Abstract: The present invention provides an assay method for hemicellulases comprising a) directly dyeing, using a reactive dye, an insoluble natural product, or a modified form of a natural fibre material; and b) adding the enzyme to the dyed product produced in step a) and, after a specific incubation period, separating the liquid component from the insoluble dyed product, e.g. by a simple filtration, and determining the amount of dyestuff liberated in the the separated solution by spectrophotometric means. A combined mixing and dispensing device for use in the method of the present invention is also provided.

Abstract: Cellulosic textile materials can be dyed with disperse dyes from supercritical CO.sub.2 by treating the textile materials with an auxiliary that promotes dye uptake, typically polyethylene glycol.

Abstract: A process for the fluorescent whitening of hydrophobic textile materials, especially polyesters, wherein the textile material is treated with disperse fluorescent whitening agents in supercritical CO.sub.2.

Abstract: Sizing agents of which some are novel and which have at least one anionic or acidic group which is optionally in the form of a salt and at least two hydrophobic substituents which each have at least 5 carbon atoms, at least two of the most adjacent hydrophobic substituents being bonded to each other with a linking member which has at least 2 hetero atoms, are particularly suitable for use, together with commercially available polymeric, cationic retention aids, in a process for sizing paper or cardboard.

Abstract: Polyester textile material can be dyed from supercritical CO.sub.2 with special disperse dyes.

Abstract: Sizing agents which are novel compounds and have at least one anionic or acidic group which is optionally in salt form and at least two hydrophobic substituents of which at least two of the most adjacent ones are bonded to each other with a bridging member which has at least 1 carbon atom and 2 hetero atoms, at least one sulfur atom being present as hetero atom, in particular sulfimides or bisulfimides of fatty acid derivatives, are highly suitable for use, together with commercially available retention aids, in a process for sizing paper or cardboard.

Abstract: Sizing agents, which are novel compounds and contain at least one anionic or acidic sulfonylcarbonylimide group which may be in salt form and at least two hydrophobic substituents of which at least two are linked to each other through a bridge member of the formula --CO--NH--A.sub.1 --(SO.sub.2 --NH--CO).sub.t, where A.sub.1 is a divalent or trivalent aliphatic, cycloaliphatic or aromatic radical of up to 10 carbon atoms, and t is 1 or 2, are particularly suitable, together with commercially available retention aids, for use in a process for sizing paper or cardboard.