North Carolina State University

Other

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Princeton University

Eastman Chemical Company

Michigan State University

Saad A Khan

Richard J Spontak

Joseph R Royer

Robert M Kelly

Pascal Leduc

Akash Tayal

Joseph Desimone

Robert K Prud'homme

Koushik Ghosh

George W Roberts

Robert K Prud'Homme

Peter S Fedkiw

Teri Anne Walker

Joanna E Roberts

Victoria A Prevysh

Srinivas Siripurapu

Emily Facchine

Soo Ah Jin

Jos Simon De Wit

Jeremy Kenneth Steach

Gregory L Baker

Gregory N Parsons

Barrie Davies

S M Bedarul Islam

Orlando Rojas

Yvon J Gay

Michael W Riley

Jun Hou

Srinivasa R Raghavan

Jiang Fan

Orlando J Rojas

Anurodh Tripathi

Jacob Donald Goodrich

Aqueous mixtures can include cellulose nanocrystals and sulfonated polyester, where a glass transition temperature (T) of the sulfonated polyester is greater than 25° C. In some instances, exemplary aqueous mixtures also include one or more additives, such as pigment. Exemplary aqueous mixtures can be applied as a film that is typically hydrophobic and resilient against water at room temperature. Upon application of warm water, such as at temperatures of from about 30° C. to about 60° C., the film can be removed with no or limited abrasion and/or with no or little removal oils.

Aqueous mixtures comprising cellulose nanocrystals and sulfonated polyester

Suspensions can include a polar solvent, sulfonated polyester material dispersed in the polar solvent, and cellulose nanofibril material dispersed in the polar solvent. Suspensions disclosed and contemplated herein leverage polyester that can be used to independently control film formation and rheology. In some instances, polyesters used in suspensions disclosed herein can perform the role of two additives: aqueous thickener and film reinforcement.

Suspensions including cellulose nanofibril and polyester

Mechanically strong, biodegradable and reusable aerogels are disclosed, which can be made with a cross-linked cellulose ester, and which exhibit a low density and high porosity. The aerogels disclosed herein may be used as sorbent materials and can be modified with a hydrophobic and/or oleophilic agent.

Cellulose acetate aerogels

Polymeric materials having a plurality of cells formed therein are described. The polymeric materials include a foamed layer comprising a plurality of uniform microcells, nanocells or combinations thereof in a closed cell network, a transition layer positioned adjacent to the foamed layer, and at least one unfoamed outer layer positioned adjacent to the transition layer. The foamed layer may be present in a volume ranging from about 80 to about 99 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material, the transition layer may present in a volume ranging from about 0 to about 10 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material, and the at least one outer layer may be present in a volume ranging from about 0.01 to about 10 percent based on the volume of the polymeric material. Methods of making such polymeric materials are also described, as are apparatus for providing foamed polymeric materials.

Nano-and micro-cellular foamed thin-walled material, and processes and apparatuses for making the same

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation which surrounds a well bore comprises the steps of providing a fracturing fluid, and injecting the fracturing fluid into the well bore at a pressure sufficient to form fractures in the subterranean formation which surrounds the well bore. The pressure is then released from the fracturing fluid, after which the fluid may be removed from the well and the well placed into production. The fracturing fluid comprises an aqueous liquid, a polysaccharide soluble or dispersible in the aqueous liquid in an amount sufficient to increase the viscosity of the aqueous liquid, an enzyme breaker which degrades said polysaccharide at a temperature above 180&#xb0; F. Fracturing fluid compositions and enzyme breaker systems useful for carrying out the invention are also disclosed.

Compositions for fracturing subterranean formations

A method of depolymerizing a polymer comprises contacting a polymer with a fluid comprising carbon dioxide and at least one component, wherein the fluid plasticizes the polymer and facilitates penetration of the component into the polymer to depolymerize the polymer and form oligomeric units, monomeric units, or combinations thereof.

CO2-assisted deploymerization, purification and recycling of step-growth polymers

Methods of carrying out a reactive extrusion processes are described that include combining at least one polymer, oligomer, or combination thereof, a carbon dioxide containing fluid, and at least one reactant in an extruder to form a mixture such that the carbon dioxide containing fluid comes into intimate contact with the at least one polymer, oligomer, or combination thereof and assists in a reaction between the at least one polymer, oligomer, or combination thereof and the at least one reactant, and wherein the at least one polymer, oligomer, or combination thereof is modified upon reaction with the at least one reactant.

