Abstract: Percompound activators comprising .alpha.-acyloxy-N-acylacetamides having the formula ##STR1## where R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, and R.sub.5 are hydrogen or hydrocarbon radicals optionally substituted by other groups, used to activate percompounds in oxidizing and bleaching of textile fibers, oils, fats, and waxes, for cosmetic hair and skin treatment, metal surface passivation, purification, disinfection, and sterilization, the activators providing more rapid action at a given temperature and being useful at lower temperatures.

Abstract: Phosphorus-containing activators for percompounds, the activators being tris(acetoxymethyl) phosphine oxide and its precursors including tris(acetoxymethyl) phosphine and tetrakis(acetoxymethyl) phosphonium compounds, together with the use of such activators with percompounds for oxidizing or bleaching such as in bleaching fibers, oils, fats, and waxes, cosmetological treatment of hair and skin, metallic surface passivation, and purification, disinfection and sterilization techniques, the use of such activators providing more rapid action at a given temperature or equal activity at a lower temperature.

Abstract: Novel percompound activators having the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, and R.sub.6 are the same or different and are hydrogen or certain substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl radicals, cycloalkyl radicals, or hydrocarbon radicals containing at least one aromatic ring, or R.sub.5 and/or R.sub.6 are COR.sub.7, where R.sub.7 is hydrogen or certain substituted or unsubstituted straight or branched chain alkyl radicals or hydrocarbon radicals containing at least one aromatic ring, the activators producing more rapid bleaching or oxidation at a given temperature or the same bleaching effect at a lower temperature and being useful for bleaching textile fibers, oils, fats, and waxes; hair and skin treatment; metal surface passivation; or purifying, sterilizing and disinfecting techniques.

Abstract: Hydrogen peroxide-containing acidic baths for pickling metals, the bath compositions being stabilized according to the invention so that the baths can be used over long periods of time without appreciable decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, such baths containing from about 10 to 400 g/liter of sulfuric acid, 2 to 80 g/liter of 100% hydrogen peroxide, and 10 to 500 mg/liter of an oxyquinoline derivative stabilizer, the compositions optionally containing a surface active agent, and/or from 0.3 to 2 g/liter of fatty alcohol-ethylene oxide polycondensate stabilizer as well as methods for pickling metals using such baths.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the separation of zirconium, and hafnium tetrachlorides from mixtures thereof. The process according to the invention consists of selectively absorbing zirconium tetrachloride and hafnium tetrachloride vapors in a solvent medium circulating counter-current to these vapors in a distillation column, wherein the solvent consists of a molten chloroaluminate and/or chloroferrate of potassium. The process described may be used to obtain hafnium-free zirconium tetrachloride which may then be used to prepare nuclear-grade zirconium, and hafnium tetrachloride containing little zirconium.