Appeal No. 1996-3674
Application No. 08/451,826
Beck discloses combining acidic porous crystalline materials with matrix materials, e.g., clays,
silica and/or metal oxides, which are resistant to temperature and other conditions employed in organic
conversion processes (col. 4, lines 36-42). Zeolites are frequently combined
with clays, e.g., bentonite and kaolin, which function, in part, as a binder (col. 4, lines 52-56). Porous
matrix materials, e.g., silica, alumina, zirconia, titania, silica-alumina, silica-magnesia, silica-thoria, silica-
berylia, silica-titania, silica-alumina-zirconia, silica-alumina-magnesia, and silica-magnesia-zircona, can
also be used (col. 5, lines 3-10). Silica is preferred because of its relative inertness for acid-catalyzed
reactions (col. 5, lines 13- 16). The relative proportions of the acidic porous crystalline material and
inorganic oxide matrix material may vary widely, with the acidic porous crystalline material content
ranging from about 1 to about 90 weight %, preferably from about 2 to about 50 weight % of the
composite (col. 5, lines 16-21).
THE CONDENSED CHEMICAL DICTIONARY discloses that the smaller the particle, the
greater the total exposed surface area of a given volume; therefore, since activity is a direct function of
surface area, the smaller a particle is the more efficiently it will react both chemically and physically.
According to the examiner, Bergna “does not teach the amounts of materials as claimed and
calcination temperatures as claimed, the spray drying as claimed, or the use of the specific binders
claimed” (answer, page 3) “the particle sizes claimed” (answer, page 6). However, given that “Abrams
et al. teach that the calcination temperature is an adjustable process parameter” and that “Beck et al.
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