Abstract: Process for improving the insulating capacity of expanded vinyl aromatic which comprises: 1) preparing beads of expandable vinyl aromatic polymers containing 1-10% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer, of an expanding agent englobed in the polymeric matrix and 0.001-25% by weight, calculated with respect to the polymer (a), of an athermanous additive comprising carbon black homogeneously distributed in the polymeric matrix; 2) treating the surface of the beads, before deposition of the coating, with a liquid lubricating agent; and 3) thermally treating the beads with hot air at a temperature ranging from 30 to 60° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-step chemical transformation process for the production of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene starting from one or more naphthalene hydrocarbons or hydrocarbon blends containing the same, one or more benzene hydrocarbons and, optionally, a methylating agent reacted in the presence of a catalyst containing a zeolite belonging to the MTW structural group, where hydrogen is fed in at least one of the steps.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of stable nitroxyl radicals (I) starting from N-benzylphthalimide in two steps. In the first step, the intermediate N-benzyl-1,1,3,3-tetra-alkylisoindoline is prepared by treatment with a Grignard reagent, prepared in methyl-tert-butyl ether, of N-benzylphthalimide, obtained in the same reaction environment starting from phthalic anhydride and benzylamine. In the second step, the N-benzyl-1,1,3,3-tetra-alkylisoindoline is transformed into the nitroxyl radical by hydrogenolysis and subsequent oxidation with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a catalyst selected from acids and salts of polymolybdic or polytungstic acids.

Abstract: A process is described for the preparation of latices based on polychloroprene, comprising the polymerization of chloroprene in the presence of a first latex essentially consisting of polymeric particles produced in a first polymerization of a composition of monomers comprising (a) alpha-, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or derivatives thereof, (b) vinyl aromatic compounds, (c) conjugated dienes; said first latex having a content of alpha-, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids, expressed as parts of alpha-, beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids per 100 grams of polymeric particles, ranging from 1 to 15%, thus obtaining a final latex, the solid particles of said final latex having an quantity of chloroprene ranging from 50 to 95% by weight, preferably from 80 to 95% by weight.

Abstract: Process for the solubilization of polymeric material deposited on a porous medium, which comprises putting said polymeric material in contact with an aqueous composition comprising: (a) a catalyst selected from: (a1) a complex having general formula (I), Fe++(L)n(Y)s, L being a binder selected from those having general formula (II), wherein X?CH, N, (a2) a hydrosoluble cobalt2+ salt, preferably cobalt acetate; (b) an oxidizing agent selected from: (b1) hydrogen peroxide, (b2) MHSO5, wherein M is an alkaline metal, preferably potassium; with the constraint that the catalyst (a1) can only be used in the presence of the oxidizing agent (b1) and the catalyst (a2) can only be used in the presence of the catalyst (b2).

Abstract: A process to activate a titanium silicalite catalyst for the oxidation of benzene to phenol is provided. The catalyst is activated in the reactor for the oxidation by feeding to a reactor containing the titanium silicalite catalyst, during a time of from 2 to 6 hours, at a temperature ranging from 20 to 120° C., an aqueous solution of ammonium acid fluoride in a concentration ranging from 0.1% to 1% by weight; and hydrogen peroxide in a concentration ranging from 3% to 10% by weight; feeding water to the reactor at the end of the reaction; and drying or calcining the catalyst contained in the reactor to obtain the activated catalyst. The catalyst is represented by the formula: xTiO2.(1?x)SiO2 wherein x is from 0.0001 to 0.04.

Abstract: The invention relates to a continuous process for the preparation of phenol by means of the direct oxidation of benzene with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a catalyst based on titanium silicalite TS-1 comprising: (a) running the process in a fixed bed reactor containing the catalyst based on TS-1 at a temperature ranging from 80-120° C. and at a pressure ranging from 3-15 atm; (b) feeding to the reactor a stream containing H2O2, benzene, sulfolane and water in a single or double phase, wherein the quantities of the single components are within the range of 0.2-6, 15-60, 30-80, 0.5-30 parts by weight, respectively, for every 100 units fed and whose total flow rate is calculated so that the residence time in the reactor (defined as the ratio between the quantity of catalyst by weight and the feeding flow rate) ranges from 0.3 to 2 min; (c) recovery of the products, by-products and solvent from the liquid stream leaving the reactor.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of dialkyl carbonates as solvents for expanded polystyrene and to a new process for the recycling of expanded polystyrene. Said process comprises the volume reduction of expanded polystyrene by dissolution with a dialkyl carbonate, or a blend of dialkyl carbonates, the removal of the insoluble components by filtration, the selective precipitation of polystyrene with a non-solvent or a blend of non-solvents, the separation, drying and extrusion of the precipitated polystyrene. This process allows the recovery of pure polystyrene without altering its properties.

Abstract: Process for the preparation of stable nitroxide radicals (I) starting from N-benzylphthalimide in three steps. In the first step, the N-benzylphthalimide is transformed into N-benzyl-1,1,3,3-tetralkylisoindoline by treatment with a Grignard reagent prepared in methyl-tert-butyl ether. In the second step, the N-benzyl-1,1,3,3-tetraalkylisoindoline is transformed into 1,1,3,3-tetra-alkylisoindoline by hydrogenolysis. In the third step, the 1,1,3,3-tetra-alkyl-isoindoline is transformed into the nitroxide radical by oxidation with hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a catalyst selected from acids and salts of polymolybdic or polytungstic acids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a mixture, comprising one or more alkyl esters of fatty acids and one or more esters of fatty acids of glycerol carbonate, as a fuel or solvent.

