Amoco Corporation

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Nanophase Technologies Corporation

Marc L Kullberg

Richard W Brotzman, Jr

Eric J Moore

Kenneth C Goretta

Mark A Drezdzon

Lori B Lane

Richard W Brotzman

An oxide-based strengthening and toughening agent, such as tetragonal Zro.sub.2 particles, has been added to copper oxide superconductors, such as superconducting YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x (123) to improve its fracture toughness (K.sub.IC). A sol-gel coating which is non-reactive with the superconductor, such as Y.sub.2 BaCuO.sub.5 (211) on the ZrO.sub.2 particles minimized the deleterious reactions between the superconductor and the toughening agent dispersed therethrough. Addition of 20 mole percent ZrO.sub.2 coated with 211 yielded a 123 composite with a K.sub.IC of 4.5 MPa(m).sup.0.5.

Fracture toughness for copper oxide superconductors

Catalyzed vapor-phase processes are taught for the oxidative dehydrogenation of a lower-alkyl-monosubstituted ethylbenzene to a lower-alkyl-monosubstituted styrene. Barium pyrophosphate and the pyrophosphate-containing calcination product of KFe.sub.3 H.sub.14 (PO.sub.4).sub.8.nH.sub.2 O, n running between about 1 to about 4, are shown to effectively catalyze these dehydrogenations at a low enough temperature such that very little cracking of the lower alkyl group occurs which gives superior conversions and selectivities to the corresponding styrenes and lengthened catalyst lifetime. An improved method of preparation of KFe.sub.3 H.sub.14 (PO.sub.4).nH.sub.2 O is described as well as the new material which is essentially KFe.sub.3 H.sub.6 (P.sub.2 O.sub.7).sub.4.

Catalyst and process for oxidatively dehydrogenating a

A process to purify t-butylstyrene from product containing substantial amounts of t-butylethylbenzene and small amounts of alkenyl-substituted styrene impurities by a combination of vacuum fractionation and vacuum evaporation in the presence a polymerization inhibitor, and treatment with a carbonaceous adsorbent. Such a product to be purified can be prepared by catalytically, oxidatively dehydrogenating over an alkaline pyrophosphate in the vapor phase t-butylethylbenzene containing about 95 wt. % or more of the p-isomer which can be made by alkylating ethylbenzene with isobutylene in a controlled manner in the presence of cooled concentrated sulfuric acid.

Production and purification of t-butylstyrene

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Lisle, IL, United States of America

Marc L Kullberg