Abstract: A solid surface having anionic groups capable of reacting with a polyethylene imine substituted at least in part by at least 50% by weight of a hydrophilic nonionic polymer having a molecular weight within the range from about 400 to about 200,000 is provided with a hydrophilic biopolymer-repellent outer surface layer thereof by reacting such a polyethylene imine substituted by nonionic hydrophilic polymer with anionic groups on the solid surface, in an amount sufficient to produce biopolymer-repellent solid surface, and accordingly having low spontaneous adsorption of proteins and other biopolymers through electrostatic attraction and/or hydrophobic interaction.

Abstract: A process for preparing polyphenylene ethers from monohydric phenols which have alkyl substituents in both ortho positions and possibly also in one meta position but not in the para position, by oxidative coupling with oxygen-containing gases in the presence of an oxidation catalyst and of an electrically conducting compound which counteracts the electrostatic charge in the reaction mixture, in organic solution, comprises using as electrically conducting compound a salt of a carboxamide derivative of the formula I ##STR1## or mixtures of such salts, where R.sup.1 is a saturated or singly or multiply unsaturated aliphatic group which can have a terminal phenyl group and which contains a total of 8-30 carbon atoms, it also being possible for these carbon atoms to be interrupted by isolated oxygen atoms,R.sup.2 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,A is an aliphatic, araliphatic or cycloaliphatic or aromatic bridge of up to 10 carbon atoms,n and m are each 1 to 3,Q.sup..sym.

Abstract: Joint-sealing and coating compounds containing aqueous dispersions of polymers and copolymers, except for polyacrylates and acrylate copolymers, plasticizers and typical additives, such as pigments and the like, show excellent properties, particularly in regard to spreadability, smoothing behavior and resistance to spray water of uncured surfaces of these compounds providing they contain nonionic cellulose ethers selected from the group consisting of hydroxyethyl, hydorxyethyl-methyl, hydroxypropyl-methyl and hydroxypropyl cellulose having a Brookfield viscosity (2% aqueous solution at 20.degree. C.) of at least 3,000 mPa.s.