Abstract: A three dimensional wipe pad with a superior capacity to remove contaminant solids particles from solid surfaces consists of a compressible bed of loose and discontinuous ultra-fine filaments which filaments include a significant number of sub-micron diameter microfilaments, enclosed and sealed in a pouch made from a deformable material which is permeable to the contaminant solids being removed. Rubbing a contaminated surface with the pad causes the contaminant solids to pass into the interior of the wipe where they are trapped in the interstices between the ultra-fine filaments. Liquids may be added to the pad to assist the passage of the contaminant solids particles into the interior of the pad.

Abstract: Hollow porous microspheres of uniform diameter and of uniform wall thickness are disclosed. The walls of the hollow microspheres comprise sintered together particles which define interconnecting voids within the walls and a single central cavity in the interior of the microspheres and inner and outer microsphere wall surfaces. The interconnecting voids are continuous and extend from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface. The walls have uniform void content and the interconnecting voids are uniformly distributed in the walls of the hollow microspheres and the walls of the hollow microspheres are free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials and are substantially free of relatively thinned wall portions and bubbles. The hollow porous microspheres include microspheres in which the interconnecting voids have been closed and sealed.

Abstract: Method for making hollow microspheres of substantially uniform diameter and of substantially uniform wall thickness is disclosed. The walls of the hollow microspheres comprise sintered together particles which define interconnecting voids within the walls and a single central cavity in the interior of the microspheres and inner and outer microsphere wall surfaces. The interconnecting voids are continuous and extend from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface. The walls have substantially uniform void content and the interconnecting voids are substantially uniformly distributed in the walls of the hollow microspheres and the walls of the hollow microspheres are free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials and are substantially free of relatively thinned wall portions and bubbles. The method includes heating the microspheres for a sufficient period of time to close and seal the interconnecting void.

Abstract: Hollow porous microspheres of substantially uniform diameter and of substantially uniform wall thickness are disclosed. The walls of the hollow microspheres comprise sintered together particles which define interconnecting voids within the walls and a single central cavity in the interior of the microspheres and inner and outer microsphere wall surfaces. The interconnecting voids are continuous and extend from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface. The walls have substantially uniform void content and the interconnecting voids are substantially uniformly distributed in the walls of the hollow microspheres and the walls of the hollow microspheres are free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials and are substantially free of relatively thinned wall portions and bubbles.

Abstract: Hollow porous microspheres are used as substrates and containers for catalyst to make microsphere catalysts.The hollow porous microspheres are made from dispersed particle compositions. The microspheres have a single central cavity, have substantially uniform diameters and substantially uniform wall thickness and the walls of the microspheres have substantially uniform void content, i.e., interconnecting voids, and have substantially uniform distribution of interconnecting voids. The interconnecting voids in the walls of the microspheres are continuous and extend from the outer wall surface of the microsphere to the inner wall surface of the microsphere.The microsphere catalysts are prepared by coating or impregnating the hollow porous microspheres with a catalyst or by applying a catalyst support to the microspheres and then coating or impregnating the microspheres and catalyst support with a catalyst.

Abstract: Hollow microspheres are made by a process which comprises forming a film of a dispersed particle film-forming composition (containing dispersed particles, a binder, a film stabilizing agent and a continuous liquid phase) across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the dispersed particle composition film to blow the film and form, in the region of the coaxial blowing nozzle orifice, hollow dispersed particle microspheres having stable film walls, removing the hollow microspheres, treating them to bring dispersed particles into point to point contact and harden them to obtain hollow green microspheres, and subsequently subjecting them to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient period of time to remove the continuous liquid phase and to sinter the dispersed particles at their points of contact to form within the walls of said hollow microspheres interconnecting voids that are continuous from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface of th

Abstract: Biocatalyst such as enzymes or cells are immobilized in hollow porous microspheres for use as bioreactors in biochemical processes. The microspheres are of substantially uniform diameter of 200 to 10,000 microns and of substantially uniform wall thickness of 1 to 1000 microns. Walls of the microspheres are formed of sintered together particles such as inorganic particles. The walls have interconnecting voids that are continuous and extend from outer wall surface to the inner wall surface. The biocatalyst is introduced into the microspheres through macropores in the walls, and then immobilized. Immobilization may be performed by introducing a gel forming material with the biocatalyst and forming a semipermeable gel in situ within the microspheres.

Abstract: Hollow microspheres are made by a process which comprises forming a film of a dispersed particle film-forming composition (containing dispersed particles, a binder, a film stabilizing agent and a continuous liquid phase) across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the dispersed particle composition film to blow the film and form, in the region of the coaxial blowing nozzle orifice, hollow dispersed particle microspheres having stable film walls, removing the hollow microspheres, treating them to bring dispersed particles into point to point contact and harden them to obtain hollow green microspheres, and subsequently subjecting them to a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient period of time to remove the continuous liquid phase and to sinter the dispersed particles at their points of contact to form within the walls of said hollow microspheres interconnecting voids that are continuous from the outer wall surface to the inner wall surface of th

Abstract: Hollow porous microspheres are used as substrates and containers for catalyst to make microsphere catalysts.The hollow porous microspheres are made from dispersed particle compositions. The microspheres have a single central cavity, have substantially uniform diameters and substantially uniform wall thickness and the walls of the microspheres have substantially uniform void content, i.e., interconnecting voids, and have substantially uniform distribution of interconnecting voids. The interconnecting voids in the walls of the microspheres are continuous and extend from the outer wall surface of the microsphere to the inner wall surface of the microsphere.The microsphere catalysts are prepared by coating or impregnating the hollow porous microspheres with a catalyst or by applying a catalyst support to the microspheres and then coating or impregnating the microspheres and catalyst support with a catalyst.

