Abstract: Use of hydrophobins for soil-repellent treatment of hard surfaces, in particular in combination with a cleansing of the surface, processes for soil-repellent treatment of hard surfaces, cleansing agents for hard surfaces and also hard surfaces with a soil-repellent coating comprising hydrophobins.

Abstract: A process is proposed for continuously operating a plant for preparing acetylene from hydrocarbons by partial oxidation, cleavage in an arc or pyrolysis of hydrocarbons to obtain a reaction gas mixture which is conducted through one or more compressors, the pressure of the reaction gas mixture on the suction side of the compressor being controlled within a predefined range by means of a conventional controller, which comprises additionally using a higher-level model-supported predictive controller which reacts to abrupt changes in the mass flow rate of the reaction gas mixture.

Abstract: A liquid coating material which is curable with actinic radiation and is substantially or completely free from organic solvents and from corrosion-inhibiting pigments, including (A) at least one constituent which is one of a low molecular mass, oligomeric organic compounds, low molecular mass polymeric organic compounds said oligomeric and polymeric compounds containing at least one group which can be activated with actinic radiation, or air-drying and oxidatively drying alkyd resins, (B) at least one constituent which is an acidic esters of polyphosphoric acid, or acidic esters of monophosphoric acid and at least one compound (b1), said compound containing at least one hydroxyl group and at least one group which can be activated with actinic radiation, and (C) at least one kind of nanoparticles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing flexible polyurethane foams by reacting a) polyisocyanates with b) compounds having at least two hydrogen atoms which are reactive toward isocyanate groups in the presence of c) blowing agents, wherein the component b) comprises at least one polyether carbonate polyol bi) which can be prepared by addition of carbon dioxide and alkylene oxides onto H-functional starter substances using DMC catalysts and has a functionality of at least 2, a hydroxyl number in the range from 10 to 500 mg KOH/g and a content of incorporated carbon dioxide in the form of carbonate units of at least 2% by weight.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antistatic polyurethane which comprises an antistatic additive comprising an ionic liquid and a process for producing such an antistatic polymer. The invention further relates to an antistatic shoe sole comprising an antistatic polyurethane according to the invention and the use of an ionic liquid as antistatic additive for polyurethane.

Abstract: Nitrogen oxide storage materials and methods of manufacturing nitrogen oxide storage materials are disclosed. The nitrogen oxide storage materials can be used to manufacture catalytic trap disposed in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine which is operated periodically between lean and stoichiometric or rich conditions, for abatement of NOx in an exhaust gas stream which is generated by the engine. In one embodiment, the nitrogen oxide storage material comprises alkaline earth material supported on ceria particles having a crystallite size of between about 10 and 20 nm and the alkaline earth oxide having a crystallite size of between about 20-40 nm.

Abstract: The present invention relates to azolylmethyloxiranes of the general formula I in which A is phenyl which is substituted by an F and another substituent selected from the group consisting of Cl, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-haloalkyl and C1-C4-alkoxy, B is unsubstituted pyridyl, thienyl, thiazolyl, oxazolyl or furyl or is phenyl which is substituted by one to three of the following substituents: halogen, NO2, amino, C1-C4-alkyl, C1-C4-alkoxy, C1-C4-haloalkyl, C1-C4-haloalkoxy, C1-C4-alkylamino, C1-C4-dialkylamino, thio or C1-C4-alkylthio, with the proviso that B is not o-methylphenyl if A is 2-chloro-4-fluorophenyl, and to the plant-compatible acid addition salts or metal salts thereof, to the use of the compounds of the formula I for controlling phytopathogenic fungi and to compositions comprising these compounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the specific preparation of unsaturated ?-3 fatty acids, and to a process for preparing triglycerides having an increased content of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly of ?-3 fatty acids having more than three double bonds. The invention relates to the preparation of a transgenic organism, preferably a transgenic plant or a transgenic microorganism, having increased content of fatty acids, oils or lipids having ?-4 double bonds owing to the expression of a ?-4-desaturase from Euglena gracilis. The invention additionally relates to expression cassettes comprising a nucleic acid sequence, a vector and organisms comprising at least one nucleic acid sequence or one expression cassette. The invention additionally relates to unsaturated fatty acids and to triglycerides having an increased content of unsaturated fatty acids and to the use thereof.

Abstract: Pigmented powder coating suspensions (pigmented powder slurries) preparable by (1) mixing at least two liquid components comprising in each case at least one liquid starting product in a static mixer, to give a liquid, (2) emulsifying the liquid (1) in an aqueous medium in a dispersing unit, to give an aqueous emulsion of liquid particles, and (3) cooling the emulsion (2) so that a suspension of dimensionally stable particles is formed, wherein said aqueous medium comprises the suspension of at least one pigment; and also processes for preparing them and their use as coating materials, adhesives, and sealing compounds or to prepare such compositions.

