Methods of stabilizing virgin ion exchange resin material are provided. The methods include cleansing the virgin ion exchange resin material with a preparation comprising a non-ionic detergent. The methods include cleansing the virgin ion exchange resin material with a preparation comprising an alcohol solvent. The methods include rinsing virgin ion exchange resin material with deoxygenated water, the methods include introducing the cleansed/rinsed virgin ion exchange resin material into a gas impermeable vessel and hermetically sealing the vessel. The methods include introducing an oxygen scavenging material into the gas impermeable vessel, and hermetically sealing the vessel. A method of facilitating water treatment in a site in need thereof by providing a cleansed virgin ion exchange resin material in deoxygenated water is also disclosed.

A method for preparation of polyols from an unsaturated TAG oil that involves first epoxidizing the unsaturated TAG oil; then subjecting the epoxidized TAG oil to transesterification using a diol and/or triol in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydroxyalkyl esters of fatty acid epoxides; and finally hydroxylating the transesterification product using a diol and/or triol and a solid acid catalyst to obtain a polyol with relatively high hydroxyl value and low viscosity.

A method for preparation of polyols from an unsaturated TAG oil that involves first epoxidizing the unsaturated TAG oil; then subjecting the epoxidized TAG oil to transesterification using a diol and/or triol in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydroxyalkyl esters of fatty acid epoxides; and finally hydroxylating the transesterification product using a diol and/or triol and a solid acid catalyst to obtain a polyol with relatively high hydroxyl value and low viscosity.

Metal organic resins, composite materials composed of the metal organic resins, and anion exchange columns packed with the composite materials are provided. Also provided are methods of using the composite materials to remove metal anions from a sample, methods of using the metal organic resins as fluorescence sensors for detecting metal anions in a sample, and methods of making the metal organic resins and the composite materials. The metal organic resins are amine-functionalized metal organic frameworks and their associated counter anions. The composite materials are composed of metal organic resin particles coated with organic polymers, such as alginic acid polymers.

The invention relates to a method for producing a sorbent material, comprising firstly providing a porous silica substrate, said substrate comprising a plurality of silanol groups on a surface thereof then reacting said silanol groups with either a silicon compound of formula R.sub.nSi(OR).sub.4-n, where R is an alkyl group and n is 0 or 1, or an aminoalkyl silane of formula R.sub.mR.sub.nSi(OR).sub.4-n-m having at least two hydrolysable groups attached to silicon, where R is an aminoalkyl group, m is 1 or 2 and n is 0 or 1s or a compound of formula M(OR).sub.4, or a mixture of any two or more of the preceding compounds, hydrolyzing the product, men reacting hydroxyl groups formed with one or more reagents, wherein each reagent is independently selected from the group consisting of an aminoalkyl silane having at least two hydrolysable groups attached to the silicon and a compound of formula M(OR).sub.4, and finally hydrolyzing the product, wherein each OR independently is a hydrolysable group and each M independently is Zr, Ti, Hf, Sn, Th, Pb or Ge. There is also described a sorbent material and use of a sorbent material for purifying, separating and concentrating processes.

The invention relates to a method for producing a sorbent material, comprising firstly providing a porous silica substrate, said substrate comprising a plurality of silanol groups on a surface thereof then reacting said silanol groups with either a silicon compound of formula R.sub.nSi(OR).sub.4-n, where R is an alkyl group and n is 0 or 1, or an aminoalkyl silane of formula R.sub.mR.sub.nSi(OR).sub.4-n-m having at least two hydrolysable groups attached to silicon, where R is an aminoalkyl group, m is 1 or 2 and n is 0 or 1s or a compound of formula M(OR).sub.4, or a mixture of any two or more of the preceding compounds, hydrolyzing the product, men reacting hydroxyl groups formed with one or more reagents, wherein each reagent is independently selected from the group consisting of an aminoalkyl silane having at least two hydrolysable groups attached to the silicon and a compound of formula M(OR).sub.4, and finally hydrolyzing the product, wherein each OR independently is a hydrolysable group and each M independently is Zr, Ti, Hf, Sn, Th, Pb or Ge. There is also described a sorbent material and use of a sorbent material for purifying, separating and concentrating processes.

A method for preparation of polyols from an unsaturated TAG oil that involves first epoxidizing the unsaturated TAG oil; then subjecting the epoxidized TAG oil to transesterification using a diol and/or triol in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydroxyalkyl esters of fatty acid epoxides; and finally hydroxylating the transesterification product using a diol and/or triol and a solid acid catalyst to obtain a polyol with relatively high hydroxyl value and low viscosity.

A method for preparation of polyols from an unsaturated TAG oil that involves first epoxidizing the unsaturated TAG oil; then subjecting the epoxidized TAG oil to transesterification using a diol and/or triol in the presence of a catalyst to produce hydroxyalkyl esters of fatty acid epoxides; and finally hydroxylating the transesterification product using a diol and/or triol and a solid acid catalyst to obtain a polyol with relatively high hydroxyl value and low viscosity.

The invention includes compositions comprising curable imidazolium-functionalized poly(room-temperature ionic liquid) copolymers and homopolymers. The invention further includes methods of preparing and using the compositions of the invention. The invention further includes novel methods of preparing thin, supported, room-temperature ionic liquid-containing polymeric films on a porous support. In certain embodiments, the methods of the invention avoid the use of a gutter layer, which greatly reduces the overall gas permeance and selectivity of the composite membrane. In other embodiments, the films of the invention have increased gas selectivity and permeance over films prepared using methods described in the prior art.

The present invention provides a technique which allows stable use of an ion-exchange resin for removing boron impurities over a long period of time in the purification step of a silane compound or a chlorosilane compound. In the present invention, a weakly basic ion-exchange resin used for the purification of a silane compound and a chlorosilane compound is cleaned with a gas containing hydrogen chloride. When this cleaning treatment is used for the initial activation of the weakly basic ion-exchange resin, a higher impurity-adsorbing capacity can be obtained. Further, use of the cleaning treatment for the regeneration of the weakly basic ion-exchange resin allows stable use of the ion-exchange resin for a long time. This allows reduction in the amount of the resin used in a long-term operation and reduction in the cost of used resin disposal.