Abstract: A process and composition for modifying hydrocarbons and/or recovering hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-bearing formations involving mixing controlled quantities of alkali metal hydroxide and silicon in an aqueous medium to produce an oil modification agent. When recovering hydrocarbons, the composition can be injected into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation to react with and/or thin the entrapped hydrocarbons within the formation. The composition also provides a dispersing agent which aids in release of the hydrocarbon from its entrappment and enhances recovery from the formation.

Abstract: A molecular glass based upon a phosphate of aluminum, or other trivalent metal, provides significant improvement over prior art glasses for encapsulation of high level radioactive nuclear waste. When containing a controlled amount of those elemental oxides found in a typical nuclear waste, the waste-glass would not devitrify under conditions which produced devitrification in the non-nuclear-waste-containing glass, exhibited hydrolysis losses lower by an order of magnitude, had high solvency power for those elemental oxides, exhibited little tendency for internal crystallite formation, and possessed other desirable physical characteristics, all in direct antithesis to the properties of the best prior-known glasses used for this application.

Abstract: Polymeric metaphosphate glasses, [M(PO.sub.3).sub.b ].sub.n, having chemical durabilities at least 40-400 times greater than those of the prior art are provided. In the formula, M is selected from the group consisting of Al, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Cd and Zn, and "b" has a value of 3 for Al and 2 for the other cations. The high durabilities of the glasses are achieved by controlled preparation of the precursor compounds in specific stoichiometric proportion, by heating the precursors in a controlled thermal cycle to induce preliminary polymerization of the intermediates, by thereafter melting said intermediates, and by subsequently holding said melt for a time to complete the polymerization. The melt is then cast to form the glass which is then annealed in the normal manner.The disclosure involves in particular single high purity compound precursors which form single phase glasses.

Abstract: Chemically durable non-silicate glasses derived from compounds including phosphates, borates, arsenates, sulfates, tellurates, tellurites, germanates and the like, are prepared by forming a melt from monobasic compounds of stoichiometric proportions, said melt then being polymerized by suitable means in the melt stage and subsequently cooled to form a desired glass. The resulting glass exhibits properties not normally found in similar glasses prepared from melts of oxides of the same materials.

Abstract: Precursors for the preparation of phosphate glasses are provided. Controlled preparation of the precursors in precise stoichiometric proportions enable the preparation of glasses which are stable and possess superior optical properties of an order similar to optical glasses. Suitable precursors within the contemplation of the invention are those having the formula:M(H.sub.2 PO.sub.4).sub.nwherein M is a metal ion selected from the group consisting of Al, Zn, Cd, Fe, Sn, Mn, Pb, Ni, Co, Ga, and In and the alkaline earth metals Be, Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba and wherein n has a value of 2 or 3 depending on whether M is a divalent or trivalent ion. Mixtures of these compounds may be employed, the admixture being made prior to melting stoichiometric equivalent precursor mixture. In addition, any combination of precursors containing divalent and/or trivalent cations may be selected.

Abstract: A crystalline optical convertor, adapted to improve the efficiency of a resonant cavity of a laser cavity system, includes: neodymium ions used as lasing ions, a host for the neodymium ions which is used as a laser rod, convertor ions, and a crystalline convertor host. The convertor ions are selected from the group consisting of trivalent dysprosium and trivalent samarium. The crystalline convertor host is selected from the group consisting of: yttrium orthovanadate, yttrium phosphate, yttrium arsenate, yttrium chromate, gadolinium orthovanadate, gadolinium phosphate, gadolinium arsenate, gadolinium chromate and combinations thereof in solid solution. The convertor ions act as an activator for the crystalline convertor host. The combination of neodymium ions and neodymium host is arranged separate from the combination of the convertor ions and the convertor host.