Abstract: Sewage sludge is subjected to a treatment with an acid in order to form stable ammonium compounds before thermal drying of the sludge which would otherwise volatilize ammonia and diminish the nitrogen content of the sludge.

Abstract: An acoustic foam composition comprising (a) about 1 equivalent of a polybutadiene based polyol (b) about 2.5 to 7.5 equivalents of a diisocyante (c) or low molecular weight diol which gives a balanced stoichiometry and (d) about 1.5 to 6% by weight based on the total weight of the composition of hollow polymeric microspheres. The composition may be prepared by a one-step system or a prepolymer system. The foam compositions of the present invention has excellent acoustic properties.

Abstract: A self-supporting, gas-permeable air electrode tube (16) is made having a sintered structure of calcium-doped LaMnO.sub.3, a density of from 60% to 85% of theoretical density, and a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion of from 10.2.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C. to 10.8.times.10.sup.-6 /.degree.C., where one end is open and the other end is sealed with a plug (30).

Abstract: An electrochemical cell is made having a porous cermet electrode (16) and a porous lanthanum manganite electrode (14), with solid oxide electrolyte (15) between them, where the lanthanum manganite surface next to the electrolyte contains a thin discontinuous layer of high surface area cerium oxide and/or praseodymium oxide, preferably as discrete particles (30) in contact with the air electrode and electrolyte.

Abstract: An electrochemical device, containing a solid oxide electrolyte material and an electrically conductive composite layer, has the composite layer attached by: (A) applying a layer of LaCrO.sub.3, YCrO.sub.3 or LaMnO.sub.3 particles (32), on a portion of a porous ceramic substrate (30), (B) heating to sinter bond the particles to the substrate, (C) depositing a dense filler structure (34) between the doped particles (32), (D) shaving off the top of the particles, and (E) applying an electronically conductive layer over the particles (32) as a contact.

Abstract: A method to form an electrochemical cell (12) is characterized by the steps of thermal spraying stabilized zirconia over a doped lanthanum manganite air electrode tube (14) to provide an electrolyte layer (15), coating conductive particles over the electrolyte, pressurizing the outside of the electrolyte layer, feeding halide vapors of yttrium and zirconium to the outside of the electrolyte layer and feeding a source of oxygen to the inside of the electrolyte layer, heating to cause oxygen reaction with the halide vapors to close electrolyte pores if there are any and to form a metal oxide coating on and between the particles and provide a fuel electrode (16).

Abstract: This is a method for making an ohmic connection between a semiconductor and oxide superconductor, the connection being such that current can pass between the semiconductor and the superconductor without going through a degraded portion which is greater than the coherence length of the superconductor. The method can comprise depositing a buffer layer (which is essentially inert to the oxide superconductor) on a first portion of a semiconductor substrate, and depositing oxide superconductor on the barrier layer, and depositing a superconductor contact layer (e.g. of gold or silver) on the oxide superconductor, and depositing a semiconductor contact layer on a second portion of the semiconductor substrate (the semiconductor contact layer being, for example, of aluminum, or a refractory metal silicide); and depositing a layr (e.g.

Abstract: A fuel cell generator configuration (10) contains a plurality of axially elongated fuel cells (40) containing an outer and inner electrode with solid oxide electrolyte between the electrodes, where dividers separate portions of the fuel cells from each other, where at least one of the dividers (62) is hollow, having a closed end (63) and an entrance (64) for reformable feed fuel mixture and at least one channel (66) within the divider to allow reformable feed fuel mixture to pass to the closed end of the divider and then reverse flow and pass back, to finally pass as reformed fuel to contact the fuel cells (40), and where the divider cross-section contains a catalytic reforming material.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell containing an air electrode (16), contacting electrolyte and electronically conductive interconnection layer (26), and a fuel electrode, has the interconnection layer (26) attached by: (A) applying a thin, closely packed, discrete layer of LaCrO.sub.3 particles (30), doped with an element selected from the group consisting of Ca, Sr, Co, Ba, Mg and their mixtures on a portion of the air electrode, and then (B) electrochemical vapor depositing a dense skeletal structure (32) between and around the doped LaCrO.sub.3 particles (30).

Abstract: A method of making a composite having superconducting capability is characterized by the steps: (1) forming a mixture of particulate yttrium or rare earth, that is alloyable with Ba and Cu, with particulate Ba, Cu, and Ag, where Ag additive is present in an amount of from 2 weight % to 30 weight % of the mixture, where the Ag additive has a particle size from 0.01 micrometer to 5 micrometers, (2) melting the mixture, (3) forming on a support surface a 10% to 30% porous ribbon of alloy having an interior Ag network, (4) removing the ribbon, (5) placing the ribbon alloy on top of a metal sheet, (6) placing a metal sheet on top of the ribbon alloy, (7) sealing the ribbon alloy within the metal sheets to form a composite, (8) uni-directional rolling the composite to reduce its cross-section, and (9) annealing the composite at from 100.degree. C. to 900.degree. C.

Abstract: An electrode is deposited on a support by providing a porous ceramic support tube (10) having an open end (14) and closed end (16); masking at least one circumferential interior band (18 and 18') inside the tube; evacuating air from the tube by an evacuation system (30), to provide a permeability gradient between the masked part (18 and 18') and unmasked part (20) of the tube; applying a liquid dispersion of solid electrode particles to the outside surface of the support tube, where liquid flows through the wall, forming a uniform coating (42) over the unmasked support part (20) and a tapered coating over the masked part (18 and 18').

