The invention relates to biosourced vinylidene difluoride. The invention also relates to methods for preparation of biosourced vinylidene difluoride from various renewable raw materials. The invention also relates to homopolymers of vinylidene difluoride obtained from polymerization of said monomer, and also copolymers obtained by copolymerization of said monomer with one or several compatible comonomers. Finally, the invention relates to the use of said homopolymers or copolymers in applications, such as chemical engineering or electronics, in particular mass-market electronic devices.

The invention relates to biosourced vinylidene difluoride. The invention also relates to methods for preparation of biosourced vinylidene difluoride from various renewable raw materials. The invention also relates to homopolymers of vinylidene difluoride obtained from polymerization of said monomer, and also copolymers obtained by copolymerization of said monomer with one or several compatible comonomers. Finally, the invention relates to the use of said homopolymers or copolymers in applications, such as chemical engineering or electronics, in particular mass-market electronic devices.

Method of concentrating aqueous alkali and apparatus suitable for this purpose. A very energy-saving method of concentrating aqueous alkali originating, for example, from a chloralkali electrolysis plant and an apparatus suitable for this purpose are described. The method/the apparatus utilizes heat of reaction from the formation of 1,2-dichloroethane and includes multistage concentration of the aqueous alkali, where at least part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from the plant for preparing 1,2-dichloroethane and at least a further part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from at least one of the higher stages of the plant for concentrating the aqueous alkali and is used for partial heating of the first stage. The apparatus can be used for retrofitting existing integrated plants made up of a DCE plant and chloralkali electrolysis or in the erection of new plants.

Method of concentrating aqueous alkali and apparatus suitable for this purpose. A very energy-saving method of concentrating aqueous alkali originating, for example, from a chloralkali electrolysis plant and an apparatus suitable for this purpose are described. The method/the apparatus utilizes heat of reaction from the formation of 1,2-dichloroethane and includes multistage concentration of the aqueous alkali, where at least part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from the plant for preparing 1,2-dichloroethane and at least a further part of the heat required for concentrating the aqueous alkali originates from at least one of the higher stages of the plant for concentrating the aqueous alkali and is used for partial heating of the first stage. The apparatus can be used for retrofitting existing integrated plants made up of a DCE plant and chloralkali electrolysis or in the erection of new plants.

There are provided methods and systems for an electrochemical cell including an anode and a cathode where the anode is contacted with a metal ion that converts the metal ion from a lower oxidation state to a higher oxidation state. The metal ion in the higher oxidation state is reacted with an unsaturated hydrocarbon and/or a saturated hydrocarbon to form products. Separation and/or purification of the products as well as of the metal ions in the lower oxidation state and the higher oxidation state, is provided herein.

There are provided methods and systems for an electrochemical cell including an anode and a cathode where the anode is contacted with a metal ion that converts the metal ion from a lower oxidation state to a higher oxidation state. The metal ion in the higher oxidation state is reacted with an unsaturated hydrocarbon and/or a saturated hydrocarbon to form products. Separation and/or purification of the products as well as of the metal ions in the lower oxidation state and the higher oxidation state, is provided herein.

An alumina support for a catalyst for a gas-phase reaction that increases the catalytic activity and allows a reduction in by-product yield, and a catalyst for a gas-phase reaction that is a metal compound supported on the alumina support are provided. The alumina support for a catalyst for a gas-phase reaction has a tubular shape with at least one hollow through hole and a BET specific surface area of 140 to 280 m.sup.2/g. In this alumina support, a volume (total pore volume) of pores with a diameter of not less than 15 nm and not more than 20000 nm is 0.04 to 0.15 cm.sup.3/g, and a volume of pores with a diameter of not less than 1000 nm and not more than 20000 nm is 0.02 cm.sup.3/g or less, as measured by the mercury intrusion technique, and a tapped bulk density is 620 to 780 g/L.

An alumina support for a catalyst for a gas-phase reaction that increases the catalytic activity and allows a reduction in by-product yield, and a catalyst for a gas-phase reaction that is a metal compound supported on the alumina support are provided. The alumina support for a catalyst for a gas-phase reaction has a tubular shape with at least one hollow through hole and a BET specific surface area of 140 to 280 m.sup.2/g. In this alumina support, a volume (total pore volume) of pores with a diameter of not less than 15 nm and not more than 20000 nm is 0.04 to 0.15 cm.sup.3/g, and a volume of pores with a diameter of not less than 1000 nm and not more than 20000 nm is 0.02 cm.sup.3/g or less, as measured by the mercury intrusion technique, and a tapped bulk density is 620 to 780 g/L.

This invention relates to a catalyst containing from about 2 up to about 8% by wt. of copper, zero up to about 0.6 moles/kg of one or more alkali metal(s), from about 0.08 up about 0.85 moles/kg of one or more alkaline earth metals and from about 0.09 up to about 0.9 moles/kg of one or more transition metals selected from the group consisting of Mn, Re and mixtures thereof, where all the metals are impregnated in form of their chlorides or other water soluble salts on a fluidizable support with a BET surface area of from about 80 up to about 220 m.sup.2/g. A process for the oxychlorination of ethylene to form 1,2-dichloroethane using such a catalyst having good activity, good selectivity and low tendency to stickiness in fluidized bed oxychlorination reactions.

This invention relates to a catalyst containing from about 2 up to about 8% by wt. of copper, zero up to about 0.6 moles/kg of one or more alkali metal(s), from about 0.08 up about 0.85 moles/kg of one or more alkaline earth metals and from about 0.09 up to about 0.9 moles/kg of one or more transition metals selected from the group consisting of Mn, Re and mixtures thereof, where all the metals are impregnated in form of their chlorides or other water soluble salts on a fluidizable support with a BET surface area of from about 80 up to about 220 m.sup.2/g. A process for the oxychlorination of ethylene to form 1,2-dichloroethane using such a catalyst having good activity, good selectivity and low tendency to stickiness in fluidized bed oxychlorination reactions.