Abstract: A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and a specific amount of nano-sized zinc oxide particles and a surfactant that does not contain sulfur atoms. The nano-sized zinc oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

Abstract: A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and a specific amount of nano-sized zinc oxide particles and a surfactant that does not contain sulfur atoms. The nano-sized zinc oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

Abstract: A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and a specific amount of nano-sized zinc oxide particles and a surfactant that does not contain sulfur atoms. The nano-sized zinc oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

Abstract: An aviation fuel composition contains an aviation fuel and nano-sized zinc particles. Examples of nano-sized zinc particles include nano-sized metallic zinc particles, nano-sized zinc oxide particles, and nano-sized zinc peroxide particles. The aviation fuel composition can be made by combining an aviation fuel and nano-sized zinc particles. The aviation fuel composition can be used to improve combustion in an aircraft engine.

Abstract: A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and a specific amount of nano-sized zinc oxide particles and a surfactant that does not contain sulfur atoms. The nano-sized zinc oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

Abstract: A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and a specific amount of nano-sized zinc oxide particles. The nano-sized zinc oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

Abstract: A fuel composition contains a liquid fuel and a specific amount of nano-sized zinc oxide particles. The nano-sized zinc oxide particles can be used to either improve combustion or increase catalytic chemical oxidation of fuel.

Abstract: An aviation fuel composition contains an aviation fuel and nano-sized zinc particles. Examples of nano-sized zinc particles include nano-sized metallic zinc particles, nano-sized zinc oxide particles, and nano-sized zinc peroxide particles. The aviation fuel composition can be made by combining an aviation fuel and nano-sized zinc particles. The aviation fuel composition can be used to improve combustion in an aircraft engine.

Abstract: Elastomers are formed from castor oil and/or ricinoleic acid estolides and a polyester formed from an epoxidized vegetable oil such as ESO and a polycarboxylic acid such as sebacic acid, optionally in the presence of a peroxide initiator, or include crosslinked reaction products derived from ricinoleic acid or castor oil estolides, epoxy group-containing compounds such as epoxy resins and/or epoxidized vegetable oil, epoxy hardeners such as polyamine and polycarboxylic acid hardeners, thermally activated free radical initiators such as peroxides, and optionally but preferably include fillers such as limestone or wood flour. The elastomers can be prepared using a two-step, solvent-less procedure at elevated or ambient temperatures. These predominantly “all-natural” elastomers have physical properties comparable to conventional petroleum-based elastomers and composites and exhibit good flexibility, resiliency, abrasion resistance and inertness to hydrolysis.

Abstract: Elastomers are formed from castor oil and/or ricinoleic acid estolides and a polyester formed from an epoxidized vegetable oil such as ESO and a polycarboxylic acid such as sebacic acid, optionally in the presence of a peroxide initiator, or include crosslinked reaction products derived from ricinoleic acid or castor oil estolides, epoxy group-containing compounds such as epoxy resins and/or epoxidized vegetable oil, epoxy hardeners such as polyamine and polycarboxylic acid hardeners, thermally activated free radical initiators such as peroxides, and optionally but preferably include fillers such as limestone or wood flour. The elastomers can be prepared using a two-step, solvent-less procedure at elevated or ambient temperatures. These predominantly “all-natural” elastomers have physical properties comparable to conventional petroleum-based elastomers and composites and exhibit good flexibility, resiliency, abrasion resistance and inertness to hydrolysis.

Abstract: Cellulosic materials are used for reducing VOC emission during polymer processing. The cellulosic material is prepared from any of several agricultural by-products including cotton burrs, cotton stalks, corn stalks, flax, hemp, wood flour, and many other plant materials. In one aspect, the present invention involves the use of the cellulosic material to absorb VOCs during the curing of thermoset resins when VOCs are released during the polymerization process. The cellulosic material is added directly to the wet resin surface during cure or to the liquid resin prior to processing. In the latter case, cotton burrs and other cellulosic materials having a lignin content of from about 5 to about 10% allow the cellulosic material to be incorporated into the resin with beneficial results. The cellulosic material is also used in filter elements or adsorption beds to reduce VOC emission during polymerization of both thermoplastic and thermoset resins.

