Abstract: Provided herein are rosin-containing materials, including crude tall oil (CTO), tall oil rosin (TOR), distilled tall oil (DTO), crude fatty acid (CFA), as well as methods of making thereof. The rosin-containing materials can exhibit improved color (e.g., a reduced Gardner color), reduced sulfur content, improved color stability, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions which include an ethylene polymer derived from at least one polar monomer with one or more ester groups, which polymerize with ethylene, (e.g., a copolymer derived from ethylene and vinyl acetate or a copolymer derived from ethylene and n-butyl acrylate) and a rosin ester. The rosin ester can have a low hydroxyl number (e.g., a hydroxyl number six or five or less), a low acid number (e.g., an acid number of ten or less), a low PAN number (e.g., a PAN number of eight or less), or combinations thereof. The compositions can exhibit improved viscosity stability and/or color stability and/or a decreased amount of char particle formation upon thermal aging.

Abstract: Water-dispersible adducted rosin esters, a process for making them, and their use in aqueous tackifier dispersions for pressure-sensitive adhesives are disclosed. Reaction of a rosin with a polyol gives a rosin ester intermediate, which is then reacted with a dienophile to produce an adducted rosin ester. The adducted rosin ester is further esterified with a polyethylene glycol having an Mw<700 to produce the water-dispersible adducted rosin ester. Esterification with the low-molecular-weight PEG imparts good water dispersibility to the adducted rosin ester while maintaining compatibility with other tackifier components. Combination of the aqueous tackifier dispersions with polymer emulsions, particularly acrylics, gives pressure-sensitive adhesives that deliver good loop tack and peel properties compared with commercial alternatives, even when the coat weight is reduced by 20%.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions which include an ethylene polymer derived from at least one polar monomer with one or more ester groups, which polymerize with ethylene, (e.g., a copolymer derived from ethylene and vinyl acetate or a copolymer derived from ethylene and n-butyl acrylate) and a rosin ester. The rosin ester can have a low hydroxyl number (e.g., a hydroxyl number six or five or less), a low acid number (e.g., an acid number of ten or less), a low PAN number (e.g., a PAN number of eight or less), or combinations thereof. The compositions can exhibit improved viscosity stability and/or color stability and/or a decreased amount of char particle formation upon thermal aging.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions which include an ethylene polymer derived from at least one polar monomer with one or more ester groups, which polymerize with ethylene, (e.g., a copolymer, or low molecular weight copolymer having a relatively high melt index, derived from ethylene and vinyl acetate and/or a copolymer, or low molecular weight copolymer having a relatively high melt index, derived from ethylene and «-buty! acrylate) and a rosin ester. The rosin ester can have a low hydroxy! number (e.g., a hydroxy! number six or five or less), a low acid number (e.g., an acid number of ten or less), a relatively low PAN number (e.g., a PAN number less than twenty-two or in between eight and twenty), a relatively high third moment or third power average molecular weight (Mz), (e.g., an Mz value in between 2500 and 12000 g/mol), a low sulfur content (e.g., a sulfur content lower than 600 ppm prior to antioxidant addition) or combinations thereof. The compositions can exhibit a high heat stress resistance (e.g.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to rubber compositions comprising silica, an organomercaptosilane having a bulky group and/or a polyether group bound to the silicon atom and a rosin-containing material. The instant invention also relates to tires comprising such rubber compositions, to methods of preparation of such rubber compositions or tires thereof, and to the use of rosin-containing materials for improving the Mooney viscosity and mechanical properties of rubbers comprising the same (e.g. in a tire).

Abstract: Compositions including reclaimed asphalt may be optimized for performance that is comparable with asphalt compositions that do not contain any reclaimed asphalt. In a method to determine an optimal level of reclaimed asphalt for use with at least a rejuvenator, TSRST tests are carried out on test asphalt compositions with varying levels of reclaimed asphalt (RA) materials to obtain failure temperature and failure stress data for all compositions. The test results are compared to identify composition(s) with optimal amount of RA. The optimal asphalt composition containing the maximum amount of RA for comparable performance may have a failure temperature within±5% of the failure temperature of the reference composition, and a failure stress that may be equal to or greater than the failure stress of the reference composition.

Abstract: An asphalt mixture comprising an oligoterpene composition and reclaimed asphalt and/or virgin asphalt, a method of preparing said asphalt mixture, a bituminous binder-oligoterpene blend and a method for rejuvenating reclaimed asphalt or treating virgin asphalt are disclosed, wherein the oligoterpene composition comprises at least one oligoterpene with at least two isoprene moieties selected from a diterpene, a triterpene, a tetraterpene, a pentaterpene and a hexaterpene. The method of preparing an asphalt mixture comprises mixing the oligoterpene composition with reclaimed asphalt and/or virgin asphalt. The oligoterpene-bituminous binder blend, comprises 0.5-50 wt. % of the oligoterpene composition based on the total weight of the blend. The method for rejuvenating reclaimed asphalt or treating virgin asphalt comprises mixing the oligoterpene composition with reclaimed asphalt or virgin asphalt to form a modified asphalt.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering crude tall oil are disclosed. Acidulation of a crude tall oil soap stream generates a spent acid stream that comprises lignin and entrained crude tall oil. By subjecting the spent acid stream to dissolved gas flotation, a lignin phase comprising entrained crude tall oil can be recovered and causticized, resulting in recovery of most of the crude tall oil that was present in the spent acid stream. A clarified spent acid stream is also generated, which can be treated with caustic and utilized for a soap washing process that integrates easily into the overall CTO recovery process. The apparatus comprises a crude tall oil acidulation unit, a dissolved gas flotation unit, a causticizing unit, and a soap separation unit. The inventive process marries dissolved gas flotation, a well-known water treatment process, with causticization of a recovered lignin phase, a step known from batch acidulation, to improve overall tall oil recovery from a continuous process.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to rubber compositions comprising silica, an organosilane having at least one cyclic and/or bridged alkoxy group and a rosin-containing material. The instant invention also relates to tires comprising such rubber compositions, to methods of preparation of such rubber compositions or tires thereof, and to the use of rosin-containing materials for improving the Mooney viscosity of rubbers comprising the same (e.g. in a tire).

