The Dow Chemical Company

Walter L Vaughn

Thomas J McKeand, Jr

Robert T Patton

Milton S Wing

David A Wilson

Jaime Simon

R Keith Frank

David M Hall

Malcolm F Finlayson

James A Allen

Steven H Christiansen

John J Gathers

Marinda L Wu

Harry S Burney

Stephen M Oliver

Kenneth E Springs

Teresa Littleton

Robert D Spradling

Rafael E Guerra

Robert J Michalowski

Thomas J McKeand, Jr,

Brian H Schumann

Robert R Frable

Fibrous product is externally sized by applying to the material a basic aqueous dispersion of an interpolymer of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid comonomer. The preferred dispersions which have lower initial viscosities provide dispersion/starch dilute solutions with higher viscosities and improved external sizing effectiveness. Resulting fibrous products are adequately sized and exhibit excellent printability and strength properties.

Method for externally sizing fibrous materials

The invention is an improvement in a process for making cellulosic articles said process involving a separation of cellulosic material from a mixture containing a liquid, metal cations, and cellulosic material. The improvement involves adding to the mixture at least one retaining material which binds at least one metal cation and, in the separation, is retained with the cellulosic material. Suitable retaining agents are either organic or inorganic and include chelate-forming polymers, both synthetic and natural, colloidal suspensions of inorganic compounds, and mixed metal hydroxides. In each case, the metal cations remain in the cellulosic article, e.g. paper, rather going into waste water from which they would otherwise need to be removed.

Process for removing metal ions from liquids

Novel microporous fibers and filaments are prepared from normally solid, thermoplastic, orientable, organic polymers which have reactive or reactable groups pendent from the polymer chain, employing a process which involves reactions of said pendent groups while the polymer is in an oriented condition. One of the preferred polymers is a copolymer of ethylene/acrylic acid.

Porous polymer fiber filters

Novel ionomers of normally solid, thermo-plastic, orientable, copolymers of ethylene and at least one alpha,beta-ethylenically-unsaturated carboxylic acid having a relatively high content of the carboxylic acid are prepared under conditions whereby the copolymers are essentially solubilized in a strong base and contacted with at least one compound which contains ionomer-forming cations. One of the preferred polymers is an ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer. The so-formed ionomers are useful as materials for constructing various items and articles.

Ionomers of ethylene/carboxylic acid copolymers

Novel filters are prepared, and filtrations are performed, using porous fibers and filaments which are comprised of normally solid, thermoplastic, orientable, organic polymers which have reactive or reactable groups pendent from the polymer chain, said polymers being made using a process which involves reactions of said pendent groups while the polymer is in an oriented condition. One of the preferred polymers is a copolymer of ethylene/acrylic acid. Ionomers of the polymers can be used.

Filters employing particulate porous polymers

Natural or synthetic fibers (or fabrics, knits, papers, or webs made of such fibers) are improved in at least abrasion resistance, dye receptivity and/or other properties by bringing together on said fibers (or product made thereof) a liquid dispersion of a dispersible normally-solid polymer having pendent acid groups, such as carboxylic groups, and a reagent which reacts with the carboxylic group to render the polymer non-dispersible. The reagent may be one which supplies metal cations having a valence of at least 2 or it may be a primary amine, secondary amine or tertiary amine, or salts of the amine, a polyamine or salt thereof, or a quaternary ammonium salt. The reagent may precede the polymer onto the substrate, or may follow the application of the polymer onto the substrate.

Polymer salt complex for fiber or fabric treatment

A biocidal foam product comprising a foam having incorporated therein a water insoluble thermoplastic copolymer consisting of an alpha olefin and an alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, said copolymer having at least one biocidal agent ionically bonded to said copolymer.

Biocidal foams

A water insoluble material useful for making biocidal barriers and biocidal filter for use in fluid systems, said material comprising a water insoluble thermoplastic copolymer consisting of an alpha olefin and an alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, said copolymer having at least one biocidal agent ionically bonded to said copolymer.

Biocidal fluid filters

A biocidal foam product comprising a foam having incorporated therein a water insoluble thermoplastic copolymer consisting of an alpha olefin and an alpha, beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid, said copolymer having at least one cationic biocidal agent ionically bonded to said copolymer.

The invention relates to improved gas separation membranes fabricated from a polymer containing a hydrocarbon backbone and pendant metal ionomer groups wherein the pendant metal ionomer groups contain cations of alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, or transition metals bound to pendant --CO.sub.2.sup.-. The metal modified membranes result in improved gas selectivities with comparable or improved permeabilities over the unmodified membranes. The membranes may be used to separate gas mixtures such as carbon dioxide and methane or oxygen and nitrogen.

Metal ionomer membranes for gas separation

Novel porous fibers and filaments are prepared from normally solid, thermoplastic, orientable, organic polymers which have reactive or reactable groups pendent from the polymer chain, employing a process which involves reactions of said pendent groups while the polymer is in an oriented condition. One of the preferred polymers is a copolymer of ethylene/acrylic acid.

Process for producing porous fibers from orientable olefin polymers

Hardness values (Ca.sup.++ and Mg.sup.++) and other polyvalent metal cations are removed from alkali metal brines (esp. NaCl) by using a high surface area ethylene/carboxylic acid polymer (esp. porous ethylene/acrylic acid copolymers).

Brine treatment using ethylene carboxylic acid polymers

Particles, fibers, or filaments of ethylene/carboxylic acid copolymers or terpolymers, especially in highly porous or microporous form, are employed in removing contaminants from solution in aqueous and/or organic liquids, especially metal contaminants. The porous polymers, having a surface area/weight ratio of at least about 0.5 m.sup.2 /gm, are useful alone, but may also be used in conjunction with, or in tandem with, previously known ion exchange resins such as polyacrylic acid crosslinked with divinylbenzene.

Removal of metals from solutions

Novel polymers are prepared from monomers comprising the reaction product of a vinyl functional monoahl (e.g., hydroxypropyl acrylate) with a halohydroxyalkyl quaternary ammonium compound (e.g., 2-hydroxy-3-chloropropyl ammonium chloride) or a glycidyl trialkyl ammonium compound. The polymers exhibit a very high affinity for water.

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Lake Jackson, TX, United States of America

Walter L Vaughn