Abstract: High molecular weight protein/fatty acid condensation products obtained by reaction of one mole of a protein hydrolysate of average molecular mass 3,000 to 7,000 with 0.5 to 3, preferably 2 to 2.5, moles of a C.sub.12 -C.sub.18 -fatty acid chloride in aqueous medium at a pH of 7 to 12. These protein/fatty acid condensation products are distinguished by eliciting no mucosal irritation whatever. They are therefore outstandingly suitable as surfactants for mild washing and cleansing agents.

Abstract: Surfactant mixtures made from 5 to 80% by weight of an ether sulfonate, 5 to 80% by weight of an alkyl or alkylphenol polyglycol ether and 10 to 80% by weight of an alkanesulfonate, petroleumsulfonate or alkylbenzenesulfonate. This combination of surfactants produces stable, aqueous solutions or dispersions which are highly suitable for surfactant flooding in tertiary oil recovery since these aqueous surfactant solutions or dispersions form microemulsions with the oil even at high salinities.

Abstract: A device for determining surface moisture, especially of absorbent materials, comprises a Dove reflection prism, a radiation source of such a design that its beams, which are aligned parallel, perpendicularly strike one of the two small surfaces of the prism, a light trap which traps the light beams emanating from the other small surface, and a photoelectric transducer which is located in the angle formed by the two small surfaces and is arranged such that its measurement surface is located parallel and opposite to the hypotenuse surface of the prism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cellulose ether having at least one phosphorus-containing substituent or a mixed ether of said cellulose ether having in addition at least one phosphorus-free substituent comprising alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyalkyl, sulfonoalkyl, aminoalkyl, or diaminoalkyl, wherein the phosphorus-containing substituent(s) comprise(s) groups of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are OX; or R.sup.1 is OX and R.sup.2 is OY; or R.sup.1 is OX and R.sup.2 is (CH.sub.2).sub.n --CH.sub.3 ; or R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are (CH.sub.2).sub.n --CH.sub.3 ; or R.sup.1 is (CH.sub.2).sub.n --CH.sub.3 and R.sup.2 is (CH.sub.2).sub.p --CH.sub.3, whereinX,Y are identical or different and comprise a hydrogen atom or a monovalent cation;m is an integer from 1 to 4; andn,p are identical or different and are 0 or 1; with the proviso that when m is 1 or 2, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may not be OX and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 may not be OX and OY, respectively. Also disclosed is a process for producing these cellulose ether products.

Abstract: The application discloses a gel-forming composition based on (a) water, (b) a water-soluble cellulose mixed ether having at least one nonionic substituent from the group comprising hydroxyalkyl and alkyl and at least one anionic phosphorus-containing substituent, and (c) a salt containing a cation which is at least divalent. The phosphorus-containing substituent is a phosphonoalkyl group or a p-alkylphosphinoalkyl group. The application also relates to a process for the preparation of a gel from this composition, to the reversible reversing of the gel by the addition of an agent which complexes the cation, e.g. in the case of Al.sup.3+ ions, Fe.sup.3+ ions, Zr.sup.4+ ions or ZrO.sup.2+ ions, by means of an amount of fluoride ions, and to the use of this gel-forming compostion in the secondary production of petroleum.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing water-soluble phosphonomethyl ethers of cellulose from cellulose and halogenomethane phosphonic acid or one of its salts or acid derivatives, in an aqueous, alkaline medium. The process is carried out in such a way that, for each mole of the cellulose, from about 2.1 to 15 moles of hydroxide ions and from about 0.4 to 3.0 moles of halogenomethane phosphonate ions as etherifying agent are caused to react in from about 3 to 50 parts by weight, per part by weight of the cellulose, of a mixture which is composed of an inert, preferably water-miscible organic solvent and water and in which the proportion of water ranges from about 2 to 60 percent by weight, the reaction is continued until the phosphonomethyl cellulose has a DS of at least about 0.13.

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously producing water-soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose and related ethers comprising, in combination, the following elements connected in series: a stirred kettle for alkalizing cellulose at atmospheric pressure, at least one stirred autoclave for partially etherifying the alkalized cellulose, individual homogenizing pumps at the outlet of the stirred kettle and at the outlet of each stirred autoclave, individual bypass lines leading from the bottom of the stirred kettle to the upper end thereof and from the bottom of each stirred autoclave to the upper end of the same autoclave for circulating slurry from each vessel in a loop, a tubular reactor comprising a plurality of serially-connected, horizontal tubes for completing the etherification of the cellulose slurry, the first tube of the tubular reactor being provided with a non-conveying, homogenizing agitator, and each subsequent tube being provided with a conveying agitator such as an impeller, means such as a jacket for each section of

