Abstract: The invention relates to a hardenable multi-part acrylic composition. The composition has at least two parts which react with each other upon being mixed together to progressively harden to form a solid cement, such as a bone cement. The beads in the first part comprise an acrylic bead polymer core produced by suspension polymerisation and having a Tg of >70° C. and emulsion polymerised acrylic microparticles at least partially coating the surface of the acrylic bead polymer core. The microparticles may form a porous coalesced network. The bone cement composition comprises the first part and a liquid second part and optionally, further parts. The parts are operable to form a cement which hardens to a solid mass upon mixing of the parts together. The composition further comprises an acrylic monomer component in the second part and an initiator component. A method of production of coated beads for the hardenable multipart composition and a solid cement is also described.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing composition for powder bed processes is described. The composition includes at least a first type of impact modified polymer beads. The polymer beads include a) an acrylic or vinyl (co)polymer matrix, and b) an impact modifier in which at least 85% w/w of the first type of impact modified polymer beads have a particle size of between ?20 ?m and ?200 ?m and/or on average the impact modified polymer beads have greater than 5% w/w impact modifier. Also disclosed is an additive manufacturing process for a production of a three dimensional product comprising fused impact modified polymer particles. The use of a composition in additive manufacturing, an additive manufacturing cartridge or replacement hopper and a process for the production of impact modified polymer beads by a suspension polymerization process is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for dehydrating a water containing source of formaldehyde in which water is separated from the water containing source of formaldehyde using a zeolite membrane. In certain aspects, the water containing source of formaldehyde includes a separation enhancer having a relative static permittivity ranging from 2.5 to 20, and the water containing source of formaldehyde may further include methanol. In certain aspects, (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester may be produced using the dehydrated source of formaldehyde.

Abstract: A multi-part acrylic cold curing composition for metallography moulds to produce a metallography mount is described. The composition has a storage stable solid part and a storage stable liquid part. The parts are operable to form a mixture which polymerises to a solid mass upon mixing of the parts together. The solid part comprises polymer powder and initiator and the liquid part comprises acrylic monomer and optionally activator or accelerator. The initiator is present in an amount effective to polymerize the acrylic monomer component upon being mixed with the liquid part. The composition comprises a cyclic ester side group containing monofunctional acrylic monomer. The composition liquid part may contain a mixture of monofunctional monomer(s) and polyfunctional monomer(s), wherein the polyfunctional monomers comprise between 12 and 22% w/w of the total monomers in the uncured composition. Metallography mounts and processes for producing the mounts are also described.

Abstract: A process of producing methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof including the following steps: (a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the action of an oxidase; and (b) converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof. The invention also extends to microorganisms adapted to conduct the steps of the process.

Abstract: A process of producing methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof including the following steps: (a) biologically converting isobutyryl-CoA into methacrylyl-CoA by the action of an oxidase; and (b) converting methacrylyl-CoA into methacrylic acid and/or derivatives thereof. The invention also extends to microorganisms adapted to conduct the steps of the process.

Abstract: A process for the production of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, preferably an ?,ß ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid ester is described. The process takes place by the reaction of formaldehyde or a suitable source thereof with a carboxylic acid ester in the presence of a basic metal methyl carbonate co-reactant, wherein the process produces a second basic metal salt and wherein the process includes the step of contacting the second basic metal salt with: a) carbon dioxide (CO2) and optionally, methanol, and/or b) dimethyl carbonate, to regenerate the basic metal methyl carbonate co-reactant. The invention includes use of carbon dioxide and/or dimethyl carbonate to regenerate a basic metal methyl carbonate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the production of an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester, preferably ?,ß ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acids or esters, by the liquid phase reaction of formaldehyde or a suitable source thereof with a non-cyclic carboxylic acid ester in the presence of a basic metal salt.

Abstract: A method of producing an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester, preferably an ?, ? ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester. The method includes contacting formaldehyde or a suitable source thereof with a carboxylic acid or ester in the presence of a catalyst and optionally in the presence of an alcohol. The catalyst includes a nitrided metal oxide having at least two types of metal cations, M1 and M2, wherein M1 is selected from the metals of group 2, 3, 4, 13 (called also IIIA) or 14 (called also IVA) of the periodic table and M2 is selected from the metals of groups 5 or 15 (called also VA) of the periodic table.

Abstract: A process for regenerating a silica-supported depleted alkali metal catalyst is described. The level of alkali metal on the depleted catalyst is at least 0.5 mol % and the silica support is a zero-gel. The process comprises the steps of contacting the silica supported depleted alkali metal catalyst with a solution of a salt of the alkali metal in a solvent system that has a polar organic solvent as the majority component. A re-impregnated catalyst prepared by the process of the invention any comprising a silica zero-gel support and a catalytic metal selected from an alkali metal in the range 0.5-5 mol % on the catalyst, wherein the surface area of the silica support is <180 m2/g is also described. The invention is applicable to a process for preparing an ethylenically unsaturated acid or ester comprising contacting an alkanoic acid or ester of the formula R1—CH2—COOR3, with formaldehyde or a suitable source of formaldehyde.

