Abstract: Furfural is produced in one step at both high yield and high conversion from a feedstock comprising solid biomass and/or insoluble polysaccharide, in a high boiling, water-miscible solvent containing a soluble acid catalyst, and water. Furfural product and water can be distilled off, leaving non-volatile solvent behind. Because furfural contact with the acidic medium is minimized, degradation is kept to a minimum. The feedstock does not have to be pretreated. Because the biomass undergoes near complete dissolution, the residual material is flowable and easier to handle than residual solids reported from other processes. Further, certain by-products (e.g., humins, lignins) solubilized in the reaction solvent can be precipitated by addition of water or aqueous solution and then removed from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Furfural is produced by mixing an aqueous feedstock solution containing C5 sugar and/or C6 sugar with a heated, high boiling, water-miscible solvent, such as sulfolane, and a soluble acid catalyst. Furfural product and water are distilled off through a multistage distillation column, leaving non-volatile solvent behind. Typical furfural yields with sulfolane as the reaction solvent are about 80% at as high as 99% conversion. Also, certain by-products (e.g., humins) solubilized in the reaction solvent can be precipitated by addition of water or aqueous feedstock solution and then removed by filtration, thereby providing a convenient and effective way of removing these undesirable byproducts from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Furfural is produced by contacting a feedstock solution containing C5 sugar and/or C6 sugar with a solid acid catalyst using reactive distillation. Both high yield and high conversion are obtained, without production of insoluble char in the reaction vessel. Degradation of furfural is minimized by its low residence time in contact with the solid acid catalyst. Higher catalyst lifetime can be achieved because the catalyst is continually washed with the refluxing aqueous solution and not sitting in high-boiling byproducts like humins, which are known to be deleterious to catalyst lifetime.

Abstract: Furfural is produced by mixing an aqueous feedstock solution containing C5 sugar and/or C6 sugar with a heated high boiling, water-miscible solvent, such as sulfolane, and a solid acid catalyst. Furfural product and water can be distilled off, leaving non-volatile solvent behind. Furfural yields of over 70% at as high as 99% conversion have been obtained with this process with sulfolane as the reaction solvent and zeolite beta as the solid acid catalyst. Also, certain by-products (e.g., humins) solubilized in the reaction solvent can be precipitated by addition of water or aqueous feedstock solution and then removed by filtration, thereby providing a convenient and effective way of removing these undesirable byproducts from the reaction mixture.

Abstract: Blends comprising 65-95 wt % poly(trimethylene terephthalate-co-sebacate), 5 to 35 wt % polylactic acid and a chain extender are provided that exhibit greatly increased melt strength compared to that of poly(trimethylene terephthalate-co-sebacate) alone. Such improvements allow these compositions to be processed readily by melt-blowing, which is useful for packaging and for preparing items such as biodegradable garbage bags.

Abstract: Furfural is produced by contacting an aqueous feedstock solution containing C5 sugar and/or C6 sugar using a soluble acid catalyst with reactive distillation. Both high yield and high conversion are obtained in the reaction vessel. Degradation of furfural is minimized by its low residence time in contact with the acid catalyst. The use of staged distillation improves the furfural yield.

Abstract: Processes for making furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from sugars are provided. The processes can be carried out using a batch process or a continuous mode of operation. An aqueous sugar solution is pressurized with CO2, thereby producing carbonic acid in situ that catalyzes the dehydration reaction to produce furfural from C5 sugars and 5-methylhydroxyfurfural from C6 sugars.

Abstract: Disclosed is a thermoplastic elastomer composition comprising (i) about 10-60 wt % of at least one aliphatic polyamide; (ii) about 0.8-15 wt % of at least one graft-modified ethylene-olefin elastomeric copolymer; (iii) about 0.8-15 wt % of at least one graft-modified ethylene-propylene elastomeric copolymer, and (iv) about 35-85 wt % of at least one polyether-ester-amide block copolymer having a shore D of about 50-60 (as measured in accordance with ASTM D2240), with the total wt % of all components in the composition totaling to 100 wt %. Further disclosed herein is an article made from the thermoplastic elastomer composition disclosed above.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are processes comprising contacting isosorbide with hydrogen in the presence of a first hydrogenation catalyst to form a first product mixture comprising tetrahydrofuran-2,5-dimethanol. The processes can further comprise heating the first product mixture in the presence of hydrogen and a second hydrogenation catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising 1,6-hexanediol. The first and second hydrogenation catalysts can be the same or different.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition comprising polyamide comprising nylon-6/12 or a polyamide comprising a first repeat unit of formula (I) and a second repeat unit of formula (II) —C(O)(CH2)nC(O)NH(CH2)6NH—??(II); wherein n is an integer selected from 8, 10, 12, or 14, and optionally nylon-6,66, nylon-66, nylon-610, nylon-612, nylon-11, nylon-12 and an ionomer comprising an ethylene carboxylic acid copolymer, wherein 30 to 90% of the total carboxylic acid functionalities are neutralized to salts with zinc cations or a mixture of zinc cations and cations of a second metal selected from Group 1 of the Periodic Table of the Elements wherein the salts comprise from 20 to 90% equivalents of zinc. Articles prepared from the composition have improved salt stress crack resistance when exposed to zinc chloride solutions.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes for preparing 1,6-hexanediol and synthetic intermediates useful in the production of 1,6-hexanediol from renewable biosources. In one embodiment, a process comprises contacting levoglucosenone with hydrogen in the presence of a first hydrogenation catalyst at a first temperature to form product mixture (I); and heating product mixture (I) in the presence of hydrogen and a second hydrogenation catalyst at a second temperature to form product mixture (II) which comprises 1,6-hexanediol.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes comprising contacting an aqueous reaction mixture having an initial pH between about 3 and about 6 and comprising levoglucosenone with a catalyst, and heating the reaction mixture to form a product mixture comprising 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural. The processes may further comprise heating the product mixture comprising 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural in the presence of hydrogen and a hydrogenation catalyst to form a second product mixture comprising one or more of 2,5-furandimethanol, tetrahydrofuran 2,5-dimethanol, 1,2,6-hexanetriol, 2-hydroxymethyltetrahydropyran, and 1,6-hexanediol.

