Test procedure for evaluation of catalysts for nitrile reduction

A procedure was developed that examines the effectiveness of nickel catalysts for the hydrogenation of fatty nitriles to amines. Rates of reaction, selectivity, and olefinic reduction were the parameters studied. The procedure can be used for new catalyst screening and is ideally suited for quality assurance testing of production catalysts. It involves the reduction of nitriles to amines at 410°F (210°C) and 500 psig using a .2% Ni loading level. A mixture of primary and secondary amines is obtained which is characteristic of the catalyst’s selectivity. Both sponge and supported nickel catalysts were tested using tallow nitriles as the feedstock.     

Dendritic Growth Morphologies in Al-Zn Alloys—Part I: X-ray Tomographic Microscopy

Upon solidification, most metallic alloys form dendritic structures that grow along directions corresponding to low index crystal axes, e.g., $\langle100\rangle$ directions in fcc aluminum. However, recent findings[1,2] have shown that an increase in the zinc content in Al-Zn alloys continuously changes the dendrite growth direction from $\langle100\rangle$ to $\langle110\rangle$ in {100} planes. At intermediate compositions, between 25 wt pct and 55 wt pct Zn, $\langle320\rangle$ dendrites and textured seaweeds were reported. The reason for this dendrite orientation transition is that this system exhibits a large solubility of zinc, a hexagonal metal, in the primary fcc aluminum phase, thus modifying its weak solid–liquid interfacial energy anisotropy. Owing to the complexity of the phenomenology, there is still no satisfactory theory that predicts all the observed microstructures. The current study is thus aimed at better understanding the formation of these structures. This is provided by the access to their 3D morphologies via synchrotron-based X-ray tomographic microscopy of quenched Bridgman solidified specimens in combination with the determination of the crystal orientation of the dendrites by electron-backscattered diffraction. Most interestingly, all alloys with intermediate compositions were shown to grow as seaweeds, constrained to grow mostly in a (001) symmetry plane, by an alternating growth direction mechanism. Thus, these structures are far from random and are considered less hierarchically ordered than common dendrites.     

Validation of computer systems: practical testing of a standard LIMS

In recent years the introduction of computer systems for data handling in the pharmaceutical industry has increased. A standard LIMS (laboratory information management system) is software commercially available from different suppliers not only to facilitate data handling in laboratories but also to cover GMP-requirements. Computer systems introduced in GMP-areas of pharmaceutical companies have to be validated. For a standard LIMS, the general validation of the program is performed by the supplier. Nevertheless, the user is always required to cover all phases of a validation. The objective of this paper is to discuss suitable test procedures for the most critical functions of a standard LIMS needed during the verification step of the validation process.     

Synthesis and performance of ester quaternary biodegradable softeners

Reaction of hydroxyethylpiperazine with two moles of fatty acid, followed by quaternization with methyl chloride, methyl bromide or dimethyl sulfate, resulted in new quaternaries useful as biodegradable fabric softeners. Additional softeners were synthesized from hard tallow propane diamine by reaction with butyrolactone, followed by ethoxylation, esterification with one mole of fatty acid and quaternization.     

Upgrading triethanolamine esterquat performance to new levels

Triethanolamine (TEA)-based esterquat has been the primary ingredient in European fabric softeners for several years and is becoming the global molecule of choice. Although it has an excellent environmental profile, TEA esterquat has been plagued by mediocre performance compared to historical molecules such as dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride and ditallow imidazoline quat. In this study, the chain lengths, the level of unsaturation, and the source of the raw material (tallow or palm stearine) were varied to better understand their effect on softening and dispersion viscosity. Palm stearine derivatives generally soften as well as tallow derivatives despite the lower C18 content of palm. Various additives were examined to improve dispersibility and other properties such as dye transfer inhibition (DTI) and ease of ironing. DTI is normally accomplished in the wash cycle by additives to the laundry detergent such as polyvinylpyrrolidone. In this study, we found that fabric softener molecules themselves provide some color care, or DTI. Certain additives to fabric softeners, such as monoalkylquats, greatly enhance the color care of the fabric. DTI treatment in the rinse cycle of the washing sequence makes more sense scientifically and to the consumers, since fabric softeners are designed to coat the textile. Because no competing detergency operations are occurring during the rinse cycle, color care works well in the fabric softener cycle. Addition of organosilicones to fabric softeners reduces wrinkling of fabrics and makes them easier to iron. Softening increases slightly. Aversion of this paper was presented in May 2000 at the CESIO Conference in Florence, Italy.     

Die Würde des Tieres in der neuen Schweizer Tierschutzgesetzgebung

Effective since 1 September 2008, the new Swiss animal welfare legislation is committed to protecting the dignity of animals. In what follows, the notion of animal dignity as it has been incorporated in several articles of the Swiss Animal Welfare Act and the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance will be sketched out. Based on the act’s definition of the term ‘animal dignity’, various unanswered questions regarding the practical implementation of animal dignity issues will be illustrated. Finally, the scheduled course of action to approach these issues will be outlined.     

Novel new ester quaternaries for improved performance benefits as rinse cycle fabric softeners

A number of new diesterquats and anidoester quats were synthesized and tested for biodegradation and softening. Methyldiethanolamine, 3-methoxylpropylamine, diethanolaminopropylamine, aminoethylethanolamine, dimethylethanolamine, and diethanolamine were reacted, either “as is” or after alkoxylation, with tallow fatty acid and further converted into dialkyl quats. The diesterquat from diethanolisopropanolamine was by far the best of the ester quats synthesized in overall biodegradation, softening, and cost/ease of manufacture. It appears that two ester groups are needed for ready biodegradation as opposed to an amide-ester combination. Increasing unsaturation of the alkyl chains within a molecule increases its rate of biodegradation slightly. This paper was presented at the 89th American oil Chemists' Society Annual Meeting & Expo, Orlando, May 1999.     

Mercury emissions from biomass burning in China

Biomass burning covers open fires (forest and grassland fires, crop residue burning in fields, etc.) and biofuel combustion (crop residues and wood, etc., used as fuel). As a large agricultural country, China may produce large quantities of mercury emissions from biomass burning. A new mercury emission inventory in China is needed because previous studies reflected outdated biomass burning with coarse resolution. Moreover, these studies often adopted the emission factors (mass of emitted species per mass of biomass burned) measured in North America. In this study, the mercury emissions from biomass burning in China (excluding small islands in the South China Sea) were estimated, using recently measured mercury concentrations in various biomes in China as emission factors. Emissions from crop residues and fuelwood were estimated based on annual reports distributed by provincial government. Emissions from forest and grassland fires were calculated by combining moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) burned area product with combustion efficiency (ratio of fuel consumption to total available fuels) considering fuel moisture. The average annual emission from biomass burning was 27 (range from 15.1 to 39.9) Mg/year. This inventory has high spatial resolution (1 km) and covers a long period (2000-2007), making it useful for air quality modeling.