Abstract: Highly efficient and rapid filtration-based concentration devices, systems and methods are disclosed with a rotary distribution valve connected to a syringe pump which maintains control and flow of various fluids to a sample through a retentate port.

Abstract: A capsule composition comprising: (a) a polyester shell having a thickness of no more than 20 microns, and (b) a solution containing a visual and/or olfactory indicator, wherein the solution is encapsulated by the polyester shell. Also described herein is a method for detecting alpha particle radiation, in which: (i) the capsule composition is placed in contact with an esterase in a location where the presence of alpha particle radiation is being determined; (ii) waiting a period of time for the esterase to degrade the polyester shells, wherein the period of time is insufficient for the esterase to cause leakage of the solution in the absence of alpha particle radiation but is sufficient for alpha particle radiation, if present, to cause leakage from the capsule composition; and (iii) observing whether leakage has occurred at the end of the period of time to determine whether alpha particle radiation is present.

Abstract: A capsule composition comprising: (a) a polyester shell having a thickness of no more than 20 microns, and (b) a solution containing a visual and/or olfactory indicator, wherein the solution is encapsulated by the polyester shell. Also described herein is a method for detecting alpha particle radiation, in which: (i) the capsule composition is placed in contact with an esterase in a location where the presence of alpha particle radiation is being determined; (ii) waiting a period of time for the esterase to degrade the polyester shells, wherein the period of time is insufficient for the esterase to cause leakage of the solution in the absence of alpha particle radiation but is sufficient for alpha particle radiation, if present, to cause leakage from the capsule composition; and (iii) observing whether leakage has occurred at the end of the period of time to determine whether alpha particle radiation is present.

Abstract: A method for producing metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the method comprising: (i) producing hydrogen chalcogenide-containing vapor from a microbial source, wherein said microbial source comprises: (a) chalcogen-reducing microbes capable of producing hydrogen chalcogenide vapor from a chalcogen-containing source; (b) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said chalcogen-reducing microbes; (c) at least one chalcogen-containing compound that can be converted to hydrogen chalcogenide vapor by said chalcogen-reducing microbes; and (d) at least one nutritive compound that provides donatable electrons to said chalcogen-reducing microbes during consumption of the nutritive compound by said chalcogen-reducing microbes; and (ii) directing said hydrogen chalcogenide-containing vapor into a metal-containing solution comprising a metal salt dissolved in a solvent to produce metal chalcogenide nanoparticles in said solution, wherein said chalcogen is sulfur or selenium, and said chalcogenide is sulfide or selenide, res

Abstract: A composition of matter wherein the composition comprises a siliceous substrate having silanols on the surface and a polymer selected from the group consisting essentially of a water soluble polymer, a water soluble copolymer, an alcohol soluble polymer, an alcohol soluble copolymer, and combinations of such polymers, wherein the polymer is chemically bonded to the siliceous substrate by a silane linking material having the general formula O3/2SiQY that is derived from an alkoxy-functional silane having the general formula (RO)3SiQX and processes for preparing the crosslinked polymer that is chemically bonded to the surface of the siliceous substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing metal chalcogenide nanoparticles, the method comprising: (i) producing hydrogen chalcogenide-containing vapor from a microbial source, wherein said microbial source comprises: (a) chalcogen-reducing microbes capable of producing hydrogen chalcogenide vapor from a chalcogen-containing source; (b) a culture medium suitable for sustaining said chalcogen-reducing microbes; (c) at least one chalcogen-containing compound that can be converted to hydrogen chalcogenide vapor by said chalcogen-reducing microbes; and (d) at least one nutritive compound that provides donatable electrons to said chalcogen-reducing microbes during consumption of the nutritive compound by said chalcogen-reducing microbes; and (ii) directing said hydrogen chalcogenide-containing vapor into a metal-containing solution comprising a metal salt dissolved in a solvent to produce metal chalcogenide nanoparticles in said solution, wherein said chalcogen is sulfur or selenium, and said chalcogenide is sulfide or selenide, res

Abstract: A composition of matter wherein the composition comprises a siliceous substrate having silanols on the surface and a polymer selected from the group consisting essentially of a water soluble polymer, a water soluble copolymer, an alcohol soluble polymer, an alcohol soluble copolymer, and combinations of such polymers, wherein the polymer is chemically bonded to the siliceous substrate by a silane linking material having the general formula O3/2SiQY that is derived from an alkoxy-functional silane having the general formula (RO)3SiQX and processes for preparing the crosslinked polymer that is chemically bonded to the surface of the siliceous substrate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making hydrogen gas, comprising:

Abstract: A composition for preventing or retarding the formation of gas hydrates during the transport of a fluid comprising water and a hydrocarbon through a conduit. The composition is a homopolymer of vinyl caprolactam, or copolymers thereof, having a low molecular weight in the range of 500 to 2500, which is made in a polymerization solvent, preferably a glycol ether, most preferably 2-butoxyethanol and also including a carrier solvent, preferably monoethylene glycol.

