Abstract: Strong rigid foams comprising one or more layer minerals useful as insulation and fire-protection materials contain cells of which the mean diameter is below 60 microns, 90% have a diameter below 100 microns and substantially all are of diameter below 150 microns and are made by gasifying an aqueous suspension of the layer mineral(s) to produce a wet foam or froth containing bubbles of gas of which the diameters are as stated above and removing water from the wet foam or froth.

Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing the absorptive capacity of functional compositions into puffed borax particles. The method comprises contacting the particles with a sufficient amount of a solvent composition, e.g. water, steam, ethylene glycol, capable of dissolving portions of the exterior and interior cellular walls of the particle to thereby form a reticulated puffed borax having enhanced absorptive capacity for the functional composition. The reticulated puffed borax particle comprises a plurality of cells adjacent to each other wherein a major portion of the cell walls have openings therein to interconnect the cells.

Abstract: Complex metal chalcogenides which are useful for high temperature lubrication applications have the formula:M.sub.p (M'O.sub.x A.sub.4-x).sub.m.nH.sub.2 Owhere M is a metal selected from the group consisting of: Mg, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Al, Cu, Ga, In, Bi, As, Ni, Zn, Cd, Sb, Sn and Ce;where M' is a metal selected from the group consisting of Mo and W;where A is S or Se;where x ranges from 1 to 3;where p is 1 or 2 depending on the oxidation state of Mwhere m ranges from 1 to 5 depending on the oxidation state of M;and n ranges from 0 to 6.

Abstract: There are disclosed methods for preparing cubic boron nitride sintered body. One method involves pyrolyzing borazine and/or a borazine derivative to obtain a boron nitride; mixing said boron nitride and a catalyst composed of a metal and/or metallic compound; and reacting the mixture at a pressure of 3 GPa or more and at a temperature of 700.degree. C. or more. Another method comprises the step of pyrolyzing borazine and/or a borazine derivative to obtain a boron nitride; mixing said boron nitride and a catalyst composed of a metal and/or metallic compound; reacting the mixture at a pressure of 3 GPa or more and at a temperature of 700.degree. C. or more; and removing the catalyst from a formed product. The conversion rate into cubic boron nitride achieved with these methods is as high as 100%, and the obtained cubic boron nitride is highly pure and fine.

Abstract: A crystalline zeolite, SSZ-13, is prepared from organic nitrogen-containing cations derived from 1-adamantamine, 3-quinuclidinol, and 2-exo-aminonorbornane,

Abstract: Non laminating anisotropic boron nitride is prepared by reacting a boron halide with ammonia at a temperature of from 1100.degree. C. to 1600.degree. C. in the presence of a small amount of a volatile oxygen containing compound. The small amount of volatile oxygen containing compound is sufficient to prevent lamination yet small enough to prevent the finalized product from losing its anisotropy.

Abstract: Silicate having high ion exchange capacity are obtained by reacting sepiolites with a base, preferably a strong base in the presence of a polar liquid at a temperature, preferably elevated, and for a period sufficient to increase the ion exchange capacity to at least 50 meq. per 100 g, more preferably at least 100 meq. per 100 g. In the preferred form, the reaction is carried out at above 100.degree. C. in an autoclave.

Abstract: A new zeolite material designated EU-1 having a molar composition expressed by the formula:0.5 to 1.5 R.sub.2 O:Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 : at least 10 XO.sub.2 :0 to 100 H.sub.2 Owherein R is a monovalent cation or .sup.1 /n of a cation of valency n, X is silicon and/or germanium, Y is one or more of aluminum, iron, gallium or boron, and H.sub.2 O is water of hydration additional to water notionally present when R is H, and having an X-ray pattern substantially as set out in Tables 1 and 2 is prepared from a reaction mixture containing XO.sub.2 (preferably silica), Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 (preferably alumina) and a dicationic alkylated polymethylene diamine. The new zeolite is useful in catalytic processes, especially xylenes isomerization.

Abstract: Nitrosyl fluoride is prepared by laser-induced method wherein the nitrosyl luoride is produced in situ or in close proximity to where it is used to etch semiconductor surfaces.A reaction mixture of a catalyst compound and a fluoro compound, wherein the catalyst compound is an oxide of nitrogen selected from the group of nitrogen oxide compounds consisting of NO, N.sub.2 O, and NO.sub.2 and wherein the fluoro compound is selected from the group of fluoro compounds consisting of NF.sub.3 and N.sub.2 F.sub.4, is irradiated with CO.sub.2 laser radiation to produce FNO. FNO reacts with an exposed silicon material to produce SiF.sub.4 and nitrogen oxide. Since the oxide is regenerated, it can be regarded as a catalyst which can be recovered and recycled.A production scheme for producing nitrosyl fluoride for etching is disclosed wherein the nitrosyl fluoride is produced directly in the laser reaction chamber by passing a CO.sub.2 laser beam through the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of alkali metal selenates through oxidation of powdered selenium with hydrogen peroxide and neutralization of the formed selenic acid with alkali metal hydroxide or alkali metal carbonate, wherein the selenium oxide in the first step is brought to reaction at the surface of a warmed portion of hydrogen peroxide and subsequently in a second step the resulting acid solution is partially neutralized and the remaining selenite is further converted with hydrogen peroxide to the selenate.