Abstract: Expandable particle composite material suitable for the preparation of expanded materials having a density lower than 40 g/l and a content of closed cells of at least 60%, including heterophase cavities and/or heterophase domains, whose matrix is a synthetic thermoplastic resin having at least 60% by weight of a vinyl aromatic polymer and in which an expanding system is contained, together with a heterogeneously distributed graphite material, having a graphitization degree, calculated by means of the Maire and Mering formula, of at least 0.2.

Abstract: Process for the production of vinyl-aromatic monomers which comprises: a) feeding an aromatic stream and an olefinic stream to alkylation; b) feeding the reaction product coming from the alkylation section to a first separation section; c) recovering the mono-alkylated aromatic hydrocarbon from the first separation section; d) feeding the mono-alkylated aromatic product to a dehydrogenation section; e) cooling and condensing the reaction gases in the shell of one or more heat exchangers; f) feeding the reaction product coming from the dehydrogenation section to a second separation section; g) recovering the stream of vinyl-aromatic monomer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an enhanced process for the recycling of expanded polystyrene. Said process essentially comprises the reduction in volume of expanded polystyrene by means of dissolution in a solvent, separation of the insoluble components, selective precipitation of the polystyrene with an anti-solvent, separation, drying and extrusion of the precipitated polystyrene, recovery by distillation and recycling of the solvent. The process is characterized in that the anti-solvent is a butanol selected form n-butanol, iso-butanol or sec-butanol and the solvent is dimethyl carbonate, alone or in a mixture containing up to 25% by weight of butanol.

Abstract: A raw elastomeric composition includes: (a1) from 30 to 90% by weight of a partially hydrogenated vinylarene-conjugated diene random elastomeric copolymer; (a2) from 10 to 70% by weight of one or more diene rubbers; (b) from 10 to 150 phr of silica; (c) from 0.1 to 20 phr of a coupling agent based on silane; (d) from 0.1 to 10 phr of a vulcanization agent; wherein the partially hydrogenated vinylarene-conjugated diene random copolymer has a structure which has nodes statistically distributed in the macromolecule, from which polymeric chains branch out, the bond between the nodes and the branches being a carbon-carbon bond.

Abstract: A process for the continuous production of granules based on thermoplastic polymers includes at least one expandable agent and, optionally, other polymers or additives, among which inorganic pigments insoluble in the polymeric matrix, wherein a first main stream is prepared, in the molten state, and a second stream in the molten state, which englobes the additives and which is added to the first stream. The mixture is extruded through a die which is cooled by means of water jets from nozzles positioned behind the cutting blades.

Abstract: Process for the catalytic hydrodealkylation alone of hydrocarbon compositions comprising C8-C13 alkylaromatic compounds, optionally in a mixture with C4-C9 aliphatic and cycloaliphatic products, including the treatment in continuous of said hydrocarbon compositions, in the presence of water, with a catalyst consisting of a ZSM-5 zeolite as such or in bound form, wherein the molar ratio Si/Al in the ZSM-5 ranges from 5 to 35, modified with at least one metal selected from those belonging to groups IIB, VIB and VIII, at a temperature ranging from 400 to 700° C., a pressure of between 2 and 4 MPa, a molar ratio between water and the charge in the feed to the reactor ranging from 0.0006 to 0.16 (i.e. between 0.01 and 2.5% w/w) and a molar ratio H2/charge of between 3 and 6.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated process for the production of high purity 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene starting from hydrocarbon mixtures containing naphthalene and/or isomers of methylnaphthalene and/or isomers of dimethylnaphthalene and/or isomers of polymethylnaphthalene, and from an alkylating agent, preferably methanol, reacted in the presence of a methylated benzene solvent or mixture of various methylated benzene solvents, preferably selected from toluene, xylene and trimethylbenzene, and a catalyst consisting of ZSM-12 zeolite and an inorganic ligand.

Abstract: Process for the elimination of residual mercaptans from nitrile rubbers, comprising: a. adding a colloidal emulsion of sulfur to a nitrile latex emulsion (NBR rubber latex) containing free mercaptan and with a pH of between 7 and 14, at a temperature ranging from 30 to 120° C.; b. coagulating the nitrile latex c. washing with demineralized water and drying the NBR rubber recovered after coagulation.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of vinylaromatic (co)polymers grafted on an elastomer comprising a rigid matrix consisting of vinylaromatic polymers or copolymers and of an elastomeric phase dispersed in the matrix in form of particles with a strictly bimodal distribution which comprises the functionalization of a first elastomeric fraction by means of a catalytic system containing a stable free radical initiator and subsequently the polymerization of the thus obtained mixture also in presence of a second non functionalized elastomeric fraction.

Abstract: Process for the catalytic hydrodealkylation alone of hydrocarbon compositions comprising C8-C13 alkylaromatic compounds mixed with C4-C10 aliphatic and cycloaliphatic products which, under the reaction conditions, undergo aromati-zation and subsequent hydrodealkylation, which comprises treating said hydrocarbon compositions in continuous and in the presence of hydrogen, with a catalyst consisting of a ZSM-5 zeolite, as such or in bound form, wherein the Si/Al molar ratio in the ZSM-5 ranges from 5 to 100, modified by means of the platinum-molybdenum couple, at a temperature ranging from 400 to 650° C., a pressure ranging from 2 to 4 MPa and H2/feedstock molar ratio ranging from 3 to 6. The presence of organic compounds containing heteroatoms such as sulphur, nitrogen or oxygen in the feedstock does not at all alter the performances of the catalyst according to the process object of the invention.