Abstract: An aqueous, plasticizer-retardant pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) is made from an aqueous latex emulsion having an average particle size diameter of not substantially above about 100 nm and made from a mixture of ethylenically-unsaturated monomers and oligomers that include one or more of N-(iso-butoxymethyl) acrylamide, N-(n-butoxymethyl) acrylamide, N-methylol acrylamide; and emulsified in the presence of an emulsifier consisting essentially of: In structure I, R1 is an alkyl, alkenyl, or aralkyl group containing between 6 and 18 carbon atoms, R2 is H or R1, R3 is H or a propenyl group; A is an alkylene group of 2 to 4 carbon atoms, n is an integer ranging from 1 to 200, X is H or SO3M, where M is an alkali metal, an ammonium ion, or an alkanolamine cation. Preferably, the ethylenically-unsaturated monomers include 2-ethylhexyl acrylate.

Abstract: An adhesive suitable for bonding wood is both heat curable and radio frequency (RF) curable. This adhesive is composed of an isocyanate-terminated prepolymer and hydrolyzed soy protein having a pH of at least about 9 and advantageously from about 9 to 11.5. The weight ratio of prepolymer to soy protein hydrolyzate ranges from about 70:30 to 90:10.

Abstract: An electric circuit for a system to prevent accidental discharge of hot-mix asphalt at asphalt plants with multiple silos includes a manual switch which energizes a relay holding the circuit closed. A time delay relay is also energized to provide a time period to determine whether the process should continue. When the time delay times out, a solenoid is energized to open a hot mix storage silo. A closed circuit TV camera and a system of flashing lights are included to provide a fixed view of the loading area with a monitor at the control panel. When hot-mix asphalt is to be discharged into a truck, a switch is activated which causes a light beneath the bin to flash. This identifies the bin selected to open. The TV monitor is viewed and the position of the truck can now be visually confirmed along with the flashing light on the bin that has been activated. The manual switch must be pushed in order to complete the discharge of the hot-mix asphalt from the bin.

Abstract: A method for detecting and controlling cooling system characteristics. A flow rate of make-up cooling medium is measured. A conductivity of the make-up cooling medium is measured. A conductivity of a recirculating cooling medium is measured. A treatment material feed rate is determined based upon the formula: ##EQU1## where X is a treatment feed rate of a treatment compound, .OMEGA. is a desired concentration of the treatment compound, and K is a constant. A corrosion rate of the recirculating cooling medium is measured. A desired corrosion rate of the recirculating cooling medium is determined. A feed rate of a corrosion inhibitor is calculated according to the following formula:Y=(X)?1+.alpha.(CORR.sub.MEASURED /CORR.sub.SETPOINT)!,where .alpha. is a cascade factor that varies in a step-wise manner depending upon the value of CORR.sub.MEASURED /CORR.sub.SETPOINT and has a value between about 0.1 and about 8.0. A corrosion inhibitor is then fed at the corrosion inhibitor feed rate.

Abstract: The present invention is addressed a formulation curable in the presence of an amine and containing one or more of a polyol or polymercapto resin, a polyisocyanate cross-linking agent, optionally a organic vehicle, and a tin catalyst complex. The present invention comprises the catalyst complex being formed from a metal catalyst and a complexing sulfonic acid in an equivalent ratio of complexing sulfonic acid to metal catalyst of greater than 2:1. Such curable formulation may be compounded into a coating, an adhesive (including a structural adhesive), a caulk, a foundry binder, or the like. Besides having excellent shelf life, long periods of open time are experienced with the novel catalyzed formulation. However, upon exposure to an amine, the catalyst complex becomes activated and then is effective to catalyze the NCO--OH reaction or the NCO--SH reaction to effect cure of the formulation.

Abstract: Acrylic monomers containing a carbamate (urethane) functionality having the general formula: ##STR1## and difunctional carbamate monomers having the general formula: ##STR2## are prepared from 2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-acrylates, acrylamides, acrylonitriles, vinyl ketones and nitroethylenes.