Abstract: Catalyzed lower alcohol-water based fuels are presented which are suitable for use in internal combustion engines, said fuels flowing from renewable carbon resources and providing a clean burn which is environmentally safe as compared to conventional fossil fuels. The internal combustion engines can be run on alcohol fuels containing significant amounts of water and a catalyst comprised of the oxides of selected Group IIA and Group IIB elements; and even though the energy densities of the catalyzed lower alcohol-water based fuels are less than gasoline, the catalyzed lower alcohols-water based fuels provide combustion which is more complete which potentially renders these fuels much more environmentally friendly.

Abstract: A chemical enhancer for ruminant animal digestion of organic matter roughage is presented, the addition on a ppm based of total feed ration of one or more formate salts to the ruminant diet improves or enhances the digestibility of low digestible roughage allowing the treated roughage as a substitute for more traditional and expensive feed rations such as alfalfa hay without loss of energy available to the animal. The use of formate salts in the ppm range based on total diet increases the anaerobic microbial activity thus enhancing digestibility rather than just enhancing the availability of dissolved organics and can be utilized in feedlot roughage rations for improved weight gain, range cattle weight maintenance and milk production for mother cows, dairy roughage diets providing milk production in a safe and an environmentally friendly methodology to both meat and milk production.

Abstract: A fast pyrolysis reactor includes a tank having a top, bottom and sidewalls extending therebetween and defining a reaction chamber. A fluid inlet and a gas outlet communicate with the chamber. A plurality of cooperatively paired first and second electrodes are positioned within the chamber. Each electrode of a pair is laterally spaced from and vertically aligned with its associated electrode. A gas collection bell is positioned within the chamber and communicates with the gas outlet for collecting generated gas. A power transformer has the poles thereof operatively connected with the electrodes. A tray is positioned between and below the electrodes for defining an interface region extending between the electrodes so that a plasma field is generated between the electrodes when the interface region is formed from two generally immiscible fluids, one of which is conductive and the other of which is insulative, so that the fluids are electrically and thermally decomposed by the plams field into a gas mixture.

Abstract: A composite board is produced by the method of blending a cellulosic filler having sufficient extractable organic content and an expandable thermoplastic polymer, adding a tacifier agent during blending for producing a pre-blown mixture, heating the mixture in a mold to a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polymer for a period of time sufficient to permit expansion of the beads and bonding of the expanded beads with the cellulosic filler to thereby form a composite board. The board may be laminated by a solvent based adhesive or a thermal insult coating so as to form rigid macro-voids between the laminate and the composite board surface.

Abstract: A medium to high BTU fuel gas is synthesized in a closed tank using a diffuse electrical plasma. An electrode is disposed within, and electrically insulated from, an interface between immiscible mixtures of water and oil in the tank. Comminuted fossil fuel or carbon particles are dispersed in the oil near the interface. A voltage step up transformer connects a potential of about 2-5 kV (kilovolts) across an arc gap between the electrode and the water-oil interface. Electrical breakdown of the oil, due to the high voltage, produces an initial arc across the gap, which at steady state becomes a diffuse, partially-ionized, stable plasma. The electron flow in the plasma chemically and catalytically reforms compounds in the water and oil layers. A capacitor, connected across primary windings of the transformer, has a selected capacitance sufficient to modify the AC voltage and current waveforms so that the power factor of the combined circuit across the arc gap approaches unity.

Abstract: A chemical heater combines cellulosic material and a hypochlorite salt in the presence of water for exothermic reaction. Although sodium hypochlorite may be used, calcium hypochlorite is the preferred hypochlorite salt as a reactant. The preferred cellulosic material is particles of cotton plants, in particular lint fibers recovered from gin trash, or non-lint, lignocellulose particles. The lignocellulose particles are preferably soaked with water prior to addition of the hypochlorite salt. Each subsequent addition of similar amounts of the hypochlorite salt to the soaked lignocellulose particles results in a substantially equivalent exothermic reaction, until cellulose in the lignocellulose is exhausted.