Abstract: Disclosed are water-soluble cellulose mixed ethers which contain (a) at least one substituent from the group comprising alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl and dialkylaminoalkyl and (b) a phosphonomethyl substituent and which has a DS of the first substituent(s) other than hydroxyalkyl from about 0.05 to 2.95 and/or an MS.sub.HAlk from about 0.5 to 6 and a DS.sub.PM from about 0.005 to 0.8. Also disclosed is a process for preparing such cellulose mixed ethers in which, per mole of the cellulose, from about 0.1 to 25 moles of the etherifying agent(s) for producing the substituent(s) under (a), from about 0.05 to 2 moles of halogenomethane phosphonate ions as the etherifying agent for producing the substituent under (b) and from about 0.8 to 12 moles of hydroxide ions are caused to react in a reaction mixture comprising up to about 30 parts by weight, per part by weight of the cellulose, of a mixture which is composed of an inert, preferably water-miscible organic solvent and H.sub.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the preparation of acrylic polymers which are at least for the most part insoluble in water and have a high swellability in water, by reacting polyacrylonitrile or copolymers based on acrylonitrile at a temperature exceeding 100.degree. C. with aqueous-alkaline solutions which may contain an organic solvent which is miscible with water.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bonded non-woven fabric capable of absorbing water vapor, containing fibers of cellulose hydrate modified by at least one organic polymeric compound, either solely or blended with synthetic, natural or regenerated fibers.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for reducing the viscosity of cellulose ethers by reacting a water-soluble cellulose ether with ozone in the presence of water, wherein said cellulose ether which is moist with water and has a dry content of from 20 to 95% by weight is reacted with an ozone/oxygen mixture or with an ozone/air mixture at a temperature of about 0.degree. to 60.degree. C.

Abstract: A continuous process for manufacturing water-soluble hydroxyalkyl cellulose, and water-soluble mixed ethers based on hydroxyalkyl cellulose, comprising producing a slurry comprising (by weight) 1 part cellulose, 0.02 to 0.6 parts alkali metal hydroxide, 5 to 10 parts inert organic solvent, and 0.4 to 2.5 parts water; continuously feeding the slurry to a first elevated pressure reactor and mixing the slurry therein with at least one normally gaseous etherifying agent which has been liquified under pressure; maintaining the slurry at a temperature up to 40.degree. C., and a gauge pressure up to 3 bars, for 15 to 90 minutes, to give a degree of substitution from 0.2 to 1.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing swellable cross-linked carboxyalkylcelluloses by reacting cellulose, a carboxyalkylating etherifying agent, and a cross-linking agent in an aqueous alkaline medium, comprising effecting alkalizing, etherifying, and cross-linking simultaneously in one reaction step using fibers, textile sheet materials containing these fibers, or sheet materials of other kinds, having a base of cellulose hydrate or of natural cellulose, by contacting said fibers or sheet materials with an ample quantity of an aqueous alkaline reaction mixture, removing part of the reaction mixture from the fibers or sheet materials contacted therewith, so that at least the quantity required for reaction is still present, and treating the fibers or sheet materials containing the remainder of the aqueous alkaline reaction mixture with heat energy. The invention also relates to equipment for performing the process.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for preparing swellable cross-linked carboxyalkylcelluloses in the form of fibers, by reacting cellulose, a carboxyalkylating etherifying agent, and a cross-linking agent in an aqueous alkaline medium, comprising effecting alkalizing, etherifying, and cross-linking simultaneously in one reaction step using fibers of cellulose hydrate or fiber-based textile sheet materials which contain these fibers, by contacting said fibers or textile sheet materials which contain these fibers with an ample quantity of an aqueous alkaline reaction mixture, removing part of the reaction mixture from the fibers or the textile sheet materials contacted therewith, so that at least the quantity required for reaction is still present, and treating the fibers or the textile sheet materials containing the remainder of the aqueous alkaline reaction mixture with heat energy.

Abstract: Hydrophilic films, fibers and spongy articles of a water-insoluble polymer selected from the group consisting of regenerated cellulose, cellulose ether, cellulose ester and polyalkylene, and capable of forming fibers and films, are produced by distributing in a mass of the polymer up to 50% of pulverulent or granular amorphous particles of an originally water-soluble cellulose ether prepared from natural cellulose and rendered by chemical modification at least partly water-insoluble while remaining water-absorbent. The resulting mixture is then processed by conventional methods into the desired article.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a sheet material comprising natural or synthetic rubber or a rubber-like polymer, which is capable of absorbing and transmitting water vapor and which contains a uniformly incorporated addition of polymer particles, the improvement that the addition comprises particles of at least one swellable modified polymer. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of the sheet material.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a water vapor absorbing and transmitting adhesive containing at least one organic binding agent which is insoluble in water, and an addition of at least one hydrophilic polymer, the improvement that the hydrophilic polymer is a swellable modified polymer in the form of small particles. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of the adhesive.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hydrophilic shaped article of a water-insoluble polymer selected from the group consisting of regenerated cellulose, cellulose ether, cellulose ester and polyalkylene, and capable of forming fibers and films, said article containing amorphous particles of an originally water-soluble cellulose ether prepared from natural cellulose and rendered by chemical modification at least partly water-insoluble while remaining water-absorbent.

Abstract: This invention relates to a bonded fiber web capable of absorbing water vapor and composed of synthetic, natural or regenerated fibers with a uniformly incorporated additive of at least one polymer, said additive comprising fibrous particles of at least one swellable carbohydrate derivative or a swellable modified carbohydrate derivative. The invention also relates to a process for the manufacture of the bonded fiber web.

Abstract: This invention relates to a hydrophilic shaped article of a water-insoluble polymer selected from the group consisting of regenerated cellulose, cellulose ether, cellulose ester and polyalkylene, and capable of forming fibers and films, said article containing amorphous particles of an originally water-soluble cellulose ether prepared from natural cellulose and rendered by chemical modification at least partly water-insoluble while remaining water-absorbent.