Abstract: The invention relates to an injection molding method for the production of a complex, high optical quality light-diffusing molded item. The molding material used comprises a matrix made of polymethyl(meth)acrylate and spherical plastic particles whose particle size ranges from 1-24 ?m and the concentration thereof ranges from 0.05-30 wt.-% in relation to the weight of the polymethyl(meth)acrylate. The spherical particles exhibit a refractive index differential in relation to the polymethyl(meth)acrylate matrix of 0.01 0.2.

Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.

Abstract: A cationic copolymer is obtained by the Hofmann rearrangement (also referred to as the Hofmann degradation reaction) in aqueous solution in the presence of an alkaline-earth and/or alkali hydroxide and an alkaline-earth and/or alkaline hypohalide, on a base copolymer comprising at least one nonionic monomer selected from the group comprising acrylamide (and/or methacrylamide), N,N-dimethylacrylamide and/or acrylonitrile The copolymer is branched after the Hofmann rearrangement, in the presence of at least one polyfunctional branching agent, and is soluble in water.

Abstract: Fibrous structures that exhibit a Dry Burst of greater than 360 g as measured according to the Dry Burst Test Method and optionally, a Total Dry Tensile of less than 2450 g/76.2 mm and/or a Machine Direction (MD) Dry Tensile of less than 1520 g/76.2 mm and/or a Geometric Mean (GM) Total Dry Tensile of less than 1180 g/76.2 mm as measured according to the Tensile Strength Test Method are provided.

Abstract: A method of extracting hemp fibers from decorticated hemp bast skin involves pre-treating the decorticated hemp bast skin with an aqueous solution containing di-sodium citrate, tri-sodium citrate or a mixture thereof having a pH of from about 6-13 at temperature of about 90° C. or less; and subsequently treating recovered fiber with a enzyme. Determining the extent of completion of a plant fiber degumming process involves treating degummed fiber with a recombinant pectinase expressed in an organism that produces neither cellulose nor xylanase, to release reducing sugar from any residua pectin on the degummed fiber, and, quantifying the released reducing sugar.

Abstract: Impregnating or spraying softwood chips in a solution containing an appropriate concentration of alkaline earth metal ions selected from the group consisting of calcium ions, barium ions and strontium, preferably calcium ions, at room temperature before a reductive alkaline pulping process, for example kraft pulping, significantly increases pulp yield. Using an agent that complexes with the metal ions, such as hydroxyethylidene diphosphonic acid (HEDP) allows this benefit of metal ions to be achieved during the pulping process rather than in a separate impregnation step.

Abstract: An apparatus suitable for separating particles and methods for using such apparatus are provided.

Abstract: The method is for retrieving heat from black liquor wherein the black liquor is withdrawn from a digester in association with the production of cellulose pulp. The black liquor at the withdrawal stage maintains a first withdrawal temperature. At least a part of the black liquor is led to a heat exchanger. An exchange of heat takes place in the heat exchanger between the black liquor and a bleaching filtrate that has been obtained from the bleaching plant. The exchange of heat results in the bleaching filtrate experiencing a raise in temperature of at least 5° C., after which the heated bleaching filtrate is used in the bleaching plant.

Abstract: Fibrous structures that exhibit a Geometric Mean Modulus (GM Modulus) of less than 1402.4 g/cm at 15 g/cm as measured according to the Modulus Test Method described herein and a Geometric Mean Elongation (GM Elongation or GM Elong) of less than 10.2% measured according to the Elongation Test Method described herein are provided.

Abstract: A quadruple papermaking fabric comprises: a set of longitudinal machine direction top yarns; a set of cross machine direction top yarns interwoven with the top MD yarns to form a top fabric layer; a set of central MD yarns; a set of central CMD yarns interwoven with the central MD yarns to form a central fabric layer; a set of bottom MD yarns; a set of bottom CMD yarns interwoven with the bottom MD yarns to form a bottom fabric layer; a set of pairs of binder yarns arranged in the cross machine direction and interwoven with the top MD yarns. At least one of the binder yarns of each pair is interwoven with the central MD yarns to form a first binding pattern between the top layer and the central layer; at least some of the central CMD yarns define respective stitching yarns that are interwoven with the bottom MD yarns to form a second binding pattern between the central layer and the bottom layer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to apparatus and methods for the substantially continuous processing of cellulosic biomasses with a supercritical, critical or near critical fluid to produce ethanol, bio-fuels and high value end products.

