peroxide; b) 90-10 wt % of an organic solvent in which the organic peroxide does not dissolve; and c) optionally additives; wherein the water content is less than 20 wt %.

Abstract: The invention pertains to a process wherein initiators having a half-life from 0.0001 hour to 0.05 hour at the polymerization temperature are dosed to a polymerization mixture. The dosing of such initiator allows improved control of the polymerization rate and faster polymerization rates, and the process will render a polymer with very low residual initiator levels.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of preparing an aqueous detergent dispersion comprising mixing at least one silane compound, colloidal silica particles, and a detergent to form an aqueous detergent dispersion comprising silanized colloidal silica particles. The invention also relates to a dispersion obtainable by the method and to the use thereof.

Abstract: The invention provides an aqueous composition that can alleviate at least one of the problems that conventional aqueous compositions for cosmetics have (e.g., insufficient temporal stability, insufficient viscosity increase, being incapable of being used in a variety of pH ranges and being incapable of providing sufficient thixotropy). The aqueous composition for cosmetics includes: (A) at least one selected from the group consisting of a cross-linked product of a hydroxyalkyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 5, a cross-linked product of a hydroxyalkyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 5 and an acyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 18 and a cross-linked product of an acyl modified starch with a carbon number of 2 to 18; and (B) a water-soluble polymer material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to electroplate or electropolish a metal on a substrate wherein an ionic liquid is selected from the group of N+R1R2R3R4 X? or N+R5R6R7R8 Y? is employed as electrolyte, and a metal salt added to the ionic liquid is employed as the metal source or a metal anode is used as the metal source, wherein any one of R1 to R8 independently represents a hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, or aralkyl group that may be substituted with a group selected from OH, Cl, Br, F, I, phenyl, NH2, CN, NO2, COOR9, CHO, COR9, or OR9, at least one of R5 to R8 is a fatty alkyl chain, and one or more of R5 to R8 can be a (poly)oxyalkylene group wherein the alkylene is a C1 to C4 alkylene and the total number of oxyalkylene units can be from 1 to 50 oxyalkylene units, and at least one of R1 to R8 is a C1 to C4 alkyl chain, R9 is an alkyl or cycloalkyl group, X? is an anion having an N-acyl sulphonylimide anion (—CO—N?—SO2—) functionality, Y? is an anion compatible with the N+R5R6R7R8 ammonium cati

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a process for preparing the alkoxylated alkylamines and/or alkyl ether amines. The process consists of three stages, and utilizes an alkali catalyst. The alkoxylated alkyl amines and alkoxylated alkyl ether amines prepared by the process possess the peaked distribution and contain less hazardous by-product.

Abstract: This invention details the use of a simple blend of polyvinyl formamide and one or more polyvinyl alcohols as the fixative polymer system in a clear hair gel composition. The interaction of the polymer system and gelling agents provides clarity of less than 20 NTU and other physical properties such as good curl compression, resistance to high humidity and resistance to flaking.

Abstract: A process for encapsulating a water insoluble active including forming a solution by polymerizing one or more hydrophobic monomers and one or more water-soluble acid-containing monomers in the presence of water and one or more water-miscible solvents and one or more neutralizing agents, adding the water insoluble active, and removing the one or more water-miscible solvents from the solution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a reverse froth flotation process for treating a calcium carbonate ore containing silicates. The process comprises the use of two collectors selected from the group consisting of fatty tri-lower-alkyl quaternary ammonium compounds, fatty di-lower-alkyl benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds, fatty lower-alkyl di-benzyl quaternary ammonium compounds, di-fatty di-lower-alkyl quats, di-fatty lower-alkyl benzyl quats, and fatty bis-imidazoline quats. The use of a combination of different quats was found to result in a synergetic performance of the collectors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composition comprising a) an anionic compound having wetting and dispersing properties selected from the group of a1) an alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, a2) a naphthalene sulfonate-formaldehyde condensate that may optionally be alkyl substituted and mixtures thereof, and b) a nitrogen-containing surfactant selected from the group consisting of alkylamine alkoxylates, alkylamidoamine alkoxylates, alkanolamides and their alkoxylates, alkylamidopropylamines, betaines, amino acids, or any mixtures thereof, wherein the molar amount of anionic sulfonate and, if any are present, carboxylate groups in the composition is in excess of the molar amount of nitrogen-containing groups. These compositions exhibit synergistic wetting properties as compared to the surface-active components taken alone. Further, the compositions also exhibit an increased rainfastness.

Abstract: Process for the modification of a polymer or copolymer having the following general structure for one or more of the repeating units: (1) wherein n is an integer, m is an integer in the range 0 to 6, and R is selected from hydrogen, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20 alkyl, C3-C20 cycloalkyl, C6-C20 aryl, C7-C20 aralkyl, and C7-C20 alkaryl, which groups may include linear or branched alkyl moieties; the optional one or more substituents being selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, alkoxy, linear or branched alk(en)yl, aryloxy, halogen, carboxylic acid, ester, carboxy, nitrile, and amido groups, which process involves contacting the polymer or copolymer with a cyclic organic peroxide under conditions whereby at least some of said peroxide is decomposed. This process results in a (co)polymer with a high degree of branching but free of gel formation.

Abstract: Alcohol compatible, water-soluble copolymer useful as a corrosion inhibitor. The copolymer includes at least one olefinically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer, at least one olefinically unsaturated mono- or di-alkyl ester of a di-carboxylic acid monomer, and at least one olefinically unsaturated hydrophilic, non-ionic monomer. The molar ratio of the alkyl ester groups of the mono- or di-alkyl ester of the dicarboxylic acid monomer to the hydrophilic groups of the hydrophilic, non-ionic monomers is from about 0.01:1 to 1000:1, and the molar ratio of the sum of the alkyl ester groups and hydrophilic groups of the hydrophilic, non-ionic monomers to the carboxylic acid groups, is from about 0.001:1 to 100:1. No haze or precipitate occurs in a mixture of the water-soluble copolymer at 4° C. for 15 hrs or more as a 20 weight % aqueous copolymer solution in alcohol at a water-soluble copolymer to methanol weight-ratio of not more than 25 to 100.

Abstract: An anti-fouling composition which comprises a cured or cross-linked polymer free of perfluoropolyether moieties and a fluid fluorinated alkyl- or alkoxy-containing polymer or oligomer. Preferably, the fluorinated alkyl- or alkoxy-containing polymer or oligomer comprises a repeating unit of the general formula: —{[CFR—(CFR)m—(O)n]p—[CFR—O]q}- wherein n is 0 or 1, m is an integer from 0 to 4, R independently is H, F, Cl, Br, or CF3, and the ratio g/p is 0-10, and the fluorine-free polymer is an organosiloxane-containing polymer comprising a repeating unit of the general structure —[SiR1R2—O]—, wherein R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or a vinyl group.

Abstract: The invention relates to aqueous formulations comprising alkoxylated castor oils with 15-25 ethyleneoxy units and a vitamin, preferably a fat-soluble vitamin, as well as to the use of such formulations in the process to administer the vitamin to an animal, or to make personal care formulations comprising the vitamin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing paper which comprises: (i) providing an aqueous suspension comprising cellulosic fibers, (ii) adding to the suspension after all points of high shear: a first polymer being a cationic polymer having a charge density above 2.5 meq/g; a second polymer; and a third polymer being an organic or inorganic anionic polymer; and (iii) dewatering the obtained suspension to form paper.