Abstract: Alpha-alumina whiskers are produced by forming a film of boehmite gel seeded with alpha-alumina seed material, preferably sapphire, and heating at 900.degree. C. to 1200.degree. C. for 5 minutes to 2 hours.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of making aluminum borate fibers comprising the steps of preparing an aluminum borate gel by reacting aluminum salt in a solution with ammonium borate and heating the gel to form the aluminum borate fibers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cryogenic gel, and a process for making such a gel from a liquid cryogen having at least a methane component, which normally comprises a majority of the cryogenic liquid, by flash vaporizing the cryogen so that a relatively small portion of the weight of the cryogen becomes vaporized while a remainder forms a mist of small cryogen droplets suspended in the vapor. After flash vaporization, a gelling agent is injected into the cryogen vapor-mist mixture. The gelling agent is present so that it forms between about 0.1% to about 25% (by weight) of the resulting gel and is selected so that it is a solid at the temperature of the liquid cryogen and a liquid or a gas at ambient temperature. Water and methyl alcohol are preferred gelling agents. After the injection of the gelling agent the mixture is segregated into a gaseous phase and a condensed phase or gel comprising the liquid cryogen droplets and the injected gelling agent.

Abstract: New thioethers of the formula ##STR1## in which Ac represents an acyl radical have been found. They are useful for producing silver halide emulsions for photographic materials.

Abstract: A system for gelling cryogenic liquid in which a jet pump is used to educt cryogenic vapor from a gel storage container, mix that educted vapor with steam or other gelant vapor, and inject the resultant mixture into a fine spray of cryogenic droplets, is described herein.

Abstract: Crystals are grown from solution by the introduction of a first fluid into a second fluid by permeation through a porous partition. Introduction of the first fluid produces supersaturation of the desired material in the combined fluid in the vicinity of the partition. Supersaturation results in the production of crystals. The crystals grow from the partition into the solution. The supersaturation is produced by one of several mechanisms including: chemical reaction producing a less soluble element or compound; decomplexation produced by dilution or pH change; and introduction of solution into a solvent in which the material is less soluble.

Abstract: In the preparation of silver halide emulsions silver halide grain-growth is accelerated by the addition to the precipitation medium during or before silver halide precipitation of a compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein: N IS AN INTEGER FROM 1 TO 5R.sup.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl or substituted alkylR.sup.2 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl or substituted alkyl, or a carboxylic acyl groupR.sup.3 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl or substituted alkyl, andR.sup.4 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl or substituted alkyl group, aryl or substituted aryl or a salt-forming cation.

Abstract: A novel cryogenic liquid composition comprising liquid methane and/or natural gas and an effective gelling amount of a gelling agent therefor, comprising finely divided ice particles or finely divided methyl alcohol particles.