Abstract: The properties of melt blends of specific aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters and starch are improved by addition of a combination of polylactic acid, graft copolymers such maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene and maleic anhydride grafted polystyrene, and a hindered phenolic antioxidant. The blends exhibit increased melt strength and maximum draw down ratio versus blends of only aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters and starch. Films made from the blend are compostable and exhibit an attractive combination of mechanical and rheological properties for packaging materials.

Abstract: Disclosed is a composition comprising a polyamide composition comprising nylon-66 or nylon 66/6T, and optionally nylon-6, nylon-610, nylon-612, nylon-11, nylon-12, an ionomer composition comprising at least one ethylene acid copolymer wherein 30 to 90% of the total acid functionalities are neutralized to salts with a mixture of zinc cations and sodium or lithium cations, wherein the salts comprise from 20 to 90% equivalents of zinc; and optionally reinforcing filler. Articles prepared from the composition exhibit improved calcium chloride salt stress crack resistance over polyamide compositions not containing the ionomer.

Abstract: Disclosed are processes for preparing 1,6-hexanediol from levoglucosenone. In one embodiment, the process comprises contacting levoglucosenone with hydrogen in the presence of a hydrogenation catalyst comprising palladium, platinum/tungsten, nickel/tungsten, rhodium/rhenium, or mixtures thereof at a first temperature between about 50° C. and 100° C. and at a first reaction pressure between about 50 psi and 2000 psi for a first reaction period, and at a second temperature between about 120° C. and 250° C. and at a second pressure between about 500 psi and 2000 psi for a second reaction period to form a product mixture comprising 1,6-hexanediol, wherein the first reaction period is the amount of time in which the levoglucosenone has a conversion of at least about 95%.

Abstract: The present invention is a solution comprising poly(?(1?3) glucan) and an ionic liquid. The solution can further contain a non-solvent that is water or an ionic liquid. The solution is suitable for use as a spinning solution for the preparation of fibers of poly(?(1?3) glucan) without the requirement of first derivatizing the poly(?(1?3) glucan).

Abstract: Disclosed are processes for preparing 1,2-cyclohexanediol, and mixtures of 1,2-cyclohexanediol and 1,6-hexanediol, by hydrogenating 1,2,6-hexanetriol.

Abstract: A back-contact solar cell module and a process for making such a solar cell module are provided. The module includes a porous wire mounting layer with a plurality of elongated electrically conductive wires mounted thereon. A polymeric encapsulant layer is provided between a rear surface of solar cells of the module and the porous wire mounting layer and is melted to adhere to the solar cells and penetrate the porous wire mounting layer. Back electrical contacts on the solar cells are electrically connected to the electrically conductive wires through the porous wire mounting layer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multilayer structure and a process therefore in which the multilayer structure comprises a core layer and a sealant layer; the structure is a coextruded, low temperature sealing, biaxially oriented film or sheet; the sealant layer has a seal initiation temperature of from 70 to 100° C.; the combined thickness of the core and the sealant layer is 20 to 60 ?m; and the sealant layer has a thickness of from 10 to 20 percent based on the combined thickness of the core and sealant layer.

Abstract: A method for converting heat from a heat source to mechanical energy is provided. The method comprises heating a working fluid E-1,1,1,4,4,5,5,5-octafluoro-2-pentene (E-HFO-1438mzz) and optionally 1,1,1,2,3-pentafluoropropane (HFC-245eb) using heat supplied from the heat source; and expanding the heated working fluid to lower the pressure of the working fluid and generate mechanical energy as the pressure of the working fluid is lowered. Additionally, a power cycle apparatus containing a working fluid to convert heat to mechanical energy is provided. The apparatus contains a working fluid comprising E-HFO-1438mzz and optionally HFC-245eb. A working fluid is provided comprising E-HFO-1438mzz and HFC-245eb. The working fluid (i) has a temperature of at least about 150° C.; (ii) further comprises Z-HFO-1438mzz; or both (i) and (ii).