Abstract: A method of drying articles is presented. The method generally comprises fluidizing solid media, contacting the article with the fluidized media for a sufficient amount of time to allow liquid to be transferred from the surface of the article to the solid media. Typically this involves forming a bed of solid material, fluidizing the bed then immersing the article to be dried in the fluidized bed. Using solid media to contact the wet parts, the water, and anything dissolved in it, is wicked away. The parts are dried in seconds with little residue and no heating. The solids used are typically porous and have very high surface area and can therefore be rapidly dried and reused.

Abstract: Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units are disclosed. These materials when expanded have a volume expansion of at least 60 and maintain that volume expansion for a period of at least 30 minutes under expansion conditions after reaching the volume expansion of 60. Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units and an inhibitor for the monomer(s) and a crosslinker incorporated into the plastic material upon monomer polymerization are also disclosed. Also disclosed are expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units with blowing agents of 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylbutane or mixtures of one or both with 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane or mixtures of at least 30 percent of one or both with other volatile blowing agents.

Abstract: Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units are disclosed. These materials when expanded have a volume expansion of at least 60 and maintain that volume expansion for a period of at least 30 minutes under expansion conditions after reaching the volume expansion of 60. Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units and an inhibitor for the monomer(s) and a crosslinker incorporated into the plastic material upon monomer polymerization are also disclosed. Also disclosed are expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units with blowing agents of 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylbutane or mixtures of one or both with 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane or mixtures of at least 30 percent of one or both with other volatile blowing agents.

Abstract: Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units are disclosed. These materials when expanded have a volume expansion of at least 60 and maintain that volume expansion for a period of at least 30 minutes under expansion conditions after reaching the volume expansion of 60. Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units and an inhibitor for the monomer(s) and a crosslinker incorporated into the plastic material upon monomer polymerization are also disclosed. Also disclosed are expandable and expanded plastic materials having majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units with blowing agents of 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylbutane or mixtures of one or both with 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane or mixtures of at least 30 percent of one or both with other volatile blowing agents.

Abstract: The subject invention concerns a process for stabilizing intact or ruptured microbial cells having glucose isomerase associated therewith. Specifically exemplified is a process for stabilizing glucose isomerase producing cells of a microorganism belonging to the genus Ampullariella. In the invention process the whole or ruptured microbial cells are contacted with a partially carboxyalkylated- or partially phosphonoalkylated-cationic polyelectrolyte, for example, a partially carboxymethylated polyethyleneimine to flocculate and stabilize the cells. The flocculated cells are further stabilized by encapsulation with a partially carboxyalkylated- or partially phosphonoalkylated-cationic polyelectrolyte. The encapsulation can be done prior to or after the flocculated cells are crosslinked. The net effect is manifested by a dramatic increase in the half-life of the glucose isomerase.

Abstract: Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units are disclosed. These materials when expanded have a volume expansion of at least 60 and maintain that volume expansion for a period of at least 30 minutes under expansion conditions after reaching the volume expansion of 60. Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units and an inhibitor for the monomer(s) and a crosslinker incorporated into the plastic material upon monomer polymerization are also disclosed. Also disclosed are expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units with blowing agents of 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylbutane or mixtures of one or both with 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane or mixtures of at least 30 percent of one or both with other volatile blowing agents.

Abstract: Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units are disclosed. These materials when expanded have a volume expansion of at least 60 and maintain that volume expansion for a period of at least 30 minutes under expansion conditions after reaching the volume expansion of 60. Expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units and an inhibitor for the monomer(s) and a crosslinker incorporated into the plastic material upon monomer polymerization are also disclosed. Also disclosed are expandable and expanded plastic materials having a majority of alkyl acrylate monomeric repeat units with blowing agents of 2,2-dimethylbutane, 2,3-dimethylbutane or mixtures of one or both with 1-chloro-1,1-difluoroethane or mixtures of at least 30 percent of one or both with other volatile blowing agents.

Abstract: Extracellular enzymes are stabilized with a carboxyalkylated or phosphonoalkylated polymer having a molecular weight of at least 500 Daltons. Exemplified is the stabilization of the enzyme glucose isomerase used in a process to convert D-glucose to D-fructose. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the feedstream containing the substrate is contacted initially with the stabilizer and then with the enzyme. In this system the stabilizer and enzyme are maintained in separate reactors. This separation, advantageously, results in a higher half-life for the enzyme.

Abstract: A feed slurry containing fine solids, polar liquids and premium liquid oil and produced by high temperature hydrogenation of a solid fuel, such as coal, is separated into a first fraction comprising the premium liquid oil and a second fraction comprising the fine solids and polar liquids by (a) contacting the feed slurry with a solvent, such as (1) C.sub.5 -C.sub.9 aliphatic hydrocarbon (2) C.sub.5 -C.sub.9 alicyclic hydrocarbon or (3) naphthenic or paraffinic fraction of a coal liquefaction product containing less than 10 wt. % aromatics at a temperature of 100.degree.-250.degree. C. and pressure sufficient to maintain the feed slurry and solvent in the liquid state but less than 450 psi. The feed slurry is introduced at or near the top of a contacting zone of a vertical column, which also has an upper settling zone and a lower collection zone, and the solvent is introduced at or near the bottom of the contacting zone of said column at a solvent; slurry wt ratio of at least 0.

Abstract: In the catalytic hydrogenation of a substance in a water-immiscible organic liquid medium, a metallic hydrogenation catalyst is conveniently and effectively dispersed in the reaction mixture by addition as an emulsion of an aqueous solution of a salt of the metal in the liquid medium. The method is particularly applicable to the liquefaction of coal.

Abstract: In the catalytic hydrogenation of a substance in a water-immiscible organic liquid medium, a metallic hydrogenation catalyst is conveniently and effectively dispersed in the reaction mixture by addition as an emulsion of an aqueous solution of a salt of the metal in the liquid medium. The method is particularly applicable to the liquefaction of coal.

Abstract: Solid, hydrocarbonaceous materials, such as coal, are converted to valuable liquid and gaseous products by an efficient process comprising:(1) preparing a slurry from slurry oil, a hydrogenation catalyst and the hydrocarbonaceous material;(2) hydrogenating the hydrocarbonaceous material to liquid and gaseous hydrogenation products, the liquid hydrogenation product containing suspended particles of ash and catalyst;(3) gravitationally separating the liquid hydrogenation product into a first stream and a second stream, the first stream having both a lower ash concentration than the liquid hydrogenation product and a greater catalyst:ash ratio than the second stream;(4) recycling at least a portion of the first stream for use as at least a portion of the slurry oil and thereby recycling at least a portion of the catalyst.

Abstract: In the hydrogenation of coal slurried in recycle oil in the presence of a suspended hydrogenation catalyst, a substantial proportion of the catalyst can be recovered for recycle to the process by using a catalyst which is significantly more finely divided than the ash particles from the coal, subjecting the hydrogenated slurry to a gravity concentration process whereby the coarser, ash particles are selectively concentrated in a lower layer and a relatively larger proportion of the finer catalyst particles remain suspended in the supernatant oil, and recycling at least a part of the supernatant oil containing suspended catalyst to the coal hydrogenation process.