A method of making a proppant-gel matrix comprising: a) hydrating a gelling agent to form a hydrated gelling agent; b) adding a basic compound to the hydrated gelling agent to form a basic hydrated gelling agent having a pH in the range of 11.5 to 14.0; c) mixing the basic hydrated gelling agent and a proppant to form a basic hydrated gelling system; and d) adding a crosslinking agent to the basic hydrated gelling system to form the proppant-gel matrix, is disclosed. The proppant-gel matrix can then be used as a fracturing fluid in a hydraulic fracturing process.

The hydroxyethyl cellulose derived from biomass is made by preparing a biomass by extracting resins and waxes, acid leaching, and alkali treatment to obtain a cellulose-rich residue, and then bleaching the cellulose-rich residue, followed by hydroxyethylation of the cellulose to obtain hydroxyethyl cellulose. The use of hydroxyethyl cellulose in brine treatment include reacting concentrated brine and hydroxyethyl cellulose with an effluent gas stream to capture CO.sub.2 and reduce salinity of the concentrated brine. The reduced salinity brine may then be useful for enhanced oil recovery methods.

The hydroxyethyl cellulose derived from biomass is made by preparing a biomass by extracting resins and waxes, acid leaching, and alkali treatment to obtain a cellulose-rich residue, and then bleaching the cellulose-rich residue, followed by hydroxyethylation of the cellulose to obtain hydroxyethyl cellulose. The use of hydroxyethyl cellulose in brine treatment include reacting concentrated brine and hydroxyethyl cellulose with an effluent gas stream to capture CO.sub.2 and reduce salinity of the concentrated brine. The reduced salinity brine may then be useful for enhanced oil recovery methods.

Provided is a method of stably producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder having a high bulk density at low cost by adding a minimum amount of water. More specifically provided is a method for producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder, comprising the steps of: reacting alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a reaction product; washing and draining the reaction product to obtain a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; mixing the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether with such an amount of water of 70° C. or higher as to make a water content of the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether become 55 to 90% by weight to obtain a water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether having a water content of 55 to 90% by weight; cooling the water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; and drying and pulverizing the cooled water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether.

Provided is a method of stably producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder having a high bulk density at low cost by adding a minimum amount of water. More specifically provided is a method for producing a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether powder, comprising the steps of: reacting alkali cellulose with an etherifying agent to obtain a reaction product; washing and draining the reaction product to obtain a water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; mixing the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether with such an amount of water of 70° C. or higher as to make a water content of the water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether become 55 to 90% by weight to obtain a water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether having a water content of 55 to 90% by weight; cooling the water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether; and drying and pulverizing the cooled water-containing water-soluble nonionic cellulose ether.

Forming multifunctional materials and composites thereof includes contacting a first material having a plurality of oxygen-containing functional groups with a chalcogenide compound, and initiating a chemical reaction between the first material and the chalcogenide compound, thereby replacing oxygen in some of the oxygen-containing functional groups with chalcogen from the chalcogen-containing compound to yield a second material having chalcogen-containing functional groups and oxygen-containing functional groups. The first material is a carbonaceous material or a macromolecular material. A product including the second material is collected and may be processed further to yield a modified product or a composite.

Forming multifunctional materials and composites thereof includes contacting a first material having a plurality of oxygen-containing functional groups with a chalcogenide compound, and initiating a chemical reaction between the first material and the chalcogenide compound, thereby replacing oxygen in some of the oxygen-containing functional groups with chalcogen from the chalcogen-containing compound to yield a second material having chalcogen-containing functional groups and oxygen-containing functional groups. The first material is a carbonaceous material or a macromolecular material. A product including the second material is collected and may be processed further to yield a modified product or a composite.

An all-solid-state secondary battery includes a positive electrode active substance layer; a negative electrode active substance layer; and an inorganic solid electrolyte layer, in which at least one of the positive electrode active substance layer, the negative electrode active substance layer, or the inorganic solid electrolyte layer contains an inorganic solid electrolyte having conductivity of ions of metal belonging to Group 1 or 2 of the periodic table and a cellulose polymer.

An all-solid-state secondary battery includes a positive electrode active substance layer; a negative electrode active substance layer; and an inorganic solid electrolyte layer, in which at least one of the positive electrode active substance layer, the negative electrode active substance layer, or the inorganic solid electrolyte layer contains an inorganic solid electrolyte having conductivity of ions of metal belonging to Group 1 or 2 of the periodic table and a cellulose polymer.

A sustained release composition for oral administration comprises a physiologically active ingredient mixed with a methylcellulose, wherein

the methylcellulose has anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages and wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that the s23/s26 is 0.27 or less,
the composition further comprising a liquid diluent in a weight ratio of liquid diluent to active ingredient in the range of 0:1 to 0.85:1.