Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a dicarboxylic acid comprising the steps: (a) heating a lactone in the presence of a first catalyst system to produce an alkenoic acid; and (b) contacting the alkenoic acid with carbon monoxide, water and a second catalyst system to produce a reaction composition comprising the second catalyst system and the dicarboxylic acid.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for the production of a diene. In the process, a lactone is heated in the presence of a first catalyst system to produce an alkene and carbon dioxide and the alkene is contacted with a second catalyst system to produce an alkyldiene.

Abstract: Described herein are polymers comprising a polyester and at least one polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, wherein the polyester is capable of forming a stereocomplex with a polymer comprising a complimentary polyester and composites thereof.

Abstract: The brittleness of a thermoplastic material containing a polylactic acid may be reduced by melting and mixing the thermoplastic material and a graft copolymer to link the graft copolymer to thermoplastic polymer to form a new thermoplastic material with reduced brittleness. The graft copolymer comprises an elastomeric backbone and a side chain grafted to the backbone. The side chain comprises a enantiomer of lactic acid opposite to the enantiomer in the thermoplastic material. A composition comprises a thermoplastic polymer and the graft copolymer, where the graft copolymer is linked to the thermoplastic polymer by the enantiomers. A method of forming the composition may comprise melting precursors for the thermoplastic polymer and the graft copolymer, and mixing the precursors to allow the lactic acids to link the graft copolymer to the thermoplastic polymer.

Abstract: A composition is provided, which comprises chains comprising a first graft copolymer of a first elastomer and a poly(L-lactic acid), and chains comprising a second graft copolymer of a second elastomer and a poly(D-lactic acid). At least some of the poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(D-lactic acid) crosslink the chains. Poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(D-lactic acid) may form stereocomplexes that crosslink the chains. The chains may be crosslinked by crystalline structures formed from at least some of the poly(L-lactic acid) and poly(D-lactic acid) in discrete regions. The crosslinked chains may form a matrix. In a method of forming the composition, the first and second graft copolymers are mixed, such as by melt blending or solution casting, to form the composition. The graft copolymers may be formed by a “grafting-though” or “grafting-from” process. The composition may be useful under a relatively wide range of temperatures.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reaction products formed from maleic anhydride and amino carboxylic acids. The reaction products are particularly useful for grafting polyolefins to increase their polarity and therefore enhance their physical properties.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a polyphenol compound such as bisphenol-A by introducing into a reaction zone a phenolic compound reactant, a carbonyl compound reactant, and a catalyst promoter comprising a dithioketal compound, and reacting the ingredients within the reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of a polyphenol compound such as bisphenol-A by introducing into a reaction zone a phenolic compound reactant, a carbonyl compound reactant, and a catalyst promoter comprising a dithioketal compound, and reacting the ingredients within the reaction zone in the presence of an acid catalyst.

Abstract: A grafted polyolefin polymers having high polarity produced by grafting bi-functional N-substituted diacids to maleated or other functional group grafted polyolefin. The new polymers exhibit improved water miscibility, compatability and good adhesion to polar materials such as nylon, polyester, glass, and metal substrates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reaction products formed from maleic anhydride and amino carboxylic acids. The reaction products are particularly useful for grafting polyolefins to increase their polarity and therefore enhance their physical properties.

Abstract: Biodegradable and/or compostable polymers are made from isoprene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene or like conjugated dienes and a crosslinking agent having a cleavable linking group such as ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. These polymers can be used to make absorbent foams that are useful in absorbent articles such as diapers, as well as other biodegradable articles such as films, and latexes useful as binders and adhesives.

Abstract: An grafted polymeric amine is provided, the grafted polymeric amine including: N-substituted 2,5-pyrrolediyl groups incorporated in the backbone wherein the N-substituted 2,5-pyrrolediyl group may be represented by the general formula wherein R independently represents a hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group and B represents the substituent containing at least one primary amino group; and vinyl monomers grafted to a polyketone backbone. This grafted polymeric amine is useful as a component in a wood glue composition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reaction products formed from maleic anhydride and amino carboxylic acids. The reaction products are particularly useful for grafting polyolefins to increase their polarity and therefore enhance their physical properties.

Abstract: Relatively low molecular weight olefin/CO polymers are graft copolymerized. The graft copolymers provide the basis for waterborne adhesives that are particularly useful for making wood composites.

Abstract: A functionalized polyketone and a method to make this functionalized polyketone is provided, the method including the steps of: providing a polyketone; contacting the polyketone with a functional group containing monomer, the functional group containing monomer having a double bond between two carbons, at a temperature between about 180° C. and 275° C., for a time period effective for at least 10% by weight of the resultant grafted polymer to be grafted monomer units; and recovering the grafted polyketone.

Abstract: Relatively low molecular weight olefin/CO polymers are graft copolymerized. The graft copolymers provide the basis for waterborne adhesives that are particularly useful for making wood composites.

Abstract: A novel thermally reworkable die attach adhesive composition for attaching a semiconductor device to a substrate is provided. The composition comprises(a) a thermally reworkable crosslinked resin produced by reacting at least one dienophile having a functionality greater than one and at least one 2,5-dialkyl substituted furan-containing polymer, and(b) at least one thermally and/or electrically conductive material present in an effective amount up to about 90% by weight of the die attach composition to provide a conducting medium.

Abstract: Relatively low molecular weight olefin/CO polymers are graft copolymerized. The graft copolymers provide the basis for waterborne adhesives that are particularly useful for making wood composites.

Abstract: A method to produce dialcohols is provided, the method comprising the steps of:providing a feed stream comprising an alpha-alcohol-diolefin;reacting the feed stream with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst system comprising a cobalt phosphine ligand complex under conditions effective to hydroformylate at least a portion of the diolefin in the feed stream; andrecovering the dialcohol from the reacted feed stream. This method is a one-step process to hydroformylate alpha-alcohol-diolefins such as 2,7-octadien-1-ol to produce a significant yield of dialcohols such as 1,9-nonanediol.

Abstract: A method is provided to prepare a filter material, the method comprising the steps of: providing a porous substrate; preparing a high internal phase emulsion wherein the external phase of the emulsion comprises polymerizable monomers, and the internal phase is a non-polymerizable phase; impregnating the high internal phase emulsion into the substrate felt; and polymerizing the polymerizable monomers. A layer of cured foam as is thereby formed on the substrate and within pore volumes of the substrate. The cured foam can have a high porosity, small pore size, and low density, resulting in a filter material having a high efficiency in removal of particles, at a lower pressure drop than alternative high efficiency filter materials.