Abstract: Chlorine dioxide, particularly for water treatment but useful in other applications of chlorine dioxide, such as the bleaching of pulp, is produced in an enclosed reaction zone filled with chlorine dioxide-generating reaction medium under sufficient pressure to prevent chlorine dioxide from forming a continuous gaseous phase and the resulting aqueous solution of chlorine dioxide in spent reaction medium is discharged to a recipient aqueous medium, such as a flowing water body to be treated, without the formation of gaseous phase chlorine dioxide.

Abstract: A synthetic zeolite material, designated zeolite EU-4, having a molar composition expressed by the formula:O to M.sub.2 O:aY.sub.2 O.sub.3 :at least 100 XO.sub.2 :0 to 35 H.sub.2 Owherein M is a monovalent cation or 1/n of a cation of valency n, a is from 0 to 9, X is silicon and/or germanium, Y is one or more of aluminum, iron, chromium, vanadium, molybdenum, arsenic, antimony, manganese, gallium or boron, and H.sub.2 O is water of hydration additional to water notionally present when M is H, and having a defined X-ray diffraction pattern is prepared from an aqueous reaction mixture containing the oxide XO.sub.2, optionally the oxide Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 and an alkyltrimethylammonium or dialkyldimethylammonium compound.Zeolite EU-4 is a useful catalyst for methanol conversion and the like.

Abstract: Molten alkaline earth metal halides are used to convert highly stable oxides into the corresponding anhydrous halides. Usually a third reactant, such as silica, is added in order to bind the basic oxide thus formed. The solid oxide compounds (e.g. silicates) which result are wellknown ceramic phases of a high degree of purity.

Abstract: Catalysts of the ZSM-5 synthetic zeolite type can be prepared by heating a mixture of a precursor for an alumina hydrate, a precursor for silica hydrogel, an alkali metal hydroxide and water together with an organic templating agent selected from the group of carboxymethylcellulose, the condensation product of an alkanolamine and a fatty acid and cellulose hydroxyethyl ether and therafter heating the reaction product under autogeneous conditions. Unlike prior proposals ZSM-5 which is uncontaminated by other zeolites, is prepared in high yield.

Abstract: A process for the production of silicon comprising reacting a gaseous silicon compound of the formula SiH.sub.n X.sub.4-n, wherein X is halogen and n is 0 to 3, with aluminum in solid state. The resulting silicon can be highly pure and will have the particle size of the aluminum feed, making it especially useful for production of solar cells.

Abstract: New compositions of matter which are halogenated derivatives of borates are disclosed which are catalytically active in the polymerization of halogenated phosphazene trimers and other oligomers are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for making crystalline aluminosilicate ZSM-34 zeolites, useful as catalysts for making C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 -olefins from methanol, from a reaction mixture containing silicon, aluminum, sodium, potassium, and an organic template compound which is (i) a salt of an ammonium compound of di-, tri-, or tetra-ethanolamine or (ii) a mixture of at least one of diethanolamine and triethanolamine with certain lower alkanols, lower alkylene diols, or lower alkyl iodides, sulfates, or p-toluenesulfonates.

Abstract: A new crystalline titanoborosilicate comprises a molecular sieve material having the following composition in terms of mole ratios of oxide:0.9.+-.0.2 M.sub.2/n O: TiO.sub.2 :B.sub.2 O.sub.3 :ySiO.sub.2.zH.sub.2 Owherein M is at least one cation having a valence n, y is a value within the range of 8 to about 500, and z is a value within the range of 0 to about 100 and giving a specific X-ray diffraction pattern. The crystalline titanoborosilicate is used to catalyze various processes such as conversion of simple alcohols into liquid hydrocarbons having boiling points within the gasoline boiling range, aromatization, and alkylation. A process of preparing the new crystalline titanoborosilicate is also disclosed.

Abstract: The process for producing a clear solution of alkali metal silicate having an SiO.sub.2 /alkali metal oxide weight ratio of 2.5 or less which comprises passing an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide through a bed of crystallized silica having an average particle size of between about 0.1 mm and 2 mm formed in the bottom of a vertical tubular reactor without mechanical agitation, said silica and alkali metal hydroxide being fed from the top of the reactor, and recovering the resulting clear solution of alkali metal silicate from the bottom of the reactor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for combustion of a sulfur-containing fuel which substantially reduces the amount of gaseous sulfur compounds which would otherwise be emitted.A source of oxygen, a sulfur-containing fuel, and an inorganic alkaline absorbent are reacted under controlled conditions of temperature, stoichiometry, and residence time whereby the inorganic alkaline absorbent reacts with the fuel sulfur to form a mixture of combustion products and desired solid sulfur compounds, the latter being readily removed utilizing conventional filtration equipment. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mixture of fuel and combustion products is passed into a nitrogenous compound destruction zone wherein, under controlled conditions, the concentration of nitrogenous compounds present are reduced to a desired level.