Abstract: A process is provided for delignifying lignocellulosic material, including feeding a lignocellulosic blend comprising a Western Red Cedar (WRC) chip furnish and a second lignocellulosic material into an aqueous alkaline pulping solution at the feed end of a digester to produce a lignocellulosic mass. The second lignocellulosic material is provided in a proportion that increases the density of the mass to enable the mass to move through the digester while minimizing production effects associated with low density WRC chips. The mass moves through the digester to produce a pulp that may be bleached.

Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire which is capable of securing a driving stability on dry road surfaces and concurrently of improving snow performance without worsening its pattern noise. The pneumatic tire includes four main grooves each extending in its tread part in a tire circumferential direction, and the four main grooves partition the tread part into: a center land part; paired intermediate land parts located with the center land part being interposed in between; and paired shoulder land parts located with the center land part and the paired intermediate land parts being interposed in between. Each of the intermediate land parts and the shoulder land parts includes multiple V-shaped grooves each configured of: a thick groove part extending in a tire width direction; and a thin groove part extending in the tire circumferential direction.

Abstract: A screen for producing two-level watermarks is produced by completely closing part of the screen with a viscous sealing compound, which is subsequently cured actively or passively. At the thus closed partial areas of the screen, paper deposit is hindered during papermaking so that the finished paper appears light in transmission in the areas. A mask is used for exactly positioning the sealing compound in the partial areas of the screen and/or for curing the sealing compound only in the given partial areas, whereby in the latter case the uncured areas of the sealing compound are washed out.

Abstract: Methods are provided for altering the tack of an adhesive material by contacting the adhesive material with an amount of a cyclodextrin compound effective to reduce the tack of the adhesive material. In a preferred embodiment, the method is for altering the tack of adhesive contaminants in a process fluid, which includes the steps of providing a process fluid in which are dispersed contaminant particles which comprises one or more adhesive materials (such as pitch, pressure sensitive adhesives, hot melts, latexes, binders, and combinations thereof); and adding to the process an amount of a cyclodextrin compound effective to reduce the tack of the adhesive material. The process fluid can be in a process stream in a pulp and paper mill.

Abstract: A method for generating steam in a digester plant of a chemical pulp mill including: producing black liquor in the digester plant, extracting a first stream of black liquor from the digester; generating vapor by evaporating the first stream of black liquor by heating the first stream with fresh steam; heating fibrous material in the digester with the generated vapor from the evaporated first stream of black liquor; extracting a second stream of black liquor from the digester; flashing the second stream of black liquor to generate flashed black liquor and flashed black liquor vapor; introducing the flashed black liquor vapor to at least one heat exchanger to indirectly heat a clean evaporable liquid to produce clean steam from the clean evaporable liquid; and steaming, with the clean steam produced in the at least one heat ex-changer, cellulosic feed material before feeding the cellulosic feed material to the digester plant.

Abstract: Fibrous structures that exhibit a Geometric Mean Elongation of greater than 15.8% as measured according to the Elongation Test Method are provided.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing cellulose ether which is transparent as dissolved in water and has low water-insoluble content. More specifically, provided are a method for preparing alkali cellulose comprising a contact step of bringing a pulp sheet having a pore volume of 1.0 ml/g or greater, or chips into which the pulp sheet has been converted, into contact with an alkali metal hydroxide solution to obtain an alkali cellulose reaction mixture, and a drain step of draining the alkali cellulose reaction mixture; and a method for preparing water-soluble cellulose ether comprising a step of reacting the alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent.

Abstract: Fibrous structures that exhibit a cross machine direction total energy absorption (CDTEA) of greater than 8 cm-g/cm2 as measured according to the TEA Test Method.