Abstract: The hydroxyethyl cellulose derived from biomass is made by preparing a biomass by extracting resins and waxes, acid leaching, and alkali treatment to obtain a cellulose-rich residue, and then bleaching the cellulose-rich residue, followed by hydroxyethylation of the cellulose to obtain hydroxyethyl cellulose. The use of hydroxyethyl cellulose in brine treatment include reacting concentrated brine and hydroxyethyl cellulose with an effluent gas stream to capture CO2 and reduce salinity of the concentrated brine. The reduced salinity brine may then be useful for enhanced oil recovery methods.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for regenerating or derivatizing cellulose. The process comprises the steps of providing a source of unrefined cellulose, and dissolving the unrefined cellulose in a molten inorganic salt. The source of unrefined cellulose may be a biomass, such as wood. The process permits the regeneration or derivatization of cellulose having a high degree of polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for preparing 6-carboxy-cellulose nitrates and also to their use.

Abstract: The invention provides screening methods for the identification of compounds that inhibit nonstop degradation of mRNA, including compounds that inhibit the exosome. The invention further provides methods of treatment for genetic disorders caused by premature termination codons.

Abstract: The starting pyroxylin is subjected to an acetylation reaction while it is dispersed in a dispersion medium such as toluene and kept in a solid phase state, and acetylated pyroxylin is then separated from a reaction solution by means of filtration, so that an extra portion of anhydrous acetic acid taking no part in the reaction can be immediately recovered. This dispenses with the precipitation process required for a prior art solution reaction, and so eliminates an unstable quality factor due to product particle size variations. In addition, the process of washing the post-reaction crude acetylated pyroxylin is designed to include a washing step at a high temperature of 60° C. to 105° C. and a washing step using a stabilizer-containing washing agent, so that acetylated pyroxylin having improved heat resistance and stability can be provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing acetylated pyroxylin with safety yet at low cost, using inexpensive water-wetted pyroxylin rather than expensive alcohol-wetted pyroxylin. The acetylated pyroxylin is produced by dehydrating the water-wetted pyroxylin in the presence of a nonalcoholic non-solvent for pyroxylin, and then permitting an acetylating agent to act on the dehydrated pyroxylin. According to the first dehydration process, the water-wetted pyroxylin is dispersed in a dispersing medium comprising a nonalcoholic non-solvent for pyroxylin, and then dehydrated by distillation. According to the second dehydration process, a replacing agent comprising a nonalcoholic non-solvent for pyroxylin is added to the water-wetted pyroxylin, and the wetted pyroxylin is then dehydrated by filtration. With either one of these processes, the water-wetted pyroxylin can be dehydrated with safety.

Abstract: The starting pyroxylin is subjected to an acetylation reaction while it is dispersed in a dispersion medium such as toluene and kept in a solid phase state, and acetylated pyroxylin is then separated from a reaction solution by means of filtration, so that an extra portion of anhydrous acetic acid taking no part in the reaction can be immediately recovered. This dispenses with the precipitation process required for a prior art solution reaction, and so eliminates an unstable quality factor due to product particle size variations. In addition, the process of washing the post-reaction crude acetylated pyroxylin is designed to include a washing step at a high temperature of 60 to 105° C. and a washing step using a stabilizer-containing washing agent, so that acetylated pyroxylin having improved heat resistance and stability can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention includes a process for extracting a stereoisomer fro biomass. The method comprises providing biomass and subjecting the biomass to substantially instantaneous pressurization and depressurization to separate cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin from the biomass. The hemicellulose is hydrolyzed to form hemicellulose hydrolysates. The hydrolysates are separated using chromatography.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel thermoplastic materials based on polysaccharide ethers which are simultaneously substituted by carboxylic acid ester groups and carbamate groups, together with mixtures of such derivatives with low molecular weight aliphatic urea derivatives.

Abstract: This invention provides certain carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) esters of higher acids (e.g., CMC acetate propionate, CMC propionate, CMC acetate butyrate, and CMC butyrate). These new ether derivatives of cellulose esters exhibit solubility in a wide range of organic solvents, compatibility with a variety of resins, and ease of dispersion in a water-borne formulation and are useful in coating compositions as binder resins and rheology modifiers.

Abstract: This invention is an improved process of making azidodeoxycellulose a hig energetic ingredient for use in a propellant. The process is accomplished by nitrating cellulose to nitrocellulose, converting the nitrocellulose in sequence to the iodine derivative, and finally reacting the iodine derivative of cellulose with sodium azide to produce azidodeoxycellulose having up to about 1.5% residual nitrogen as nitrate groups.

Abstract: An improved chemical process is provided for the disposal of scrap nitroculose. The process involves the use of organic sulfhydryl-containing compounds to effect the nitrogen release from the nitrocellulose polymer. The nitrogen released by the application of this procedure is in the form of inorganic nitrite ions. The process is in effect a nucleophilic attack on the nitrocellulose, and is accompanied by cleavage or breakage of the cellulose chain.

Abstract: A process of making azidodeoxycellulose nitrate in yields as high as 90 pent. The process initially involves the conversion of cellulose to the mesylate or tosylate derivative. This is followed by reacting the above cellulose derivative with a metallic azide to produce azidodeoxycellulose. Thereafter, the azidodeoxycellulose is nitrated thereby producing azidodeoxycellulose nitrate which is a propellant.