Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for drying a material comprising at least one polysaccharide, said process comprising a step wherein the material is submitted to microwave irradiations under conditions which do not degrade said polysaccharide.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for drying a material comprising at least one polysaccharide, said process comprising a step wherein the material is submitted to microwave irradiations under conditions which do not degrade said polysaccharide.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods relating to monitoring the processing of polysaccharides and, in particular, monitoring the processing of guar in order to improve guar yield and/or lower impurity concentration in the wash effluent fluid.

Abstract: A method for making a derivatized guar, comprising: (a) contacting derivatized guar splits, which have not been treated with a boron compound to crosslink the guar splits, with an aqueous wash medium comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of the aqueous wash medium: (i) from about 0.1 to about 30 parts by weight of a water soluble non-boron salt, or (ii) less than about 0.1 parts by weight water soluble salt, and (b) separating the washed derivatized guar splits from the aqueous wash medium, provided that the contacting of the derivatized guar splits with the aqueous wash medium comprising less than about 0.1 parts by weight water soluble salt is limited to a duration effective to maintain the water content of the washed derivatized guar splits at less than or equal to about 80 percent by weight.

Abstract: A substantially boron-free method for making a cationic guar comprises reacting particles of polysaccharide with a derivatizing agent to produce derivatized polysaccharide particles, washing the derivatized polysaccharide particles, and contacting, prior to or after the washing step, the particles with a glyoxal compound in order to crosslink the derivatized polysaccharide particles.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods relating to monitoring the processing of polysaccharides and, in particular, monitoring the processing of guar in order to improve guar yield and/or lower impurity concentration in the wash effluent fluid.

Abstract: A substantially boron-free method for making a cationic guar comprising: reacting particles of polysaccharide with a derivatizing agent to produce derivatized polysaccharide particles, washing the particles, and contacting, prior to or after the step of washing, the particles with a crosslinking agent compound. Also disclosed are methods for making crosslinked derivatized polysaccharides that include contacting particles of a polysaccharide with a first crosslinking agent and/or second cross-linking agent in an aqueous medium under conditions appropriate to intra-particulately crosslink the particles. The first and/or second crosslinking agent can include a copper compound, a magnesium compound, a calcium compound, an aluminum compound, p-benzoquinone, glyoxal, a titanium compound, a dicarboxylic acid, a dicarboxylic acid salt, a phosphite compound or a phosphate compound.

Abstract: A method for crosslinking a polysaccharide, includes the step of contacting particles of the polysaccharide with a titanium compound in an aqueous medium under conditions appropriate to intra-particulately crosslink the discrete particles.

Abstract: A substantially boron-free method for making a cationic guar comprises reacting particles of polysaccharide with a derivatizing agent to produce derivatized polysaccharide particles, washing the derivatized polysaccharide particles, and contacting, prior to or after the washing step, the particles with a glyoxal compound in order to crosslink the derivatized polysaccharide particles.

Abstract: A method for making a derivatized guar, comprising: (a) contacting derivatized guar splits, which have not been treated with a boron compound to crosslink the guar splits, with an aqueous wash medium comprising, based on 100 parts by weight of the aqueous wash medium: (i) from about 0.1 to about 30 parts by weight of a water soluble non-boron salt, or (ii) less than about 0.1 parts by weight water soluble salt, and (b) separating the washed derivatized guar splits from the aqueous wash medium, provided that the contacting of the derivatized guar splits with the aqueous wash medium comprising less than about 0.1 parts by weight water soluble salt is limited to a duration effective to maintain the water content of the washed derivatized guar splits at less than or equal to about 80 percent by weight.

Abstract: This invention pertains to the use of compounds containing amide or imide type functional groups to increase the rate of nitroxide mediated oxidation of alcohols, particularly primary and secondary alcohols. While suitable for oxidation of alcohol groups on a variety of substrates, it is particularly useful to oxidize cellulose, cellulose pulp or cellulose fiber such that it is commercially compatible with the traditional paper making process. Such co-catalysts may be used to increase the absolute amount of aldehyde groups on cellulose, cellulose pulp or cellulose fiber, thereby further increasing the inherent wet strength, temporary wet strength, and dry strength of paper made with such cellulose, cellulose pulp or cellulose fiber.

Abstract: This invention relates to paper comprising aldehyde modified cellulose pulp prepared using nitroxyl radical mediated oxidation and further containing selected additives comprising aldehyde functional polymers or polymers containing functionality capable of reacting with aldehyde groups and having improved strength properties. This invention further relates to paper made from aldehyde modified cellulose pulp where an hydroxyl group containing polymer is added to the paper to provide wet strength properties.