Abstract: The instant invention relates to an inner liner formulation comprising a rosin ester with a low acid number and a butyl rubber, to a tire inner liner comprising said inner liner formulation, and to a method for providing an inner liner formulation, wherein the rosin ester has an acid number of at most 15 mgKOH/g.

Abstract: An oligoester composition which is a reaction product of a reactant mixture comprising one or more rosins; at least 15% by weight of one or more monocarboxylic acids; and one or more polyhydric alcohols. A method for preparing an oligoester composition comprising (a) esterifying a mixture comprising one or more rosins, one or more monocarboxylic acids, and optionally one or more polycarboxylic acids with one or more polyhydric alcohols to form the oligoester composition. An oligoester composition which is an esterification reaction product of one or more rosins, one or more monocarboxylic acids, one or more polyhydric alcohols, and optionally one or more polycarboxylic acids, wherein the composition has a weight average molecular weight of from 500 g/mol to 8,000 g/mol and a Tg of between ?80° C. and 100° C.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a shaped rubber composition comprising combining a rubber compound with an extender compound to produce a mixture; drying the mixture to produce a dried mixture; and shaping the mixture wherein the extender compound comprises a natural or hydrocarbon resin, which possesses a glass transition temperature of at equal to or greater than about ?70° C. and an acid value of 50 mg KOH/g or less and wherein the mixture is shaped into particles or bales.

Abstract: A collector composition comprising (a) refined tall oil wherein the refined tall oil is any tall oil that has been subjected to one or more refining or processing steps that results in an increase in acid value; and (b) a fatty acid wherein the refined tall oil has an acid value of at least 90 mg KOH/g and a weight average molecular weight of at least 750 g/mol. A mineral slurry comprising (a) an ore comprising a mineral of interest; (b) a collector composition comprising (i) a refined tall oil; and (ii) a fatty acid; and (c) a liquid. A method for the beneficiation of an ore, the method comprising (a) preparing a slurry comprising the ore dispersed in a liquid; (b) contacting the slurry with a collector composition comprising a refined tall oil; and (c) recovering a beneficiated ore.

Abstract: Binder compositions comprising a bituminous binder and a rheology modifier are disclosed. The rheology modifier comprises a blend of a polyol ester and a C8-C24 free fatty acid component. Asphalt compositions comprising the modified binder compositions are also disclosed. The rheology modifiers help to improve the high-temperature properties of bituminous binders without sacrificing low-temperature performance. The modified binders and asphalt compositions expand the utility of reclaimed asphalt, including reclaimed asphalt shingles and reclaimed asphalt pavement, thereby helping the road construction industry reduce its reliance on virgin, non-renewable materials.

Abstract: Rosin esters are provided. The rosin esters can exhibit improved color (e.g., the rosin ester can have a neat Gardner color of 4 or less), improved oxidative stability (e.g., when 1000 ppm or less of an antioxidant is present in combination with the rosin ester, the rosin ester can exhibit an oxidative-induction time at 130° C. of at least 30 minutes), improved color stability (e.g., the rosin ester can retain a neat Gardner color of 5 or less when heated to a temperature of 160° C. for a period of three hours), or combinations thereof. Also provided polymeric compositions comprising the rosin esters, as well as methods of making the rosin esters.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to rubber compositions comprising silica, an organomercaptosilane having a bulky group and/or a polyether group bound to the silicon atom and a rosin-containing material. The instant invention also relates to tires comprising such rubber compositions, to methods of preparation of such rubber compositions or tires thereof, and to the use of rosin-containing materials for improving the Mooney viscosity and mechanical properties of rubbers comprising the same (e.g. in a tire).

Abstract: Rosin esters are provided. The rosin esters can exhibit improved color (e.g., the rosin ester can have a neat Gardner color of 8.5 or less), improved oxidative stability (e.g., when 1000 ppm or less of an antioxidant is present in combination with the rosin ester, the rosin ester can exhibit an oxidative-induction time at 130° C. of at least 75 minutes), improved color stability (e.g., the rosin ester can exhibit less than a 10% change in neat Gardner color when heated to a temperature of 160° C. for a period of three hours), or combinations thereof. Also provided polymeric compositions comprising the rosin esters, as well as methods of making the rosin esters.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods of making rosin esters. The methods can involve contacting a rosin ester with a microporous adsorbent. Treatment with a microporous adsorbent, such as an activated carbon, can improve the color of the rosin ester (e.g., reduce the neat Gardner color of the rosin ester by at least 1 Gardner color unit), reduce the concentration of sulfur in the rosin ester (e.g., reduce the concentration of sulfur in the rosin ester by at least 50 ppm), or combinations thereof. Rosin esters prepared by the methods described herein, as well as methods of using thereof, are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions which include an ethylene polymer derived from at least one polar monomer with one or more ester groups, which polymerize with ethylene, (e.g., a copolymer derived from ethylene and vinyl acetate or a copolymer derived from ethylene and n-butyl acrylate) and a rosin ester. The rosin ester can have a low hydroxyl number (e.g., a hydroxyl number six or five or less), a low acid number (e.g., an acid number of ten or less), a low PAN number (e.g., a PAN number of eight or less), or combinations thereof. The compositions can exhibit improved viscosity stability and/or color stability and/or a decreased amount of char particle formation upon thermal aging.