Abstract: Hollow metal microspheres are made from film forming metal compositions and are used to make superior high strength light weight structures, improved insulating materials and insulating systems, or the microspheres can be used as filler materials in plastics, in plastic foam compositions, in rubber and rubber compositions and in metal compositions. A thin metal coating can be deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres. The hollow metal microspheres can also be made in the form of filamented metal microspheres in which a thin metal filament connects adjacent microspheres. The microspheres are characterized by being free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials or gases and the walls of the microspheres are substantially free of holes, relatively thin walled portions or sections and bubbles. Masses of the hollow microspheres and shaped forms of or containing the hollow microspheres are also described.

Abstract: Shaped forms or formed masses of hollow metal microspheres are described. The hollow metal microspheres are made from film forming metal compositions and are used to make superior high strength light weight structures, improved insulating materials and insulating systems. A thin metal coating can be deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres. The hollow metal microspheres can also be made in the form of filamented metal microspheres in which a thin metal filament connects adjacent microspheres. The microspheres are characterized by being free of latent solid or liquid blowing gas materials or gases and the walls of the microspheres are substantially free of holes, relatively thin walled portions or sections and bubbles.

Abstract: The hollow plastic microspheres 17 are made by forming a liquid film of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic composition across a coaxial blowing nozzle 5, applying a blowing gas 10 at a positive pressure to the inner surface of the plastic film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film 12 of plastic. A transverse jet 13 is used to direct an entraining fluid 14 over and around the blowing nozzle 5, at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid 14 as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle 5 fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.

Abstract: Relatively long plastic microfilaments are used to make reinforcing, filler materials and fabrics. A blowing gas is applied at a positive pressure to the inert surface of a liquid plastic film formed across a coaxial blowing nozzle to blow the film and form an elongated hollow tube having a thinned wall or weakened portion. An entraining fluid is directed at an angle over and around the blowing nozzle and as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle, it dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite side of the blowing nozzle in the wake thereof and produces a laminar flow of entraining fluid in the vicinity of the forming elongated tube.

Abstract: Relatively long metal microfilaments are used to make superior high strength structural materials and/or are used as reinforcing materials in plastic and rubber compositions. A blowing gas is applied at a positive pressure to the inner surface of a metal film formed across a coaxial blowing nozzle to blow the film and form an elongated hollow tube having a thinned wall or weakened portion. An entraining fluid is directed at an angle over and around the blowing nozzle and as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite side of the blowing nozzle in the wake thereof and produces a laminar flow of entraining fluid in the vicinity of the forming elongated tube.

Abstract: Hollow metal microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of molten film forming metal composition across a coaxial blowing nozzle and applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the metal film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of molten metal. An inert entraining fluid is directed over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle so that the entraining fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite side of the blowing nozzle in the wake of the coaxial blowing nozzle. The continued movement of the entraining fluid produces asymmetric fluid drag forces on the cylinder and closes and detaches the elongated cylinder from the coaxial blowing nozzle. Surface tension forces acting on the detached cylinder form the latter into a spherical shape which is rapidly cooled and solidified by cooling means to form a hard, smooth hollow metal microsphere.

Abstract: Relatively long microfilaments made from a low heat conductivity glass composition are described. The microfilaments are used to make insulation and/or filler materials.The microfilaments are made by forming a liquid film of molten glass across a coaxial blowing nozzle 5, applying a blowing gas 10 at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the glass film to blow the film and form an elongated hollow tube or cylinder 12 of molten glass.Means are provided for forming a thinned wall or weakened portion of the forming elongated tube or cylinder. A transverse jet 13 is used to direct an entraining fluid 14 over and around the blowing nozzle 5 at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle.

Abstract: Hollow plastic microspheres made from thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic compositions are described.The hollow plastic microspheres can be used as filler materials in plastics, in plastic foam compositions and in concrete and asphalt compositions. The hollow plastic mircospheres can be made from low heat conductivity plastic compositions and blown with a low heat conductivity gas and used to make improved insulation materials and composites and insulating systems.The hollow plastic microspheres can be made to contain a thin transparent or reflective metal coating deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres by adding to the blowing gas small dispersed metal particles and/or gases of organo metal compounds and decomposing the organo metal compounds.The hollow plastic microspheres can also be made in the form of filamented plastic microspheres with a thin plastic filament connecting adjacent plastic microspheres.

Abstract: Hollow plastic microspheres made from thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic compositions are described.The hollow plastic microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of thermoplastic or thermosetting plastic composition across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a blowing gas at a positive pressure to the inner surface of the plastic film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of plastic. A transverse jet is used to direct an entraining fluid over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.

Abstract: The hollow glass vacuum microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of molten glass across the coaxial blowing nozzles, applying the metal vapor blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the glass film to blow the film which combines with the centrifugal force to form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of molten glass. A transverse jet is used to direct the inert entraining fluid over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynmically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.

Abstract: Hollow glass microspheres made from a low heat conductivity glass composition containing a high vacuum and a thin metal coating deposited on the inner wall surface of the microspheres are described. The hollow glass microspheres are used to make superior insulation materials in the construction of highly efficient solar energy collectors.The hollow glass microspheres are made by forming a liquid film of molten glass across a coaxial blowing nozzle, applying a metal vapor blowing gas at a positive pressure on the inner surface of the glass film to blow the film and form an elongated cylinder shaped liquid film of molten glass. A transverse jet is used to direct an inert entraining fluid over and around the blowing nozzle at an angle to the axis of the blowing nozzle. The entraining fluid as it passes over and around the blowing nozzle fluid dynamically induces a pulsating or fluctuating pressure field at the opposite or lee side of the blowing nozzle in the wake or shadow of the coaxial blowing nozzle.