Abstract: An electrochemical apparatus (10) is made having a generator section (22) containing electrochemical cells (16), a fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet (28), a gaseous feed oxidant inlet (30), and at least one hot gaseous spent fuel recirculation channel (46), where the spent fuel recirculation channel (46), passes from the generator chamber (22) to combine with the fresh feed fuel inlet (28) to form a reformable mixture, where a reforming chamber (54) contains an outer portion containing reforming material (56), an inner portion preferably containing a mixer nozzle (50) and a mixer-diffuser (52), and a middle portion (64) for receiving spent fuel, where the mixer nozzle (50) and mixer-diffuser (52) are preferably both within the reforming chamber (54) and substantially exterior to the main portion of the apparatus, where the reformable mixture flows up and then backward before contacting the reforming material (56), and the mixer nozzle (50) can operate below 400.degree. C.

Abstract: An electrochemical device (10) capable of generating oxygen from air (23) upon application of an electrical current, is made containing a plurality of adjacent cells (12) and (12') electrically connected in series, where each cell contains optional support (22), inner, porous oxygen electrode (20), dense, solid oxide electrolyte (14) on top of the inner oxygen electrode, and outer, porous air electrode (16) on top of the electrolyte, where dense segments of interconnection material (18) are disposed between cells, the interconnection electrically connecting the outer air electrode from one cell to the inner oxygen electrode from an adjacent cell, where the device contains gas impermeable, dense, contacting segments of electrolyte (14) and interconnection material (18) and can contain two end portions at least one of which provides for oxygen delivery.

Abstract: Waste material containing hazardous or radio-active species is treated by: separating a portion of the waste material and identifying the particle size range of the severely contaminated fraction by use of a sieving apparatus (6) and a contamination detection apparatus (8); passing the waste material (15) near a contamination detection apparatus (12) to identify the waste material that is contaminated and segregate that material by a diverter (17) to provide contaminated portion (19); passing the contaminated portion (19) into a fluidized bed apparatus (16) where an aqueous leaching solution (21), effective to leach soluble, contamination species, contacts the contaminated material at an upward velocity effective to remove the particle size range that is determined to contain the severely contaminated fraction of the waste material, to provide a severely contaminated effluent slurry (24); and removing the leach solution from the slurry in a dewatering apparatus (26) to provide a solution (27) containing solub

Abstract: A process for fabricating a fuel electrode comprising: slurry dipping to form layers which are structurally graded from all or mostly all stabilized zirconia at a first layer, to an outer most layer of substantially all metal powder, such an nickel. Higher performaance fuel electrodes may be achieved if sinter active stabilized zirconia doped for electronic conductivity is used.

Abstract: An exterior porous electrode (10), bonded to a solid oxygen ion conducting electrolyte (13) which is in contact with an interior electrode (14), contains coarse metal particles (12) of nickel and/or cobalt, having diameters from 3 micrometers to 35 micrometers, where the coarse particles are coated with a separate, porous, multiphase layer (17) containing fine metal particles of nickel and/or cobalt (18), having diameters from 0.05 micrometers to 1.75 micrometers and conductive oxide (19) selected from cerium oxide, doped cerium oxide, strontium titanate, doped strontium titanate and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A superconductor is made, having a core (10) of superconducting material, enclosed by a contacting metallic sheath (12), where the sheath (12) contains a layer of Ag-Pd alloy with interdispersed, discrete particles of a metal selected from the group consisting of W, Mo, Ni and their mixtures.

Abstract: A two package UV curable conformal coating has been developed which possesses low moisture permeability and good electrical properties and provides a cure for shadowing of components on a printed wiring board. The conformal coating is a mixture of Component (A) which is a mixture of (1) from about 40 to 80% by weight, of a urethane having a free isocyanate group; (2) from about 20 to 60%, by weight, of reactive acrylate diluents; (3) from 0 to about 10% by weight of UV photoinitiators; and (4) from 0 to about 10% by weight of additives; and component (B) which is a mixture of (1) about 50 to 80% by weight of an acrylate-epoxy resin; (2) about 1 to 10% by weight of an acrylate-urethane oligomer; (3) about 10 to 94% by weight of reactive acrylate monomers; (4) from 0 to about 10%, by weight, of UV photoinitiators; and (5) from 0 to about 10% by weight of additives; with the proviso that the total weight percentage of said photoinitiators and additives not be less than 1 percent and not exceed about 10 percent.

Abstract: An electrochemical apparatus (10) is made having a generator section (22) containing axially elongated electrochemical cells (16), a fresh gaseous feed fuel inlet (28), a gaseous feed oxidant inlet (30), and at least one gaseous spent fuel exit channel (46), where the spent fuel exit channel (46) passes from the generator chamber (22) to combine with the fresh feed fuel inlet (28) at a mixing apparatus (50), reformable fuel mixture channel (52) passes through the length of the generator chamber (22) and connects with the mixing apparatus (50), that channel containing entry ports (54) within the generator chamber (22), where the axis of the ports is transverse to the fuel electrode surfaces (18), where a catalytic reforming material is distributed near the reformable fuel mixture entry ports (54).

Abstract: A method of electroless deposition of gold from a solution onto ceramic oxide superconducting particles is characterized by the steps: (1) adding gold chloride to organic solvent-optional reducing agent for the gold chloride to provide a gold solution, (2) mixing the ceramic oxide superconducting particles with the gold solution, to provide a suspension, (3) optionally adding reducing agent for the gold chloride, (4) stirring and heating the suspension to deposit a layer of gold metal on the particles, and (5) separating the particles.