The Dow Chemical Company

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Nutrition & Biosciences USA 1, LLC

Joseph L Weir

Larry R Wilson

Robert B Appell

A process includes: (a) providing an initial cellulose ether powder containing 0.5 to 10 weight-percent water based on total cellulose ether powder weight; (b) heating the initial cellulose ether powder to a temperature in a range of 30 to 130 degrees Celsius; (c) before, during and/or after heating in step (b), adding solid base to the cellulose ether powder and mixing with the initial cellulose ether powder to form a cellulose ether/base mixture; (d) adding volatile acid to the cellulose ether/base mixture and mixing; and (e) allowing the volatile acid to hydrolyze the initial cellulose ether to form a final cellulose ether having a lower viscosity than the initial cellulose ether.

Method for controlled preparation of low molecular weight cellulose ether

Superabsorbent polymers having a slow rate of absorption, and a process for their preparation. The superabsorbent polymer has a slow rate of absorption, is crosslinked with a covalent crosslinking agent and the metal of a polyvalent metal salt and has an Absorption Rate Index of at least about 5 minutes. Such polymers are prepared by contacting a substrate water-swellable, water-insoluble polymer particle with a polyvalent metal salt solution under conditions such that there is formed a polymer having an Absorption Rate Index of at least about 5 minutes.

Superabsorbent polymers having a slow rate of absorption

Superabsorbent polymers having improved gel bed resiliency are prepared by dry blending the polymer with a multivalent metal salt to form a mixture; and contacting the mixture with from about 0.1 to 10 percent of binder, based on the weight of the mixture.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Joseph L Weir