The invention relates to a process for purifying alkanesulfonic acids which comprises the steps of: (a) distilling a melt comprising crude alkanesulfonic acid (1) to completely or partly remove low boilers, wherein the low boilers are drawn off at the top of a distillation column (3) or of a one-stage evaporation apparatus and a material stream (7) comprising alkanesulfonic acid, high boilers and residual low boilers is withdrawn at the bottom of the distillation column (3) or of the one-stage evaporation apparatus, (b) sending the stream (7) comprising alkanesulfonic acid, high boilers and residual low boilers into a melt crystallization (9) as the starting melt to form crystals of the alkanesulfonic acid, of hydrates of the alkanesulfonic acid or of a mixture of both suspended in mother liquor, (c) performing a solid-liquid separation to remove the crystals from the mother liquor, (d) optionally washing the crystals to remove mother liquor adhering to the crystals.

In general the present disclosure relates to Nylon 6/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties that have been prepared primarily by solution compounding. A major challenge in producing the Nylon 6/montmorillonite clay nanocomposites is associated with the exfoliation and dispersion of the clay particles within the polymer matrix. This disclosure presents compositions and methods for obtaining highly or fully exfoliated nylon 6/montmorillonite nanocomposites, not only for organically modified clays with known compatibility with nylon 6 (Cloisite 30B), but also for clays with low/no compatibility with nylon 6 (Cloisite 15A and Na.sup.+-MMT) through solution compounding.

A target bipyridine compound is synthesized with high purity and a high yield in a simple and safe manner in a short period of time. A method for synthesizing a di-tert-butyl-2,2-bipyridine compound is provided, and the method includes a step of reacting, in a reaction solvent, a tert-butylpyridine compound with a dispersion product obtained by dispersing an alkali metal in a dispersion solvent. A method for synthesizing a bipyridine compound having no substituents is also provided, and the method includes a step of reacting, in a reaction solvent, pyridine with a dispersion product obtained by dispersing an alkali metal in a dispersion solvent.

A method for the extraction and isolation of the terpene and isoprenoid compounds from plant material, followed by a centrifugal force induced selective crystallization of isoprenoids resulting in a separation of terpene and isoprenoid fractions. This this method is suitable for the extraction of cannabinoids from Cannabis and the enrichment tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and reduction of tetrahydrocannabinol in an extract. The purity of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid resulting from centrifugal crystallization is such that dissolution and selective recrystallization of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid is possible resulting in >99.9% pure tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, w/w.

A process for dry fractionation of a soft palm oil mid fraction (SPMF) into a final hard palm oil mid fraction (fHPMF-A) is disclosed. The process comprises: providing the solf palm oil mid fraction (SPMF), using the soft palm oil mid fraction (SPMF) as an input (IN1) to a first dry fractionation (FDF) to obtain an intermediate olein fraction (SPMF-O) and an intermediate stearin fraction (SPMF-S), using the intermediate olein fraction (SPMF-O) as an input (IN2) to an ultrasound assisted second dry fractionation (SDF) to obtain the final hard palm oil mid fraction (fHPMF-A) and a palm oil olein fraction (POO), wherein the ultrasound assisted second dry fractionation (SPF) comprises subjecting at least a part of the input (IN2) to ultrasonic treatment (US2). Also disclosed is a final hard palm oil mid fraction (fHPMF-A), a second hard palm oil mid fraction (sHPMF-B), a hard palm oil mid fraction mixture, and uses of these.

A method of activating and dewatering sludge through application of acoustic pressure shock waves to wastewater.

The present invention relates to a preparation method of 4-(4-amino-3-fluorophenoxy)-N-methylpyridine-2-formamide capable of enabling 4-chlorine-N-methylpyridine-2-formamide to react with 4-amino-3-fluorophenol in the presence of an inorganic base. The present invention employs the inorganic base to replace potassium t-butoxide in the prior art, thus effectively solving the problem of a potential safety hazard of the potassium t-butoxide in industrial production. In addition, after the reaction is completed, the present invention employs a crystallization method for separation to obtain a reaction product; thus compared with the methods of extraction, concentration and column isolation and purification employed in the prior art, the present invention has a simpler operation and a lower cost, results in less environment pollution and a higher yield, and is very suitable for industrial production.

A method of treating fluids, including for recovery of water apart from impurities or undesired matter, utilizes application of shock waves to the fluids.

A method for purifying distilled spirits includes cooling a distilled spirit to a temperature at which contaminants in the selected distilled spirit crystallize. The cooled, selected distilled spirit is passed through a first hollow fiber permeable membrane having openings smaller than a size of the crystallized contaminants.

Disclosed embodiments include systems and methods for obtaining desired organic compounds from harvested biomass. Some examples include an extraction vessel and a distillery system, where the extraction vessel is configured to wash harvested biomass with a process solvent to obtain a liquid extract, and where the distillery system is configured to distill the extract to separate the process solvent from the extract and obtain a distillate from the extract. Some embodiments additionally include a speedloader configured to load harvested biomass into the extraction vessel and a discharge gantry configured to remove processed biomass from the extraction vessel. In some embodiments, the extraction vessel, distillery system, speedloader, and discharge gantry are mobile and can be deployed in field at a harvest location.