Abstract: Hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g., 3-hydroxypropionic acid, and/or their ammonium salts are dehydrated to their corresponding unsaturated carboxylic acids, e.g., acrylic acid, by a process that uses a catalyst comprising ammonium bisulfate. The use of ammonium bisulfate reduces or eliminates the problems associated with processes that use sulfuric acid as a dehydrating catalyst, e.g, excess sulfuric acid consumption and/or recovery.

Abstract: A salt-splitting liquid (SSL) and a process that uses the SSL to “split” (alkyl)ammonium 3-hydroxypropionate salts into ammonia (or amines) and 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) that minimizes increases in viscosity and condensation reactions of the 3-HP. Converting (alkyl)ammonium 3-hydroxypropionate in an aqueous mixture to 3-HP includes admixing a polar aprotic organic solvent and an azeotroping solvent with the aqueous mixture. The azeotroping solvent forms an azeotrope mixture with water of the aqueous mixture. The SSL is heated to convert the (alkyl)ammonium 3-hydroxypropionate to 3-HP and ammonia, where heating produces a vapor phase containing at least water, ammonia and the azeotroping solvent. At least a portion of the water and the ammonia is removed from the vapor phase during the heating, and at least a portion of the azeotroping solvent is returned from the vapor phase back to SSL to maintain the azeotrope mixture with the water.

Abstract: A process for preparing a propane oxidation catalyst, the process comprising pre-calcining the catalyst precursor in an oxygen-containing gas at a temperature of less than 330° C. until the weight of the precursor stabilizes to obtain a pre-calcined precursor; then calcining the pre-calcined precursor to obtain the catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing a propane oxidation catalyst, the process comprising pre-calcining a catalyst precursor in a precalcining zone in an oxygen-containing gas, then feeding an oxygen-free gas to a purging zone until the gas exiting the zone is substantially free of oxygen, and calcining the pre-calcined precursor to obtain the catalyst.

Abstract: Hydroxycarboxylic acids, e.g., 3-hydroxypropionic acid, and/or their ammonium salts are dehydrated to their corresponding unsaturated carboxylic acids, e.g., acrylic acid, by a process that uses a catalyst comprising ammonium bisulfate. The use of ammonium bisulfate reduces or eliminates the problems associated with processes that use sulfuric acid as a dehydrating catalyst, e.g, excess sulfuric acid consumption and/or recovery.

Abstract: A salt-splitting liquid (SSL) and a process that uses the SSL to “split” (alkyl)ammonium 3-hydroxypropionate salts into ammonia (or amines) and 3-hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) that minimizes increases in viscosity and condensation reactions of the 3-HP. Converting (alkyl)ammonium 3-hydroxypropionate in an aqueous mixture to 3-HP includes admixing a polar aprotic organic solvent and an azeotroping solvent with the aqueous mixture. The azeotroping solvent forms an azeotrope mixture with water of the aqueous mixture. The SSL is heated to convert the (alkyl)ammonium 3-hydroxypropionate to 3-HP and ammonia, where heating produces a vapor phase containing at least water, ammonia and the azeotroping solvent. At least a portion of the water and the ammonia is removed from the vapor phase during the heating, and at least a portion of the azeotroping solvent is returned from the vapor phase back to SSL to maintain the azeotrope mixture with the water.

Abstract: A process for preparing a propane oxidation catalyst, the process comprising pre-calcining the catalyst precursor in an oxygen-containing gas at a temperature of less than 330° C. until the weight of the precursor stabilizes to obtain a pre-calcined precursor; then calcining the pre-calcined precursor to obtain the catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing a propane oxidation catalyst, the process comprising pre-calcining a catalyst precursor in a precalcining zone in an oxygen-containing gas, then feeding an oxygen-free gas to a purging zone until the gas exiting the zone is substantially free of oxygen, and calcining the pre-calcined precursor to obtain the catalyst.

Abstract: A method for producing a catalyst by contacting a starting mixed metal oxide catalyst with an aqueous solution comprising oxalic acid and a metal oxide precursor to form a post-treated mixed metal oxide catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel polymers and chemically-amplified positive-acting photoresist compositions that contain such polymers as a resin binder component. The polymers of the invention include acid labile groups that contain isobornyl moieties and groups that contribute to aqueous development of a photoresist such as phenolic groups.

Abstract: A method for dispersing ceramic materials in aqueous media is disclosed. The method uses water-soluble polymers as dispersants and may be used for dispersing various classes of ceramic materials, including oxide, carbide, and nitride ceramics. The method is useful for dispersing ceramic materials known to present difficulties in forming aqueous dispersions. The polymeric dispersant may be made using conventional polymerization techniques such as solution polymerization.

