Abstract: Grafted polymer particles are prepared by a free-radical addition polymerization mechanism using a flame produced by igniting a mixture of a combustible gas and an oxidant to heat at least a portion of the surface of a solid polymer particle to produce free-radicals thereon. At least one polymerizable ethylenically unsaturated monomer is contacted and reacted with the free-radicals formed on the surface of the polymer to form a graft thereon.

Abstract: A process for breaking down rubber polymer materials by selective oxidative decoupling of carbon-carbon, carbon-sulfur and sulfur-sulfur bonds at supercritical or near supercritical conditions for water and wherein supercritical water or water near supercritical conditions is used as a solvent and reforming agent, is used to produce relatively high yields of lower molecular weight hydrocarbons and oxygenated hydrocarbons which are suitable for use as a fuel or which can be separated or further refined to produce various commodity chemicals, specialty chemicals or both. The invention provides an environmentally friendly process for recycling rubber waste materials such as waste tires to generate valuable fuels or chemical feedstocks in a closed oxidation process which is free of hazardous stack emissions.

Abstract: A method of grafting alkyl (alkyl) acrylate to a polycarbonate at a carbon atom which both before and after grafting has an sp.sup.3 electron configuration, includes the step of contacting a polycarbonate which is in the solid phase with alkyl (alkyl)acrylate monomers in the presence of a suitable free radical initiator at a temperature sufficient to activate the free radical initiator for a time sufficient to attain a desired degree of grafting. The grafting method of the invention allows for the relatively rapid production of polycarbonate-graft-poly(alkyl(alkyl)acrylate) copolymers using conventional polycarbonate polymers which have not been specially modified to facilitate grafting. The resulting graft copolymer of the process generally has an alkyl (alkyl)acrylate content of from about 1 to about 20 percent by weight with the polycarbonate portion of the graft copolymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from about 5,000 to about 200,000.

Abstract: A mixed bacteria culture for biodegrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants includes Achromobacter sp. and Mycobacterium sp. which have been grown together and gradually acclimated to utilize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as a primary food source. The mixed bacteria culture can be utilized for in situ or ex situ bioremediation of contaminated soil, or in any of various conventional bioreactors to treat contaminated liquids such as landfill leachates, groundwater or industrial effluents. The bacteria, the nutrients used to sustain growth of the bacteria, and the products of the biodegradation of the polycyclic aromatic or other hydrocarbons are all substantially harmless to the environment. The mixed bacteria can be utilized in the presence of oxygen, or hydrogen peroxide can be used alone or in combination with oxygen as an effective alternative electron acceptor. The mixed bacteria culture of Achromobacter sp. and Mycobacterium sp.

Abstract: A process is provided whereby syngas is converted to gasoline via a liquid-phase process producing dimethyl ether as an intermediate.

Abstract: A mixed bacteria culture for biodegrading polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon contaminants includes Achromobacter sp. and Mycobacterium sp. which have been grown together and gradually acclimated to utilize polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as a primary food source. The mixed bacteria culture can be utilized for in situ or ex situ bioremediation of contaminated soil, or in any of various conventional bioreactors to treat contaminated liquids such as landfill leachates, groundwater or industrial effluents. The bacteria, the nutrients used to sustain growth of the bacteria, and the products of the biodegradation of the polycyclic aromatic or other hydrocarbons are all substantially harmless to the environment. The mixed bacteria can be utilized in the presence of oxygen, or hydrogen peroxide can be used alone or in combination with oxygen as an effective alternative electron acceptor. The mixed bacteria culture of Achromobacter sp. and Mycobacterium sp.

Abstract: A process for depolymerizing polymers by selective, partial oxidation at supercritical or near supercritical conditions for water and wherein supercritical water or water near supercritical conditions is used as a solvent and reforming agent, is used to produce relatively high yields of the monomers originally used to produce the polymers. The invention provides an environmentally friendly process for recycling polymeric waste materials to generate valuable polymer feedstock in a closed oxidation process which is free of hazardous stack emissions. The polymers which can be recycled in accordance with the process can include typical amounts of conventional additive and other impurities without significantly affecting the overall conversion.

Abstract: Organic sulfur is removed from coal by extraction with a water/methanol/carbon dioxide mixture under supercritical conditions of temperature and pressure, i.e., at a temperature and pressure of the critical temperature and pressure, respectively. The preferred solvent used for extraction has the following composition (expressed as a mole fraction);______________________________________ Carbon Dioxide from 0 to 0.30 Methanol from 0.20 to 0.70 Water from 0.20 to 0.70 ______________________________________Preferably, the mole fraction carbon dioxide is at least 0.05 and mole fraction of water is not greater than 0.65. Either fixed bed (semi-batch) or mixed reactor systems can be used. Operations may be carried out in a single stage using a solvent of constant composition, or it may be carried out in plural stages in which the critical temperature of the solvent used in each stage (except the first) is higher than that of the solvent used in the preceding stage.

Abstract: A catalytic process for free radically induced polymerization and graft copolymerization of a free radically polymerizable monomer onto a compound in the presence of a free radical initiator, an organic catalyst and in the presence or absence of an organic diluent where the organic catalyst is an alkenyl substituted cyanurate or isocyanurate and composition thereof.

Abstract: A process is provided for regenerating aged copper-containing coprecipitated methanol synthesis catalyst. The process includes treating the aged catalyst in an oxidizing atmosphere according to a specified time-temperature ramp, then in a reducing atmosphere. The oxidation-reduction cycle may be repeated as needed. An advantage of the invention is that the catalyst may be regenerated in situ in the same vessel in which the catalyst is utilized to make alcohol.

Abstract: A retort process and product therefrom relating to the recovering of oil from Western-type U.S. shale utilizing carbon dioxide as a sweep gas. Other contributing factors with regard to increase in recovery include the heating rate, the sweep gas rate, particle size, and final temperature. The amount of increased recovery over conventional systems ranges up to about 25 percent.