In section C, the definitions of groups of chemical elements are as follows:
Alkali metals: Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Fr
Alkaline earth metals: Ca, Sr, Ba, Ra
Lanthanides: elements with atomic numbers 57 to 71 inclusive
Rare earths: Sc, Y, Lanthanides
Actinides: elements with atomic numbers 89 to 103 inclusive
Refractory metals: Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W
Halogens: F, Cl, Br, I, At
Noble gases: He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, Rn
Platinum group: Os, Ir, Pt, Ru, Rh, Pd
Noble metals: Ag, Au, Platinum group
Light metals: alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, Be, Al, Mg
Heavy metals: metals other than light metals
Iron group: Fe, Co, Ni
Non-metals: H, B, C, Si, N, P, O, S, Se, Te, noble gases, halogens
Metals: elements other than non-metals
Transition elements: elements with atomic numbers 21 to 30 inclusive, 39 to 48 inclusive, 57 to 80 inclusive, 89 upwards
Section C covers :
pure chemistry, which covers inorganic compounds, organic compounds, macromolecular compounds, and their methods of preparation;
applied chemistry, which covers compositions containing the above compounds, such as: glass, ceramics, fertilisers, plastics compositions, paints, products of the petroleum industry. It also covers certain compositions on account of their having particular properties rendering them suitable for certain purposes, as in the case of explosives, dyestuffs, adhesives, lubricants, and detergents;
certain marginal industries, such as the manufacture of coke and of solid or gaseous fuels, the production and refining of oils, fats and waxes, the fermentation industry (e.g., brewing and wine-making), the sugar industry;
certain operations or treatments, which are either purely mechanical, e.g., the mechanical treatment of leather and skins, or partly mechanical, e.g., the treatment of water or the prevention of corrosion in general;
metallurgy, ferrous or non-ferrous alloys.
In all sections of the IPC, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, the Periodic System of chemical elements referred to is the one with 8 groups as represented in the table below. For example, group Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...C07F 3/00 "Compounds containing elements of the 2nd Group of the Periodic System" refers to the elements of columns IIa and IIb. [2009.01]
In the case of operations, treatments, products or articles having both a chemical and a non-chemical part or aspect, the general rule is that the chemical part or aspect is covered by section C.
In some of these cases, the chemical part or aspect brings with it a non-chemical one, even though purely mechanical, because this latter aspect either is essential to the operation or treatment or constitutes an important element thereof. It has seemed, in fact, more logical not to dissociate the different parts or aspects of a coherent whole. This is the case for applied chemistry and for the industries, operations and treatments mentioned in Notes (1)(c), (d) and (e). For example, furnaces peculiar to the manufacture of glass are covered by class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...C03 and not by class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...F27.
There are, however, some exceptions in which the mechanical (or non-chemical) aspect carries with it the chemical aspect, for example:
Photographic materials and processes, in class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...G03, and, generally, the chemical treatment of textiles and the production of cellulose or paper, in section D.
In still other cases, the pure chemical aspect is covered by section C and the applied chemical aspect by another section, such as A, B or F, e.g., the use of a substance or composition for:
When the chemical and mechanical aspects are so closely interlocked that a neat and simple division is not possible, or when certain mechanical processes follow as a natural or logical continuation of a chemical treatment, section C may cover, in addition to the chemical aspect, a part only of the mechanical aspect, e.g., after-treatment of artificial stone, covered by class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...C04. In this latter case, a note or a reference is usually given to make the position clear, even if sometimes the division is rather arbitrary.
ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON (manufacture or treatment of artificial threads, fibres, bristles or ribbons Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...D01)
C08
Note(s)
Biocidal, pest repellant, pest attractant or plant growth regulatory activity of compounds or preparations is further classified in subclass Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...A01P. [8]
Processes using enzymes or micro-organisms in order to:
liberate, separate or purify a pre-existing compound or composition, or to
treat textiles or clean solid surfaces of materials
In this subclass, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, classification is made in the last appropriate place. [2]
When classifying in this subclass, additional classification may be made in class Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...C08L relating to the materials used. [8]
P:40
C08J 3/00
Processes of treating or compounding macromolecular substances [2]
C08J 3/02
·
Making solutions, dispersions, lattices or gels by other methods than by solution, emulsion or suspension polymerisation techniques [2]
with compositions not containing macromolecular substances [2]
C08J 7/12
·
Chemical modification [2]
C08J 7/14
· ·
with acids, their salts or anhydrides [2]
C08J 7/16
· ·
with polymerisable compounds [2]
C08J 7/18
· · ·
using wave energy or particle radiation [2]
P:10
C08J 9/00
Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof (mechanical aspects of shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state for the production of porous or cellular articles Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...B29C) [2]
C08J 9/02
·
using blowing gases generated by the reacting monomers or modifying agents during the preparation or modification of macromolecules [2]
C08J 9/04
·
using blowing gases generated by a previously added blowing agent [2]
by elimination of a solid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. leaching out [2]
C08J 9/28
·
by elimination of a liquid phase from a macromolecular composition or article, e.g. drying of coagulum [2]
C08J 9/30
·
by mixing gases into liquid compositions or plastisols, e.g. frothing with air [2]
C08J 9/32
·
from compositions containing micro-balloons, e.g. syntactic foams [2]
C08J 9/33
·
Agglomerating foam fragments, e.g. waste foam [5]
C08J 9/34
·
Chemical features in the manufacture of articles consisting of a foamed macromolecular core and a macromolecular surface layer having a higher density than the core [2]
C08J 9/35
·
Composite foams, i.e. continuous macromolecular foams containing discontinuous cellular particles or fragments [5]
of solvents, plasticisers or unreacted monomers [4]
C08J 11/04
·
of polymers [2]
C08J 11/06
· ·
without chemical reactions [4]
C08J 11/08
· · ·
using selective solvents for polymer components [4]
C08J 11/10
· ·
by chemically breaking down the molecular chains of polymers or breaking of crosslinks, e.g. devulcanisation (depolymerisation to the original monomer Fulltext... Hierarchy... Expanded...C07) [4]