Abstract: This invention relates to dye complexing polymers, and, more particularly, to water soluble poly(isopropenylpyridine) betaines containing a quaternary nitrogen and a carboxylate salt or carboxylic acid group. The polymers herein have effective dye complexing properties for use, for example, laundry detergent and fabric softener compositions.

Abstract: Described herein is a process of corrosion inhibition of a steel pipeline during transport of water and gas, or water and an oil, or mixtures thereof, therethrough, including introducing a copolymer of vinyl caprolactam and vinylpyridine into said pipeline.

Abstract: A process of making a homopolymer of vinyl caprolactam (VCL), and a copolymer with dimethylaminopropyl methacrylamide (DMAPMA), optionally including with one or more polymerizable monomers (X), in the composition range, by weight, VCL 99 to 30%, DMAPMA 1-70% and monomer X 0-30%, respectively, by suspension polymerization in an aqueous/alcoholic solvent medium, without requiring a protective colloid, which comprises charging vinyl caprolactam in an aqueous/alcoholic solvent mixture, wherein the weight ratio of alcohol to total monomers is ⅙ to 3, and if present, forming a solution of DMAPMA and optional monomers in water, feeding the solution into the VCL charge at a predetermined rate, periodically adding initiator to the reaction mixture, and polymerizing at about 40° to 130° C., and, if desired, neutralizing the product, to form a polymer product at about 5% to 40% solids, homogeneously dispersed in the solvent.

Abstract: A composition for preventing or retarding the formation of gas hydrates during the transport of a fluid comprising water and a hydrocarbon through a conduit. The composition is a copolymer of vinyl caprolactam and vinyl pyridine, and terpolymers thereof, with vinyl pyrrolidone, preferably including 70-97% by weight vinyl caprolactam. Suitably such polymers have a molecular weight in the range of 500 to 2500, and are made in a polymerization solvent, preferably a glycol ether, most preferably, 2-butoxyethanol; and also including a carrier solvent, preferably monoethylene glycol.

Abstract: A composition is provided herein for preventing or retarding the formation of gas hydrates or for reducing the tendency of gas hydrates to agglomerate, during the transport of a fluid comprising water and a hydrocarbon, through a conduit. The composition is a homopolymer of vinyl caprolactam having the low molecular weight in the range of 500 to 2500, or copolymers or terpolymers thereof, and a polyoxyalkylenediamine or a polyoxyarylenediamine. Such homopolymers, copolymers and terpolymers, preferably are made and applied in the defined solvent, which, most preferably, is a glycol ether such as 2-butoxyethanol.

Abstract: A composition is provided herein for preventing or retarding the formation of gas hydrates or for reducing the tendency of gas hydrates to agglomerate, during the transport of a fluid comprising water and a hydrocarbon, through a conduit. The composition is a homopolymer of vinyl caprolactam having the low molecular weight in the range of 500 to 2500, or copolymers thereof, in a defined solvent. Such homopolymers and copolymers preferably are made and applied in the defined solvent, which, most preferably, is a glycol ether such as 2-butoxyethanol.

Abstract: A sunscreen concentrate in the form of a stable, uniform dispersion comprising, by weight:(a) about 30-65% of ultrafine titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, or mixtures thereof,(b) about 30-70% of an organic sunscreen agent, and(c) about 0.25-25% of a dispersing aid which is polyvinylpyrrolidone alkylated with a C.sub.4 -C.sub.36 alpha-olefin.

Abstract: A backwashable filter element consists essentially of a fabric of polyacrylonitrile fibres wherein the diameter of the fibres is in the range 10 to 50 microns and the density of the element is in the range 0.05 to 0.50 g/cc. The element is suitable for use in filtering sea water, particularly for sea water injected into petroleum reservoirs to assist in the recovery of crude oil.

Abstract: The salt content of crude oil is reduced by washing crude oil containing residual salt water with wash water of lower salinity than the water present in the crude oil and allowing the resulting mixture to settle into a layer of crude oil of reduced salt water content and a layer of saline water. The quantity of wash water employed is greater than 7.5% by volume of the crude oil.The saline water may be recycled and a proportion removed from the recycle stream and a corresponding quantity of water of lower salinity added.Washing with relatively large quantities of water results in the formation of a less stable emulsion. Consequently, less severe conditions are required to break it to recover the desalted crude oil.

Abstract: Emulsions of oil and water are broken by treating them with a demulsifier which is a polysiloxane polyalkylene oxide copolymer in which the polyalkylene oxide segment is composed of random ethylene oxide and propylene oxide units.The demulsifier is particularly useful in breaking emulsions of water in crude oil which are normally difficult to separate and in breaking emulsions at relatively low temperatures, e.g. 30.degree. to 45.degree. C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inhibiting the formation of and/or breaking of preformed mercury butter in chlor-alkali cells. The method comprises introducing at any one of the numerous stages of the electrolytic process an aqueous solution of a surfactant material which enables the interfacial tension of the sodium-amalgam interface to be increased to or maintained above a value of 180 dynes/cm. The surfactants may be extracts of decaying vegetation, solutions of carboxylic acids or chlorohydrocarbons. Extracts containing lignite or humic acids are most effective.