Methods of CO2-assisted reactive extrusion

A method of producing a foamed material comprises contacting a mixture comprising a first thermoplastic polymer and a second thermoplastic polymer with a blowing agent, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer has a higher percent crystallinity that the second thermoplastic polymer; and subjecting the mixture to conditions sufficient to create a thermodynamic instability in the blend foam the mixture, wherein the mixture comprising the first and second thermoplastic polymers has a percent crystallinity lower than the first thermoplastic polymer.

Methods of making foamed materials of blended thermoplastic polymers using carbon dioxide

A composite electrolyte comprises an inorganic clay material and a dielectric solution having a dielectric constant ranging from about 50 to about 85. The composite electrolyte has an ion transference number ranging from about 0.80 to about 1.00. An electrode comprises a component selected from the group consisting of an inorganic clay filler, a polymer, and mixtures thereof. Batteries and electrochemical cells comprising the above composite electrolytes and electrodes are also disclosed.

Composite electrolytes based on smectite clays and high dielectric organic liquids and electrodes

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation which surrounds a well bore comprises the steps of providing a fracturing fluid, and injecting the fracturing fluid into the well bore at a pressure sufficient to form fractures in the subterranean formation which surrounds the well bore. The pressure is then released from the fracturing fluid, after which the fluid may be removed from the well and the well placed into production. The fracturing fluid comprises an aqueous liquid, a polysaccharide soluble or dispersible in the aqueous liquid in an amount sufficient to increase the viscosity of the aqueous liquid, an enzyme breaker which degrades said polysaccharide at a temperature above 180&deg; F. Fracturing fluid compositions and enzyme breaker systems useful for carrying out the invention are also disclosed.

A method of producing a foamed material comprises contacting a material with a fluid mixture comprising carbon dioxide and a surfactant, wherein the surfactant facilitates the dissolution of the carbon dioxide into the material and then foam the material in the fluid mixture.

Method of making foamed materials using surfactants and carbon dioxide

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation which surrounds a well bore comprises the steps of providing a fracturing fluid, and injecting the fracturing fluid into the well bore at a pressure sufficient to form fractures in the subterranean formation which surrounds the well bore. The pressure is then released from the fracturing fluid, after which the fluid may be removed from the well and the well placed into production. The fracturing fluid comprises an aqueous liquid, a polysaccharide soluble or dispersible in the aqueous liquid in an amount sufficient to increase the viscosity of the aqueous liquid, an enzyme breaker which degrades the polysaccharide at a temperature above 180&deg; F. Fracturing fluid compositions and enzyme breaker systems useful for carrying out the invention are also disclosed.

A composite electrolyte comprises (a) surface modified fumed silica filler, wherein the surface modified fumed silica comprises polymerizable groups on the surface thereof, the polymerizable groups being bonded to each other such that the surface modified fumed silica filler is crosslinked in a three-dimensional structure; (b) a dissociable lithium salt; and (c) a bulk medium which contains the surface modified fumed silica filler and the dissociable lithium salt. An electrochemical cell comprises an anode, a cathode, and a composite electrolyte dispersed between the anode and cathode.

Composite electrolyte containing surface modified fumed silica

A method of recycling sodium-based salts used for digesting wood in a digester during the manufacture of pulp and paper. The method comprises collecting a black liquor from the digester, concentrating the black liquor, and adding a salt to the black liquor in an amount sufficient to reduce the viscosity thereof. Preferred salts are thiocyanate salts. The black liquor is then oxidized to produce a green liquor and a causticizer added to the green liquor to produce a white liquor containing the sodium-based salts to be recycled. The white liquor is then returned to the digester.

Method of reducing the viscosity of a black liquor using thiocyanate salt

A method of fracturing a subterranean formation which surrounds a well bore comprises the steps of providing a fracturing fluid, and injecting the fracturing fluid into the well bore at a pressure sufficient to form fractures in the subterranean formation which surrounds the well bore. The pressure is then released from the fracturing fluid, after which the fluid may be removed from the well and the well placed into production. The fracturing fluid comprises an aqueous liquid, a polysaccharide soluble or dispersible in the aqueous liquid in an amount sufficient to increase the viscosity of the aqueous liquid, an enzyme breaker which degrades said polysaccharide at a temperature above 180.degree. F. Fracturing fluid compositions and enzyme breaker systems useful for carrying out the invention are also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Saad A Khan