Abstract: A self-suspending proppant comprises a proppant particle substrate carrying a coating of an anionic hydrogel-forming polymer. The detrimental effect of calcium and other divalent ions on the ability of the proppant to swell when contacted with water is reduced by including a calcium binding agent in the proppant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.

Abstract: The invention provides formulations for facilitating the removal of oil from a surface using a chisel composition, wherein the chisel composition includes a polymer having one or more binding points with a high affinity for the surface, and one or more hydrophilic segments that form a hydrophilic coating on the surface, rendering the surface water-wet and thereby facilitating the removal of oil from the surface. The invention also provides for methods of use of such formulations.

Abstract: The invention is directed to systems for papermaking comprising a first population of fibers dispersed in an aqueous solution and complexed with an activator, and a second population of composite additive particles bearing a tethering material, wherein the addition of the second population to the first population attaches the composite additive particles to the fibers. The invention also encompasses methods for manufacturing a paper product.

Abstract: The present invention provides formulations for papermaking and methods for their use. In embodiments, the formulations include a treatment agent and a fluid carrier, where the treatment agent includes a volatile debonder or a polymer composition exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature. Methods for treating a paper product to increase its bulk or its stiffness are also disclosed, in addition to paper products formed from such methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.

Abstract: The invention provides formulations for facilitating the removal of oil from a surface using a chisel composition, wherein the chisel composition includes a polymer having one or more binding points with a high affinity for the surface, and one or more hydrophilic segments that form a hydrophilic coating on the surface, rendering the surface water-wet and thereby facilitating the removal of oil from the surface. The invention also provides for methods of use of such formulations.

Abstract: Systems and methods are presented for removing an ionic material from a fluid using a capture polymer that sequesters the ionic material and an anchor particle bearing a tethering polymer. The tethering polymer complexes with the capture polymer after the capture polymer has sequestered the ionic material, thereby affixing a complex of capture polymer and ionic material to the anchor particle to form a removable complex. The removable material can be segregated from the fluid via a removal system, thereby removing the ionic material from the fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for producing exfoliated clay platelets from a swellable clay material. In embodiments, the method for producing exfoliated clay platelets includes providing an exfoliating agent comprising an anionic extractant, and exposing the swellable clay material to the exfoliating agent, wherein the exfoliating agent produces exfoliated clay platelets from the swellable clay material. Methods for treating paper precursors and paper sheets are also disclosed, as are paper products formed from such paper precursors or paper sheets.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for attaching particulate additives to a population of cellulose fibers dispersed in an aqueous solution. The cellulose fibers are treated with an activator that forms complexes with them. The particulate additive is attached to a tether that is capable of interacting with the activator, thereby forming a tether-bearing particulate additive. The tether-bearing particulate additive can be added to the activated suspension of cellulose fibers. The resulting interaction between the tether and the activator forms durable complexes that attach the particulate additive to the cellulose fibers. Using these systems and methods, useful additives like starches can be attached to cellulose fibers, imparting advantageous properties such as increased strength to paper products formed thereby. These systems and methods are particularly useful for papermaking involving virgin pulp fibers, recycled fibers, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides composite materials comprising a population of cellulose fibers complexed with an activator, and an additive comprising synthetic fibers complexed with a tethering agent, wherein the tethering agent has an affinity for the activator, and wherein an interaction between the tethering agent and the activator attaches the synthetic fibers to the cellulose fibers to form the composite material. The present invention also provides methods of manufacture for such composite materials, and methods for their use, for example in forming gypsum board composites.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.

Abstract: The invention provides formulations for facilitating the removal of oil from a surface using a chisel composition, wherein the chisel composition includes a polymer having one or more binding points with a high affinity for the surface, and one or more hydrophilic segments that form a hydrophilic coating on the surface, rendering the surface water-wet and thereby facilitating the removal of oil from the surface. The invention also provides for methods of use of such formulations.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods for removing a target oil from an aqueous fluid stream using a capture medium. In embodiments, the capture medium can comprise an anchor substrate and a modifier technology supported on the anchor substrate, where the modifier technology complexes with the oil to form a removable complex.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to systems and methods for removing hydrocarbon contaminants from a contaminated solid using an environmentally benign extractant and an oleophilic absorber, where the environmentally benign extractant and the oleophilic absorber are separate components.

Abstract: The present invention provides formulations for papermaking and methods for their use. In embodiments, the formulations include a treatment agent and a fluid carrier, where the treatment agent includes a volatile debonder or a polymer composition exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature. Methods for treating a paper product to increase its bulk or its stiffness are also disclosed, in addition to paper products formed from such methods.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of removing particulate matter from a wastewater stream, comprising providing an activating agent capable of being affixed to the particulate matter in the wastewater stream; affixing the activating agent to the particulate matter to form activated particles residing in the wastewater stream; processing the activated particles in a thickener device to produce a population of thickened flocs in the fluid stream, wherein the thickened flocs comprise the particulate matter; contacting the thickened flocs with a re-activating agent to form re-activated particles comprising the particulate matter; providing a population of tether-bearing anchor particles, wherein the tether-bearing anchor particles have an affinity for the re-activated particles; attaching the tether-bearing anchor particles to the re-activated particles to form removable complexes that comprise the particulate matter, and removing the removable complexes, thereby removing the particulate matter from the wastewater stream.

Abstract: Debonding compositions and methods are disclosed for use in fibrous compositions such as paper-based products. In some instances, debonding agents can be combined with fibers (e.g., cellulose-based fibers) to produce a material having substantial wicking properties while decreasing fiber-fiber interactions that can require substantial energy to overcome in materials processing. In some instances, the debonding agent can act to create a paper-based product exhibiting a transition temperature in which the agent has a higher affinity for the fibers at temperatures above the transition temperature, and the product exhibiting enhaced wicking properties at temperatures below the transition temperature. As an example, a debonding agents can include polymers or other material exhibiting a lower critical solution temperature. The disclosed debonding agents can provide benefits over existing debonding agent formulations such as ammonium salts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a class of novel surfactants that have utility in the recovery and/or extraction of oil.