Technical new feature

A continuous process for the commercial production of isopropenyl stearate (IPS) from triple pressed stearic acid and a stabilized form of propyne has been developed. Cost estimates, including capital costs, operating costs, and profitability, for commercial scale plant production which show the process to be economically feasible are presented. This potentially profitable process offers the advantages of reliable raw material sources, minimal external thermal requirements, and usable process waste streams. For a plant producing 5 million pounds of IPS per year, the selling price range is 80 to 107 cents/lb IPS, corresponding to a raw material cost range of 27 to 54 cents/lb of IPS. For a 20 million pound per year plant, the selling price range is 58 to 85 cents/lb IPS. The selling prices include a 20% annual return on fixed capital investment. Fixed capital requirement ranges from 2.7 to 10.9 million dollars (3rd quarter, 1975) for plants ranging in size from 5 to 50 million pounds of IPS per year, respectively.     

Graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers on modified cottons. VI. Vinyl graft copolymerization initiated by manganese (IV)

The ability of potassium permanganate in the presence of different acids to induce grafting of methyl methacrylate and acrylonitrile onto sodium hydroxide-treated cotton, partially carboxymethylated cotton, partially cyanoethylated cotton, and partially acetylated cotton was investigated. The copolymerization reaction was carried out under a variety of conditions. The graft yields are greatly enhanced by increasing concentration of monomer, reaction time, and temperature. The opposite holds true for initiator at higher concentrations. The effectiveness of the acids was: nitric acid > sulfuric acid > perchloric acid > hydrochloric acid. The change in the physical and/or chemical structure of cellulose by its modification via etherification reaction or esterification reaction had a significant effect on the susceptibility of cellulose toward grafting. While partial carboxymethylation or partial cyanoethylation of cellulose prior to grafting increased the graft yield, partial acetylation caused a decrease.     

New method of determining the slag-resistance of refractories

Conclusions A new method is proposed for determining the slag resistance of refractories with lever apparatus which is qualitative.The new technique permits the specific features of the destruction of refractories by slags to be determined, and explains the mechanism of this process by mineralogical analysis and by describing the external appearance of the changed specimens.Data on the changes in the specimens during tests and the compositions of the zones will be given in the next article.Data obtained by the new method show that the slag destruction of refractories accelerates with time.     

Foamed nitride-bonded silicon carbide refractories

Conclusions We obtained foamed silicon carbide insulating material with a nitride bond. The nitride bond is formed from a mixture of silicon nitride of the- and-modifications upon reaction with nitrogen. The formation of the nitride commences at about 1200°, and is practically complete at 1450°; the rate of nitriding of the foam ceramic is much greater than in dense specimens. The material has a homogeneous phase composition which is an advantage compared with foamed silicon carbide containing a complex bond obtained in carbon fillings.The foamed insulating brick based on nitride bond possesses a high thermal-shock resistance and structural strength at elevated temperatures. The strength is increased with an increase in the apparent density. The material is characterized by moderate mechanical strength, typical for silicon carbide refractories of this type [1, 3, 4].The foamed silicon carbide brick with a nitride bond can be recommended for service at high temperatures in nonoxidizing atmospheres when substantial thermal-shock resistance is required.Translated from Ogneupory, No. 7, pp. 48–51, July, 1970.     

Liquid-phase degradation of poly(vinyl chloride)

