Abstract: Fire-retardant compositions consisting essentially of an inorganic, fire-retardant phosphate salt and a binder of a poly-2-oxazoline having a weight average molecular weight of at least about 1,000 and at least about 40 percent phosphorylated are applied to wood or wood products by an improved method comprising admixing with a solution of the composition, either prior to or simultaneously with the application of the composition to the wood or wood product, an anionic or nonionic organic phosphate ester surfactant, such as Victawet.RTM. 35B. The use of these surfactants increases the rate and extent of penetration of the fire-retardant composition into the wood.

Abstract: Novel low molecular weight interpolymers containing pendant lower alkyl capped poly(oxyethylene)ether groups are effective as aqueous dispersing agents for particulate matter and are particularly effective for difficult-to-disperse, finely divided inorganic solids such as precipitated calcium carbonate and satin white. The interpolymers comprise, in polymerized form, (1) an alkenyl benzyl ether of an ethoxylated lower alkane compound, which ether has the formula: ##STR1## (wherein R is hydrogen or methyl, R.sub.1 is lower alkyl and m is a positive integer greater than 1) with (2) a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated acid such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, etc., or a copolymerizable ethylenically unsaturated dicarboxylic anhydride such as maleic anhydride and (3) a hydrophobic monomer such as styrene.

Abstract: Magnetic tapes are made by applying to a backing film an aqueous dispersion of magnetic particles having dissolved therein cyclic sulfonium zwitterion monomers, magnetically orienting the magnetic particles, drying the coating and curing same. Upon removal of the water and/or moderate heating, the monomers polymerize to form a durable matrix having the magnetic particles dispersed therein.