An autoclave reactor having polycrystalline diamond bearings. The autoclave reactor can include a housing for containing at least one reaction material therein, a motor disposed within the housing, an agitator connected to the motor for stirring the at least one material within the housing, the agitator having a shaft connected to the motor at one end thereof, and at least one bearing disposed adjacent to the shaft or adjacent to the connection of the shaft to the motor, the at least one bearing being made of polycrystalline diamond. A process for making low density polyethylene (LDPE) can include introducing ethylene to the autoclave reactor disclosed herein and polymerizing the ethylene within a housing of the reactor to provide the low density polyethylene.

A method of thermal energy recovery from production of at least one solid carbon material comprises reacting at least one carbon oxide material and at least one gaseous reducing material at a temperature of greater than or equal to about 400° C., at a pressure greater than or equal to about 1×10.sup.5 pascal, and in the presence of at least one catalyst material to produce at least one solid carbon material and a gaseous effluent stream comprising water vapor. Thermal energy is extracted from the gaseous effluent stream comprising water vapor. Other methods of generating recoverable thermal energy are disclosed, as is a solid carbon production system having thermal energy recovery.

An instrument system for acid digestion is disclosed. The instrument includes a heating block, a reaction vessel formed of a polymer that is resistant to acid and other chemical attack at temperatures above 150° C. and that has a structure (thickness, etc.) sufficient to withstand pressures above atmospheric, a metal sleeve surrounding the polymeric reaction vessel, and an opening in the block that has a cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the metal sleeve.

A conduit contactor for conducting chemical reactions or chemical extractions between immiscible liquids includes a conduit having a hollow interior, a first open end, and a second open end opposite the first open end; a separator in fluid communication with and proximate the second open end; and a plurality of fibers disposed within the conduit. A total surface area of the fibers per volume of the hollow interior of the conduit is from 100 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 to 490 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3.

A method for synthesizing an alkali metal-based phosphorous compound includes contacting an elemental alkali metal with elemental phosphorous to create a mixture and applying a pressure of less than 20 gigapascals to the mixture for forming the alkali metal-based phosphorous compound.

A method of forming articles from acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, the method comprising: feeding a monomer stream comprising a petrochemical monomer into a reactor; contacting the petrochemical monomer with a polymerization activator within the reactor to produce a polymerized stream comprising rubber, latex, or a combination thereof and withdrawing the polymerized stream from the reactor; passing the polymerized stream through a filter to produce a filtered product stream, wherein the filter is a continuously self-cleaning filter; passing the filtered product stream through a grafting unit comprising acrylonitrile and styrene to produce acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene; and forming an article from the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, wherein the article is an extruded sheet, a molded part, or a combination thereof.

A conduit contactor for conducting chemical reactions or chemical extractions between immiscible liquids includes a conduit having a hollow interior, a first open end, and a second open end opposite the first open end; a separator in fluid communication with and proximate the second open end; and a plurality of fibers disposed within the conduit. A total surface area of the fibers per volume of the hollow interior of the conduit is from 100 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3 to 490 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.3.

A method for synthesizing an alkali metal-based phosphorous compound includes contacting an elemental alkali metal with elemental phosphorous to create a mixture and applying a pressure of less than 20 gigapascals to the mixture for forming the alkali metal-based phosphorous compound.

An instrument system for acid digestion is disclosed. The instrument includes a heating block, a reaction vessel formed of a polymer that is resistant to acid and other chemical attack at temperatures above 150 C. and that has a structure (thickness, etc.) sufficient to withstand pressures above atmospheric, a metal sleeve surrounding the polymeric reaction vessel, and an opening in the block that has a cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the metal sleeve.

Methods for making acrylic acid, acrylic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof by contacting a stream containing hydroxypropionic acid, hydroxypropionic acid derivatives, or mixtures thereof with either an active catalyst containing an amorphous and partially-dehydrated phosphate salt or a precursor catalyst containing a crystalline phosphate salt in a reactor with a low corrosion rate are provided.