Abstract: A method for dispersing ceramic materials in aqueous media is disclosed. The method uses water-soluble polymers as dispersants and may be used for dispersing various classes of ceramic materials, including oxide, carbide, and nitride ceramics. The method is useful for dispersing ceramic materials known to present difficulties in forming aqueous dispersions. The polymeric dispersant may be made using conventional polymerization techniques such as solution polymerization.

Abstract: A method for preparing polymer particles having diameters within the range from less than 0.1 micron to about 200 microns is described. The method involves encapsulating at least one water insoluble monomer within a water soluble polymer containing at least one thiol functional group. This is accomplished by combining an organic phase containing the monomers and a free radical source with an aqueous phase containing the polymer to form a two phase mixture, and subjecting the two phase mixture to agitation or ultrasonic irradiation. This invention allows for the preparation of polymer particles with sizes not available by conventional suspension or emulsion polymerization methods. It also provides for polymer particles within the specifed size range having compositions not readily obtained by other polymerization methods. The polymer particles made by this method have an exterior portion of water soluble polymer bound to an interior polymer.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion of ceramic materials and a method for preparing the same are provided. The method involves dispersing ceramic materials using one or more polymeric dispersants. The polymeric dispersants have monomer composition of from about 20 to about 95 percent by weight of one or more carboxylic acid monomers or salts thereof, from about 5 to about 80 percent by weight of one or more sulphonic acid or phosphonic acid monomers or salts thereof, and from about 3 to about 20 percent one or more monoethylenically unsaturated acid-free monomers.

Abstract: Photoresists are disclosed that display increased sensitivity, measured as lithographic potential, when compared to known photoresists that contain melamine resin as a crosslinker. The melamine resin in these photoresists contains a higher percent by weight of monomeric hexamethoxymethylmelamine than in known resists.

Abstract: A method for preparing branched novolak polymers possessing excellent lithographic performance is provided. The method involves the acid catalyzed reaction of a phenol with a tris- or tetrakis(dialkylaminoalkyl)phenol followed by purification of the reaction product. The branched novolaks are soluble in aqueous base and organic solvent solutions and are particularly useful as the polymeric component of either positive acting or negative acting photoresist compositions.

Abstract: The locating function of a cellular mobile radio telephone system is implemented so that, when the locating radio detects a sustained change from a very low signal quality or amplitude (indicating background noise rather than an active call in an adjacent cell) to a higher quality or amplitude (indicating the start of a call in one of the adjacent cells), the radio will modify its filtering process so that previous sample values (which can be attributed, for example, to noise before the start of the call) will not be used in the averaging process. The result of this improvement is that values reported from the locating radio during the initial portion of the call (0 to 20 seconds) will not be reported artifically low. This allows the system to make decisions about handoff during this initial portion of the call. Additionally, rather than having the locating radio take equal samples from each of the possible voice channels, in accordance with the invention, there are two scanning tasks.

Abstract: A line switch for a digital telephone switching system utilizes distributed processing. The line switch comprises one or more switch modules. Each switch module is coupled to a central office switching system via one or more PCM lines which utilize common channel signaling. Each switch module comprises groups of line circuits, each line circuit being coupled to a subscriber line. Three separate distributed processor functions are provided in each line switch module. A first processor is utilized to communicate with the central office switching system is provided to control clock generation and rate conversion circuits. Each group of line circuits includes a third processor to control the operations of the line circuits and to gather information from the line circuit.A test bus is routed to the line circuits. The third processor may be utilized to automatically measure and adjust various transmission parameters.

Abstract: A line switch for a digital telephone switching system utilizes distributed processing. The line switch comprises one or more switch modules. Each switch module is coupled to a central office switching system via one or more PCM lines which utilize common channel signaling. Each switch module comprises groups of line circuits, each line circuit being coupled to a subscriber line. Three separate distributed processor functions are provided in each line switch module. A first processor is utilized to communicate with the central office switching system and to coordinate the operations within the line switch module. A second processor is provided to control clock generation and rate conversion circuits. Each group of line circuits includes a third processor to control the operations of the line circuits and to gather information from the line circuit. A busing arrangement is provided within the line switch such that both control information and PCM voice data are routed throughout the line switch.

Abstract: A line switch for a digital telephone switching system utilizes distributed processing. The line switch comprises one or more switch modules. Each switch module is coupled to a central office switching system via one or more PCM lines which utilize common channel signaling. Each switch module comprises groups of line circuits, each line circuit being coupled to a subscriber line. Three separate distributed processor functions are provided in each line switch module. A first processor is utilized to communicate with the central office switching system and to coordinate the operations within the line switch module. A second processor is provided to control clock generation and rate conversion circuits. Each group of line circuits includes a third processor to control the operations of the line circuits and to gather information from the line circuit. A busing arrangement is provided within the line switch such that both control information and PCM voice data are routed throughout the line switch.