The main kinetic regularities of the thermal and thermal-oxidative degradation of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) in the liquid phase have been analyzed in comparison with the solid-phase degradation of PVC. The thermal (in an N₂ atmosphere) degradation of PVC in the form of dilute solutions is characterized by a number of essential distinctions, the primary peculiarity consisting of a lower dehydrochlorination rate due to the retarded reaction of the formation of bond polyconjugated systems. The same is observed for the thermal degradation of PVC plasticized with di- and polyesters. On the contrary, in an oxygen-containing atmosphere the solvents promote PVC decomposition. Accelerated PVC degradation under such conditions is due to the solvent oxidation that causes the appearance, within the system, of products activating the PVC macromolecular decomposition. The intensified degradation processes are accounted for, in the first place, by an increased reaction rate of the statistical (by the random law) detachment of HCl from normal macromolecular units. In general, the kinetics of the thermal-oxidative liquid-phase degradation of PVC is determined by the partial pressure of oxygen in the reaction zone, by the quantity of the solvent introduced into the polymer, as well as by the oxidative stability of the solvent. It has been shown that an effective stabilization of PVC in the liquid phase, particularly in the systems highly plasticized with esters, can be achieved through stabilizing the solvent, first of all, rather than the polymer, against oxidative decomposition. In this case the PVC dehydrochlorination rate decreases sharply and may reach an essentially lower value than under similar conditions of the solid-phase thermal degradation of PVC. PVC stabilization with respect to the reaction of HCl elimination achieved through the solvent stabilization against thermal-oxidative decomposition has been called the effect of “echo-stabilization” of PVC.     

Development of waste-free technology for freeing exhaust air from man-made fibre plants from hydrogen sulfide

Conclusions Devising waste-free technology for the process of cleaning up exhaust air from man-made fibre plants from hydrogen sulfide is tied in with the development of methods for utilization of the main oxidation products of the absorbed hydrogen sulfide — finely dispersed sulfur and sodium thiosulfate.A process for the preparation of an acarofungicide based on finely divided sulfur has been developed and realized in industry; this is a valuable product which is needed to fulfill the the goals of the Food Program. A process has been developed for the preparation of sodium thiosulfate from absorber solutions in the alkaline-catalytic method of freeing exhaust gases from hydrogen sulfide.Translated from Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 6, pp. 12–14, November–December, 1984.     

Mechanosynthesis of complex oxides and preparation of mixed conducting nanocomposites for catalytic membrane reactors

Nanopowders of LaGaO₃- and LaMnO₃-based complex perovskites (P) and ceria-based fluorites (F) were prepared by mechanosynthesis. Compatible nanocomposites F + P and P + P with mixed ion and electron conducting (MIEC) properties were prepared and sintered at moderate temperatures up to dense ceramics. The obtained materials were studied by means of XRD, SEM, TEM, electrical conductivity measurements, temperature programmed (TP) reduction/oxidation and preliminary estimations of permeability were obtained. A new strategy based on the advantages of the mechanochemical ceramic approach is proposed to design multilayer ceramic membranes for CMR. Casting technology and one-step sintering were used for the production of thin film membranes with MIEC properties on porous substrates. The coarse fraction of as-milled powders from agglomerates with density 70% was used for the porous substrate, and fine fractions of aggregates with sizes <1 μm were used in preparation of composites for thin dense films. Ceria-based composites prepared by the Pechini route and/or mechanochemical method are proposed as materials for protecting thin films.     

Thermal decomposition and pore structure of pure and doped stannic oxide gel

The surface properties of a stannic oxide gel and its thermal dehydration products obtained both in vacuo and in the presence of air in the temperature range 100–600°C have been examined by N₂ adsorption. Phase and structural changes have been followed by differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffractometry. Complete pore structure analysis showed that samples dehydrated at or below 250°C were microporous. Above 250°C the pores were found to widen with increase of temperature, the widening occurring concurrently with the crystallisation process. Doping with cations of lower valency (Li⁺ and Al³⁺) than the host cation (Sn⁴⁺) had little effect on the pore structure and specific surface area for the low temperature samples (≤250°), whereas at higher temperatures, e.g. 600°C, it increased the specific area remarkably. The dope ions produce oxygen vacancies and hinder or retard sintering in SnO₂.     

A NOTE ON THE REDUCED EFFICIENCY OF THE INDUSTRIAL CYCLONE

In this paper a theoretical investigation into the basis of the reduced efficiency of a conical cyclone is performed. By considering the flow in a region where viscosity is unimportant an analytical solution to the problem is obtained. From this model the performance of the cyclone is evaluated and this can be expressed in terms of three operating and design parameters. One of these parameters is the split ratio, that is the proportion of the volume of fluid entering the cyclone which goes to the underflow. It is demonstrated mathematically that the empirical formula for the reduced efficiency at present in common use is a very good absolute measure of the separating ability of a cyclone.