Abstract: A process for forming a hydrophobically modified water soluble or water dispersible polymer by utilizing a micellar polymerization technique comprising the steps of: (1) providing a reaction medium including one or more water soluble or water dispersible monomers and one or more surface active agents or protective colloids; (2) incrementally adding one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties to said reaction medium; (3) initiating polymerization of said one or more water soluble or water dispersible monomers with said one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties; and (4) continuing polymerization of said one or more water soluble or water dispersible monomers with said one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties while incrementally adding said one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties to said reaction medium is provided.

Abstract: A process for forming a hydrophobically modified water soluble or water dispersible polymer by utilizing a micellar polymerization technique comprising the steps of: (1) providing a reaction medium including one or more water soluble or water dispersible monomers and one or more surface active agents or protective colloids; (2) incrementally adding one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties to said reaction medium; (3) initiating polymerization of said one or more water soluble or water dispersible monomers with said one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties; and (4) continuing polymerization of said one or more water soluble or water dispersible monomers with said one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties while incrementally adding said one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers having hydrophobic properties to said reaction medium is provided.

Abstract: Improved water soluble vinyl addition polymers for use as thickening and flocculating agents in water purification treatment, paper manufacture and waste water treatment are prepared using alkoxylated castor oil as an activation release agent. The release agent is biodegradable thereby making the overall product process more environmentally friendly.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a new aqueous dispersion of surface active polymer which demonstrates enhanced surface active and performance properties more particularly as a foaming agent. The polymer comprises a vinyl monomer having at least one quaternized nitrogen atom, a vinyl monomer having at least one amide group, a vinyl monomer bearing both a hydrophobic and a hydrophylic group and optionally, a vinyl carboxylic monomer.

Abstract: A process for removing water borne flexographic inks from paper stock comprising the steps of (a) forming a slurry by pulping paper containing water borne flexographic inks in an aqueous medium having a pH of greater than 8 which includes: (1) one or more basic agents; (2) one or more nonionic surfactants; (3) one or more anionic polyelectrolytes; and (4) an amount of paper different from that being processed which contains inorganic fillers, coatings or mixtures thereof; and (b) subjecting the slurry produced in step (a) to a flotation cell having an aqueous medium having a pH of greater than 8 which includes: (1) one or more basic agents; (2) one or more nonionic surfactants; and (3) one or more anionic polyelectrolytes is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a copolymer comprising the polymerization product of two or more vinyl monomers wherein one of the monomers is a mixture of 3-methacryloyloxy-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium halide and 2-methacryloyloxy-3-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium halide salt. The copolymer has an intrinsic viscosity greater than about 5 dl/g. The preferred copolymer comprises the polymerization product of acrylamide and a mixture of 3-methacryloyloxy-2-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride and 2-methacryloyloxy-3-hydroxypropyltrimethylammonium chloride. The copolymers of the present invention are particularly useful as flocculants.

Abstract: Homogeneous compositions of a solid, water soluble organic acid, e.g., glutaric acid, and a solid cationic ester-based copolymer flocculant are resistant to mechanical segregation and stratification caused by agitation. The compositions are prepared by coating the polymeric flocculant with the organic acid. The compositions are useful in sludge dewatering, water treatment, paper processing and waste water treatment.

Abstract: Novel water-soluble, cationic acrylamide polymers characterized by having a weighted standard deviation of the charge distribution, as calculated from measurements of the disappearance ratio of the comonomers, of less than about 0.6 are prepared by acidifying an acrylamide monomer with a weak acid and polymerizing said monomer with a monomer having quaternary amine groups. The polymers are useful as flocculation aids and for a variety of other water treatment applications.

Abstract: Use of dicarboxylic acid in the preparation of cationic water soluble polymers useful in flocculation of suspended solids in various waste waters is disclosed. The dicarboxylic acids are shown to improve stability of cationic functionality and enhance distribution of charge.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for improved incorporation of diallyldimethylammonium chloride (DADMAC) into an acrylamide polymer. This invention makes use of a copolymerizable promoter monomer. Also provided by the present invention are inverse emulsion terpolymers of diallyldimethylammonium chloride. The improved incorporation resides in the use of a promoter monomer that is more reactive with acrylamide than is the DADMAC monomer and is selected from ##STR1## wherein R is --H or CH.sub.3 ;X is --O--, or --NH--;n has a value of 2-4; andA is an ion selected from the group consisting of Cl.sup. -, CH.sub.3 SO.sub.4.sup.-, HSO.sub.4.sup.- and NO.sub.3.sup.-.Specific monomers within this formula included, for example, 2-methacryloylethyltrimethylammonium chloride and 2-acryloylethyltrimethylammonium chloride.Typical of such promoter monomers are 2-methacryloylethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride and 2-acryloylethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride.

Abstract: A cathode assembly for use in an electrolyzer cell is provided which comprises at least one separating means adjacent to a face of said cathode assembly and comprising a fluid-impervious material and extending diagonally upwards from a point on a first side of said cathode to a point short of a second side opposite the first side of said cathode, said first separating means having a positive monotonic slope with reference to said first side and to a third side adjacent to said first side and thereby separating said face into at least two interconnected regions. The preferred embodiment of the cathode assembly comprises two separating means equipped with downwardly disposed flanges affixed to an edge of said separating means and extending substantially along the full length of said separating means. A process employing the cathode assembly is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of monitoring temperature in a multicell electrolyzer used to produce a gaseous product from a liquid phase electrolyte by placing a single temperature sensing means in the common product collection means is disclosed.