The Dow Chemical Company

Iowa Corn Promotion Board

T.en Process Technology, Inc.

Norse Biotech As

Iowa Com Promotion Board

Ray W Chrisman

Brooke Albin

David James Schreck

Donald L Bunning

Nye Clinton

Mark Nunley

Richard D McLachlan

Marion McKinley Bradford

Michael C Bradford

Louis A Kapicak

Theodore E Miller, Jr

Mary Anne Leugers

Robert E LaPointe

Richard S Harner

Steven M Lefkowitz

Patrick W Langvardt

Alex Buck

Charles A Nielsen

Steven J Brownell

Patrick E Kastl

Deborah C Helmer

Raymond A Cocco

John A Cleveland, Jr

Jens-Erlend Pederden

Jens-Erland Pedersen

A process for making carbon black is described by pyrolizing unsulfonated lignin or by pyrolizing aromatic monomers formed by hydrolyzing a biomass comprising unsulfonated lignin.

Carbon black from biomass

By this invention processes are provided for the conversion of carbohydrate to ethylene glycol by retro-aldol catalysis and sequential hydrogenation using control methods having at least one of acetol (hydroxyacetone) and a tracer as inputs.

Continuous, carbohydrate to ethylene glycol processes

Control methods are disclosed for continuous, unmodulated, multiple catalytic conversion step processes using at least two catalysts, a first catalyst and a second catalyst, that accommodate changes in the performance of each catalyst and the relative performances of the catalysts. In the methods, certain process parameters are used in a manner that is indicative of changes in catalyst performance, and the control methods provide for adjustment of at least one of: the absolute amount of catalytically active species and relative amounts of each of the first catalyst and second catalyst and at least one of the rate of feed or concentration of the raw material to the reaction zone.

Methods for operating continuous, unmodulated, multiple catalytic step processes

The product of and a process for forming a metal composite comprising particles of a carbon allotrope dispersed in a metal or a mixture of metals. In one embodiment, the process includes the steps of: (a) contacting particles of a carbon allotrope with surfactant having an organic portion and an anionic portion wherein the anionic portion is bonded to the organic portion and wherein the anionic portion is ionically associated with a cation so that the organic portion of the surfactant is adsorbed onto the surface of the particles of the carbon allotrope to produce surfactant modified particles; (b) contacting the surfactant modified particles with a transition metal cation and/or a post-transition metal cation and/or mixtures thereof to replace some or all of the cations of the surfactant modified particles with a transition metal cation and/or a post-transition metal cation and/or mixtures thereof to produce metal ion modified particles; (c) mixing the metal ion modified particles with a metal or a mixture of metals to form a mixture thereof; and (d) processing the mixture to form a metal composite comprising particles of the carbon allotrope dispersed in the metal or mixture of metal. In another embodiment the process includes the steps of: (a) contacting particles of a carbon allotrope with a surfactant having an organic portion and an anionic portion wherein the anionic portion is bonded to the organic portion and wherein the anionic portion is ionically associated with a transition metal cation and/or a post-transition metal cation and/or mixtures to produce metal ion modified particles; (b) mixing the metal ion modified particles with a metal or a mixture of metals to form a mixture thereof; and (c) processing the mixture to form a metal composite comprising particles of the carbon allotrope dispersed in the metal or mixture of metals.

Metal composites

Continuous processes for making ethylene glycol form aldohexose-yielding carbohydrates are disclosed which enhance the selectivity to ethylene glycol.

Continuous processes for the highly selective conversion of aldohexose-yielding carbohydrate to ethylene glycol

Continuous processes for making propylene glycol from ketose-yielding carbohydrates are disclosed which enhance the selectivity to propylene glycol.

Continuous processes for the highly selective conversion of sugars to propylene glycol or mixtures of propylene glycol and ethylene glycol

A continuous process for converting carbohydrates to ethylene and propylene glycol. The carbohydrates are mixed with water and passed through a reactor at a temperature that hydrolyzes the carbohydrate mixture at least partially to monosaccharides. The reactor has a first zone comprising a retro-aldol catalyst and a second zone comprising a reducing catalyst. The aldose is converted in the first zone into glycolaldehyde by the retro-aldol catalyst and the glycolaldehyde, in the presence of hydrogen, is converted to ethylene glycol in the second zone of the reactor. The reaction products are removed from the reactor and the ethylene glycol is recovered. The selectivity to propylene glycol can be enhanced via feeding ketose as the carbohydrate.

Process for the continuous production of ethylene glycol from carbohydrates

A thermal method for studying chemical responses, such as catalyzed polymerization reactions that includes the following three steps. The first step is to flow a chemical substance through a conduit, the conduit being in thermal communication with an electrical conductor, the electrical conductor being co-linear with the conduit, the electrical resistance of the electrical conductor being a function of the temperature of the electrical conductor. A length of stainless steel tubing can be used as both the conduit and the conductor. The second step is to flow electricity through the electrical conductor during the first step. The third step is to measure the electrical resistance of the electrical conductor during the second step to determine any change in the temperature of the conduit caused by a response of the chemical substance. An apparatus for studying chemical reactions that includes: a first conduit, the first conduit being an electrical conductor, the first conduit having a first end and a second end, the electrical resistance of the first conduit being a function of the temperature of the first conduit; a source of electricity, the source of electricity in electrical communication with the first conduit so that electricity can be flowed through the first conduit; a volt meter in electrical communication with the first conduit so that the voltage measured by the volt meter is an indication of the temperature of the first conduit.

Thermal method and apparatus

This invention relates to a method for simultaneously determining particle concentration and velocity in multi-phase streams. These determinations may be made by use of a fiber optic probe that establishes an illuminated sensing zone of finite dimensions. The probe collects light backscattered from the zone at discrete points in time. The collected light is converted to a voltage waveform. By taking the mean of the voltage values, concentration can be determined, and, by taking a derivative of the voltage waveform, the velocity can be determined.

Method and apparatus for determining flow rates and concentrations in

The invention is an optical sensor useful for the detection of ionizing radiation emitted from an analyte in a fluid. The sensor is composed of a permeable scintillator having a high surface area to scintillator volume ratio and an optical waveguide located in working relation to the scintillator to collect light photons generated in response to an ionizing radiation source. The sensor is especially useful for biomedical applications. Increased sensitivity allows for miniaturization and implantation in a blood vessel of a small experimental animal.

Miniaturized sensor for ionizing radiation

The presence and concentration of a light absorbing constituent in a fluid medium is determined in-situ by immersing in such medium a probe having a prism at one end whose refractive index is greater than that of the medium and causing light including a wavelength absorbable by such constituent to traverse an optical path through the prism and undergo successive attenuated total reflections. At each reflection some of the light will be absorbed by the constituent. The intensity of light emerging from the prism is measured at one or more wavelengths, including one absorbable by such constituent. The concentration of the constituent is determined by comparison of the measured intensity with values obtained from like measurements performed on like mediums containing known concentrations of the constituent.

Growing community of inventors

Midland, MI, United States of America

Ray W Chrisman