Abstract: A plastic composition degradable under the influence of weather or light, comprising a plastic material and finely divided titanium dioxide with a specific surface of more than about 20 m.sup.2 /g. Preferably the titanium dioxide is obtained by hydrolyzing titanium sulfate in aqueous solution, has a predominantly anatase structure, a lightening power of less than about 400, a specific surface of about 60 to 400 m.sup.2 /g and is present in about 0.5 to 5% by weight of the composition, and the plastic material is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polyamides and ABS-polymers.

Abstract: In the production of a gypsum-based porous body of high strength by foaming a gypsum-water mixture containing alkali, hydrogen peroxide and a decomposition catalyst therefor, the improvement which comprises including in said mixture an acid-reacting compound with active hydrogen atoms in a quantity insufficient for complete neutralization of the alkali. The alkali is preferably calcium and/or magnesium oxide and/or hydroxide and the preferred acid-reacting compounds are phosphates and/or sulfates, especially potassium hydrogen phosphates. The acid-reacting compound is employed in an amount sufficient to neutralize about 5 to 50% of the alkali, the final pH being about 12 to 12.5.

Abstract: The invention relates to the production of inorganic fibers comprising a metal oxide phase and a finely divided disperse phase distributed throughout the oxide phase, the disperse phase constituting about 0.5 to 50% by weight of the fiber. The process involves preferably dry spinning a solution in water or an organic solvent of fiber forming components which, when heated to temperature of from 500.degree. to 1600.degree. C either in an inert or in a reactive atmosphere, form at least two phases with a miscibility gap, of which one phase is an oxide phase containing the other phase in very finely disperse form. Preferably, the solution contains a metal salt, the anion of which contains carbon so that upon heating there is formed an oxide phase comprising the oxide of said metal having carbon dispersed therein; if carbon is not in the anion, its precursor may be an organic compound, such as a polymer, present in the solution.

Abstract: In the purification of impure titanium tetrachloride comprising adding an agent to said titanium tetrachloride and thereafter distilling off purified titanium tetrachloride while leaving the impurity in the distillation residue, the improvement which comprises employing as said agent at least one amine of the formula ##EQU1## in which R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently is hydrogen, alkyl or alkenyl of up to 6 carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of 5 to 7 carbon atoms, or aryl, andR.sub.3 is cycloalkyl of 5 to 7 ring carbon atoms, or aryl, orR.sub.2 together with R.sub.3 is butylene, pentylene or hexylene, in which eventR.sub.1 is hydrogen, alkyl of up to 6 carbon atoms or aryl.The preferred agents are aniline, cyclohexylamine, N,N-dimethyl-aniline, diphenylamine, 2,3-dimethyl-aniline and 2,6-dimethyl-aniline. The process serves to remove vanadium impurities.

Abstract: A white composite pigment, containing isometric rutile pigment particles and acicular modified potassium hexatitanate, is produced by reacting titanium dioxide or a titanium compound which can be converted into titanium dioxide under the reaction conditions in the presence of rutile seeds with a potassium compound which reacts basically under the reaction conditions, a mineralizer and a polyvalent metal fluoride at a temperature of about 700.degree. to 1100.degree.C.