Abstract: Methods of producing vinyllactam copolymers which include: providing at least one water-soluble N-vinyllactam; providing at least one hydrophobic comonomer; and subjecting the at least one water-soluble N-vinyllactam and the at least one hydrophobic comonomer to free-radical polymerization in an organic solvent in the presence of an initiator, under a combination of process measures selected from the group consisting of A and B; wherein: (A) comprises (i) polymerization under reflux, and at least two of (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), and (vii), wherein (ii) comprises an addition of at least 5 mol % of N-vinyllactam to the polymerization mixture if at least 70 mol % of the total amount of hydrophobic monomer used have completely reacted, (iii) comprises return of condensate formed in the reflux from below to the polymerization mixture, (iv) comprises introduction of the initiator in the form of a solution in an organic solvent from below into the polymerization mixture, (v) comprises addition of N-vinyllacta

Abstract: (Meth)acrylate salt polymers are prepared by free-radical polymerization of (meth)acrylate salt with or without other monomers in an aqueous medium by using a supersaturated aqueous solution of (meth)acrylate salt. The resulting highly concentrated reaction mixtures are notable for their high solids content and increased space-time yield.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of preparing an organosol of inorganic particles, comprising mixing an aqueous dispersion or sol of inorganic particles with an organic liquid and a polymer or oligomer having functionality that adsorbs onto the inorganic particles; and allowing the mixture to separate into an aqueous layer and an organic layer, the organic layer comprising the inorganic particles. The invention also provides a polymer composition or coating composition made by this method. A coating composition is applied to a substrate and cured to provide a coating layer on the substrate. A polymer composition containing the inorganic particles is molded into an article.

Abstract: A process for preparing poly-C2-C4-alkylene glycol mono(meth)acrylic acid esters by reacting (meth)acrylic anhydride with a poly-C2-C4-alkylene glycol carrying at least one OH group in the presence of abase having a solubility in the poly-C2-C4-alkylene glycol of not more than 10 g/l at 90° C.

Abstract: The bipolar plate for PEM fuel cells made of a polymer blend which is filled with conductivity-enhancing carbon fillers and which includes at least two mutually nonmiscible blend polymers, is distinguished by the fact that the at least two blend polymers form a co-continuous structure and the carbon fillers are at a higher concentration in one of the blend polymers or in the phase between the blend polymers, or that a blend polymer in which the carbon fillers are at a higher concentration forms a continuously conductive matrix in which the at least one further blend polymer is intercalated.

Abstract: Multicomponent systems comprising (A) a component which contains isocyanate-reactive functional groups, is free from isocyanate groups, and contains reactive functional groups having bonds which can be activated with actinic radiation, or is free from these functional groups, and (B) a component which contains isocyanate groups, is free from isocyanate-reactive functional groups, and contains reactive functional groups having bonds which can be activated with actinic radiation, or is free from these functional groups, one of the two components, (A) or (B), containing functional groups having bonds which can be activated with actinic radiation, and component (A) comprising (L) a light stabilizer, selected from the group consisting of low molecular mass, oligomeric and polymeric light stabilizers which contain at least one isocyanate-reactive functional group and (P) a photoinitiator which contains at least one isocyanate-reactive functional group; processes for preparing them, and their use for

Abstract: The invention is a method of producing an essentially electrically neutral polymer dispersion, comprising a polymerizing one or more monomers in the presence of a nonionic surfactant, wherein the polymerization preferably occurs in the absence of ionic surfactants. The invention also includes methods of producing positively or negatively charged polymer dispersions comprising producing the essentially nonionic polymer dispersion and further adding a cationically-charged or anionically-charged surfactant or electrolyte. The invention further includes dispersions produced by the methods of the invention and polymer films and powders produced from these dispersions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to microorganisms and processes for the efficient preparation of L-amino acids such as L-methionine. In particular, the present invention relates to microorganisms and processes in which the formation and/or accumulation of homolanthionine in the methionine pathway is reduced and/or prevented.

Abstract: Use of hydrophobins for treating the surface of cured mineral building materials, natural stone, cast stone or ceramic, a process for treating such surfaces and also surfaces of cured mineral building materials, natural stone, cast stone or ceramic that have a coating comprising hydrophobins.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved methods for the incorporation of DNA into the genome of a barley plant based on a D-alanine or D-serine selection. Preferably, the transformation is mediated by Agrobacterium.

Abstract: This invention relates to methionine producing recombinant microorganisms. Specifically, this invention relates to recombinant strains of Corynebacterium that produce increased levels of methionine compared to their wild-type counterparts and further to methods of generating such microorganisms.