Method of separating aqueous solution of phenol-formaldehyde resin from polymerization system

Claim 1

THE METHOD WHICH COMPRISES AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE CONTAINING 1 MOLE OF PHENOL AND FROM .75 TO 3 MOLES OF FORMALDEHYDE IN THE PRESENCE OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE AS CATALYST AND FORMING THEREBY AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A PHENOL-FORMALDEHYDE CONDENSATION PRODUCT, SUBJECTING THE SAID SOLUTION OF A TEMPERATURE ABOVE 30*C. TO THE ACTION OF MATERIAL IN QUANTITY TO FORM A MASS CONSISTING OF TWO LIQUID PHASES OF WHICH THE UPPER PHASE IS AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION MORE CONCENTRATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONDENSATION PRODUCT AT AN EQUILIBRIUM PH IN THE RANGE FROM 5.5 TO 9, SAID MATERIAL BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID, MONOSODIUM PHOSPHATE, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE AND AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF EACH THE MATERIAL SO SELECTED BEING SUCH IN NUMBER, KIND AND QUANTITY AS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY 16 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF ANHYDROUS DISODIUM PHOSPHATE TO 83 PARTS OF TOTAL WATER ENTERING THE TWO-PHASE MASS AS INGREDIENTS THEREFOR, BEING SUCH AS TO PROVIDE THE SAID PH, AND BEING SUCH AS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST .09 MOLE OF NA2O PER MOLE OF PHENOL USED, SEPARATING THE UPPER RESIN-CARRYING PHASE IN ITS LIQUID FORM FROM THE MATERIAL OF THE LOWER PHASE, CHILLING THE UPPER RESIN-CARRYING PHASE TO FORM DISODIUM PHOSPHATE CRYSTALS THEREIN, AND SEPARATING THE RESULTING CHILLED RESIN SOLUTION FROM SAID CRYSTALS.

Claim 2

THE METHOD WHICH COMPRISES AN AQUEOUS MIXTURE CONTAINING 1 MOLE OF PHENOL AND FROM .75 TO 3 MOLES OF FORMALDEHYDE IN THE PRESENCE OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE AS CATALYST AND FORMING THEREBY AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF A PHENOL-FORMALDEHYDE CONDENSATION PRODUCT, SUBJECTING THE SAID SOLUTION OF A TEMPERATURE ABOVE 30*C. TO THE ACTION OF MATERIAL IN QUANTITY TO FORM A MASS CONSISTING OF TWO LIQUID PHASES OF WHICH THE UPPER PHASE IS AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION MORE CONCENTRATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONDENSATION PRODUCT AT AN EQUILIBRIUM PH IN THE RANGE FROM 5.5 TO 9, SAID MATERIAL BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ORTHOPHOSPHORIC ACID, MONOSODIUM PHOSPHATE, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE AND AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF EACH THE MATERIAL SO SELECTED BEING SUCH IN NUMBER, KIND AND QUANTITY AS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST APPROXIMATELY 16 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF ANHYDROUS DISODIUM PHOSPHATE TO 83 PARTS OF TOTAL WATER ENTERING THE TWO-PHASE MASS AS INGREDIENTS THEREFOR, BEING SUCH AS TO PROVIDE THE SAID PH, AND BEING SUCH AS TO PROVIDE AT LEAST .09 MOLE OF NA2O PER MOLE OF PHENOL USED, SEPARATING THE UPPER RESIN-CARRYING PHASE IN ITS LIQUID FORM FROM THE MATERIAL OF THE LOWER PHASE, CHILLING THE UPPER RESIN-CARRYING PHASE TO FORM DISODIUM PHOSPHATE CRYSTALS THEREIN, AND SEPARATING THE RESULTING CHILLED RESIN SOLUTION FROM SAID CRYSTALS.