C
SECTION C — CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
 C

Note(s)

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

The following notes are meant to assist in the use of this part of the classification scheme; they must not be read as modifying in any way the elaborations.

  1. Section C covers:
    1. pure chemistry, which covers inorganic compounds, organic compounds, macromolecular compounds, and their methods of preparation;
    2. 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;
    3. 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;
    4. 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;
    5. metallurgy, ferrous or non-ferrous alloys.
    1. 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.
    2. 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 of it; 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 C03 and not by class F27.
    3. There are, however, some exceptions in which the mechanical (or non-chemical) aspect carries with it the chemical aspect, for example:
    4. 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:
    5. 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 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.

  
CHEMISTRY
 C08
ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON (manufacture or treatment of artificial threads, fibres, bristles or ribbons D01)
 C08

Note(s)

Inventions relating to processes using enzymes or micro-organisms in order to:

  1. liberate, separate or purify a pre-existing compound or composition, or to
  2. treat textiles or clean solid surfaces of materials are
further classified in subclass C12S[5]

 C08B
POLYSACCHARIDES; DERIVATIVES THEREOF (polysaccharides containing less than six saccharide radicals attached to each other by glycosidic linkages C07H; fermentation or enzyme-using processes C12P 19/00; sugar industry C13; production of cellulose D21)  [4]

 C08C
TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS
 C08C

Note(s)

This subclass covers:


 C08F
MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS  [2]
 C08F

Note(s)

  1. In this subclass, boron or silicon are considered as metals. [2]
  2. In this subclass, the following expression is used with the meaning indicated:
  3. In this subclass, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, a catalyst or a polymer is classified in the last appropriate place. [2]
  4. In this subclass:
    1. inventions dealing with macromolecular compounds or their preparation are classified in the groups for the type of compound prepared. General processes for the preparation of macromolecular compounds according to more than one main group are classified in the groups for the processes employed (C08F 2/00-C08F 8/00). Processes for the preparation of macromolecular compounds are also classified in the groups for the types of reactions employed, if of interest; [2]
    2. inventions relating to both homopolymers and copolymers are classified in groups C08F 10/00-C08F 38/00[2]
    3. inventions limited to homopolymers are classified only in groups C08F 110/00-C08F 138/00[2]
    4. inventions limited to copolymers are classified only in groups C08F 210/00-C08F 246/00[2]
    5. in groups C08F 210/00-C08F 238/00, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, a copolymer is classified according to the major monomeric component. [2]
  5. In groups C08F 210/00-C08F 297/00, it is desirable to add the indexing codes relating to additional monomeric components, in cases where no specific subgroups defined by the said monomeric components are present. The indexing codes, which are chosen from groups C08F 210/00-C08F 238/00, have the same numbers as the classification symbols, but a colon is used instead of the oblique stroke, and should be linked. [2]

 C08G
MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED OTHERWISE THAN BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS  [2]
 C08G

Note(s)

  1. In this subclass, group C08G 18/00 takes precedence over the other groups. A further classification is given if the polymers are obtained by reactions forming specific linkages for which an appropriate group is provided. [2]
  2. Within each main group of this subclass, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, an invention is classified in the last appropriate place. [2]
  3. In groups C08G 61/00-C08G 79/00, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming two different linkages in the main chain are classified only according to the linkage present in excess. [2]

 C08H
DERIVATIVES OF NATURAL MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (polysaccharides C08B; natural rubber C08C)

 C08J
WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G (mechanical aspects B29; layered products, manufacture thereof B32B; treatment of macromolecular material specially adapted to enhance its filling properties in mortars, concrete, artificial stone or the like C04B 16/04, C04B 18/20, C04B 20/00; treatment of textiles D06)  [2]
 C08J

Note(s)

  1. This subclass covers processes, not covered by subclasses C08B-C08H, for treating polymers. [4]
  2. In this subclass, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, an invention is classified in the last appropriate place. [2]
  3. In this subclass, it is desirable to add the indexing codes of subclass C08L. The indexing codes should be unlinked[5]

 C08K
USE OF INORGANIC OR NON-MACROMOLECULAR ORGANIC SUBSTANCES AS COMPOUNDING INGREDIENTS (pesticides, herbicides A01N; pharmaceuticals, cosmetics A61K; explosives C06B; paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09; lubricants C10M; detergents C11D; artificial filaments or fibres per se D01F; textile treating compositions D06)  [2]
 C08K

Note(s)

  1. In this subclass, in the absence of an indication to the contrary, an ingredient is classified in the last appropriate place. [2]
  2. In this subclass:
  3. In this subclass, it is desirable to add the indexing codes relating to the essential ingredients of a mixture. The indexing codes, which are chosen from the groups of this subclass, have the same numbers as the classification symbols, but a colon is used instead of the oblique stroke, and should be linked. [2]

 C08L
COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (pesticides, herbicides A01N; pharmaceuticals, cosmetics A61K; explosives C06B; paints, inks, varnishes, dyes, polishes, adhesives C09; lubricants C10M; detergents C11D; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)  [2]
 C08L

Note(s)

  1. In this subclass, the following term is used with the meaning indicated:
    • "rubber" includes:
      1. natural or conjugated diene rubbers;
      2. rubber in general (for a specific rubber, other than a natural rubber or a conjugated diene rubber, see the group provided for compositions of such macromolecular compounds). [2]
  2. In this subclass:
    1. compositions are classified according to the mutual proportions by weight of only the macromolecular constituents; [2]
    2. compositions are classified according to the macromolecular constituent or constituents present in the highest proportion; if all these constituents are present in equal proportions the composition is classified according to each of these constituents. [2]
  3. In this subclass, it is desirable to add the indexing codes relating to additional macromolecular constituents of the composition. The indexing codes, which are chosen from the groups of this subclass, have the same numbers as the classification symbols, but a colon is used instead of the oblique stroke, and should be linked. [2]
  4. This subclass constitutes an indexing scheme associated with subclass C08J, relating to the materials used. The indexing codes should be unlinked[5]