Abstract: A hardenable multi-part acrylic composition comprises a solid first part and a storage stable liquid second part and optionally, further solid and/or liquid parts, the parts being operable to form a cement which hardens to a solid mass upon mixing. The composition further comprises an acrylic monomer component in the second part, an initiator component, a first sub-population of acrylic polymer particles in the first and/or further parts, a second sub-population of acrylic polymer particles in the first and/or further parts and optionally, one or more further sub-population(s) of acrylic polymer particles, and a radiopacifying filler. The initiator component amount is effective to polymerize the acrylic monomer component upon mixing. At least some of the radiopacifying filler is encapsulated within and/or adsorbed on the first sub-population of acrylic polymer particles and the second sub-population of acrylic polymer particles has a lower average particle size than the first.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hardenable multi-part liquid acrylic composition. The composition comprises a storage stable liquid first part, a storage stable liquid second part and optionally, a third or further liquid parts. The parts are operable to form a cement which hardens to a solid upon mixing of the parts together. The composition comprises an acrylic monomer component, an initiator component, acrylic polymer particles and a radiopacifying filler. The initiator component is present in an amount of effective to polymerize the acrylic monomer component upon being mixed and/or activated therewith. At least some of the radiopacifying filler is encapsulated within and/or adsorbed on the acrylic polymer particles in a liquid part.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for dehydrating a water containing source of formaldehyde in which water is separated from the water containing source of formaldehyde using a zeolite membrane. In certain aspects, the water containing source of formaldehyde includes a separation enhancer having a relative static permittivity ranging from 2.5 to 20, and the water containing source of formaldehyde may further include methanol. In certain aspects, (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester may be produced using the dehydrated source of formaldehyde.

Abstract: A hardenable two part acrylic composition is described for the treatment of human or animal bone is described. The composition comprises a storage stable liquid first part and a storage stable liquid second part which react with each other upon mixing to form a cement which hardens. The composition further comprises an acrylic monomer component and an initiator component in an amount effective to polymerize the monomer component. The monomer component and the initiator component are generally located in separate parts of the two part composition so that the monomer component is storage stable. The liquid first part comprises emulsion polymerized acrylic polymer particles in a liquid carrier. A method of producing a hardenable two part acrylic composition is also described. The composition is particularly useful in a syringe or caulking gun having at least two barrels.

Abstract: A composition comprising a mixture of: (i) an aromatic polycarbonate; (ii) a graft copolymer including polyacrylonitrile; and, (iii) a non-crosslinked acrylic polymer having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of less than or equal to 65,000 Daltons (Da).

Abstract: The present invention relates to acrylic compositions capable of bonding directly with an isocyanate-containing composition, e.g. polyurethane, and methods for manufacturing the same. The acrylic compositions of the invention have multifunctional chain transfer agents and/or multifunctional crosslinkers with isocyanate-reactive groups.

Abstract: A method of extracting (meth)acrylic acid from an aqueous reaction medium into an organic phase in contact therewith is described. The aqueous reaction medium is formed from at least one base catalyst and at least one dicarboxylic acid selected from maleic, fumaric, malic, itaconic, citraconic, mesaconic, and citramalic acid or mixtures thereof in aqueous solution and contains the base catalyzed decarboxylation products of the base catalyzed reaction. The method includes either the addition of at least one of the said dicarboxylic acids and/or a pre-cursor thereof to the aqueous reaction medium to enhance the solvent extraction of the (meth)acrylic acid into the organic solvent or maintaining the level of base catalyst to dicarboxylic acid and/or pre-cursor at a sub-stoichiometric level during the extraction process. The method extends to a process of producing (meth)acrylic acid, its esters and polymers and copolymers thereof.

Abstract: A process for the reactivation of an acidic ion exchange resin is described. The invention relates to the treatment of an at least partially deactivated resin which has been deactivated by contact with an impure ethylenically unsaturated acid or ester containing target impurities. The reactivation includes the step of contacting the at least partially deactivated resin with an alcohol to thereby increase the activity thereof. The invention extends to reactivating a resin deactivated by contact with an impure ethylenically unsaturated acid, ester or nitrile containing target impurities by contacting the at least partially deactivated resin with an alcohol and a carboxylic acid to thereby increase the activity thereof. A reactivated resin and a process for preparing and purifying an ethylenically unsaturated acid or ester of the following formula: R1—C(?(CH2)m)—COOR2 are also described.

Abstract: The invention includes a process of producing methyl methacrylate or derivatives thereof is described. The process includes the steps of converting 2-butanone to methyl propionate using a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase, and treating the methyl propionate produced to obtain methyl methacrylate or derivatives thereof. A method of preparing polymers or copolymers of methyl methacrylate or its derivatives is also described.

Abstract: Novel bidentate ligands of general formula (I) are described. In formula (I), A and B each independently represent a linking group; and R represents a hydrocarbyl aromatic structure. The substituent(s) Yi on the aromatic structure together have a total number ?ti of atoms other than hydrogen such that ?ti is greater than or equal to 4, wherein ti represents the number of atoms other than hydrogen on a particular substituent Yi. i ranges from 1 to n; and n is the total number of substituent(s) Yi. The groups X1, X2, X3 and X4 are joined via tertiary carbon atoms to the respective atom Q2 or Q1. Q1 and Q2 each independently represent phosphorus, arsenic, or antimony. A catalyst system and a process for the carbonylation of ethylenically unsaturated compounds utilizing the catalyst system are also described.