Abstract: A composition consisting of an intermetallic compound, molybdenum disilicide, which is reinforced with VS silicon carbide whiskers dispersed throughout it and a method of making the reinforced composition. Use of the reinforcing material increases fracture toughness at low temperatures and strength at high temperatures, as compared to pure molybdenum disilicide.

Abstract: An armor system in which a plurality of constraint cells are mounted on a surface of a substrate, which is metal armor plate or a similar tough material, such that the cells almost completely cover the surface of the substrate. Each constraint cell has a projectile-receiving wall parallel to the substrate surface and has sides which are perpendicular to and surround the perimeter of the receiving wall. The cells are mounted such that, in one embodiment, the substrate surface serves as a sixth side or closure for each cell. Each cell has inside of it a plate, termed the front plate, which is parallel to and in contact with substantially all of the inside surface of the receiving wall. The balance of each cell is completely filled with a projectile-abrading material, which is a ceramic material in particulate form dispersed in a polymeric matrix.

Abstract: A method of removing heavy metals from aqueous solution, a composition of matter used in effecting said removal, and apparatus used in effecting said removal. One or more of the polypeptides, poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines, is immobilized on an inert material in particulate form. Upon contact with an aqueous solution containing heavy metals, the polypeptides sequester the metals, removing them from the solution. There is selectivity of poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines having a particular number of monomer repeat unit for particular metals. The polypeptides are easily regenerated by contact with a small amount of an organic acid, so that they can be used again to remove heayv metals from solution. This also results in the removal of the metals from the column in a concentrated form.

Abstract: Compositions of matter consisting of matrix matrials having silicon carbide dispersed throughout them and methods of making the compositions. A matrix material is an alloy of an intermetallic compound, molybdenum disilicide, and at least one secondary component which is a refractory silicide. The silicon carbide dispersant may be in the form of VLS whiskers, VS whiskers, or submicron powder or a mixture of these forms.

Abstract: Alloys of uranium and tungsten and a method for making the alloys. The amount of tungsten present in the alloys is from about 4 wt % to about 35 wt %. Tungsten particles are dispersed throughout the uranium and a small amount of tungsten is dissolved in the uranium.

Abstract: A photoconductive element of polycrystalline silicon is provided with intrinsic response time which does not limit overall circuit response. An undoped polycrystalline silicon layer is deposited by LPCVD to a selected thickness on silicon dioxide. The deposited polycrystalline silicon is then annealed at a selected temperature and for a time effective to obtain crystal sizes effective to produce an enhanced current output. The annealed polycrystalline layer is subsequently exposed and damaged by ion implantation to a damage factor effective to obtain a fast photoconductive response.

Abstract: Method of heating small particles using microwave radiation which are not normally capable of being heated by microwaves. The surfaces of the particles are coated with a material which is transparent to microwave radiation in order to cause microwave coupling to the particles and thus accomplish heating of the particles.

Abstract: Polymers which are soluble in water and are electrically conductive. The monomer repeat unit is a thiophene or pyrrole molecule having an alkyl group substituted for the hydrogen atom located in the beta position of the thiophene or pyrrole ring and having a surfactant molecule at the end of the alkyl chain. Polymers of this class having 8 or more carbon atoms in the alkyl chain exhibit liquid crystalline behavior, resulting in high electrical anisotropy. The monomer-to-monomer bonds are located between the carbon atoms which are adjacent to the sulfur or nitrogen atoms. The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group may vary from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The surfactant molecule consists of a sulfonate group, or a sulfate group, or a carboxylate group, and hydrogen or an alkali metal. Negative ions from a supporting electrolyte which may be used in the electrochemical synthesis of a polymer may be incorporated into the polymer during the synthesis and serve as a dopant to increase the conductivity.

Abstract: A composition consisting of an intermetallic compound, molybdenum disilicide, which is reinforced with VS silicon carbide whiskers dispersed throughout it and a method of making the reinforced composition. Use of the reinforcing material increases fracture toughness at low temperatures and strength at high temperatures, as compared to pure molybdenum disilicide.

Abstract: An organic extracting solution useful for separating elements of the actinide series of the periodic table from elements of the lanthanide series, where both are in trivalent form. The extracting solution consists of a primary ligand and a secondary ligand, preferably in an organic solvent. The primary ligand is a substituted monothio-1,3-dicarbonyl, which includes a substituted 4-acyl-2-pyrazolin-5-thione, such as 4-benzoyl-2,4-dihydro-5-methyl-2-phenyl-3H-pyrazol-3-thione (BMPPT). The secondary ligand is a substituted phosphine oxide, such as trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO).

Abstract: A method of removing heavy metals from aqueous solution, a composition of matter used in effecting said removal, and apparatus used in effecting said removal. One or more of the polypeptides, poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines, is immobilized on an inert material in particulate form. Upon contact with an aqueous solution containing heavy metals, the polypeptides sequester the metals, removing them from the solution. There is selectivity of poly (.gamma.-glutamylcysteinyl)glycines having a particular number of monomer repeat units for particular metals. The polypeptides are easily regenerated by contact with a small amount of an organic acid, so that they can be used again to remove heavy metals from solution. This also results in the removal of the metals from the column in a concentrated form.

Abstract: Polymers which are soluble in water and are electrically conductive. The monomer repeat unit is a thiophene or pyrrole molecule having an alkyl group substituted for the hydrogen atom located in the beta position of the thiophene or pyrrole ring and having a surfactant molecule at the end of the alkyl chain. Polymers of this class having 8 or more carbon atoms in the alkyl chain exhibit liquid crystalline behavior, resulting in high electrical anisotropy. The monomer-to-monomer bonds are located between the carbon atoms which are adjacent to the sulfur or nitrogen atoms. The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group may vary from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The surfactant molecule consists of a sulfonate group, or a sulfate group, or a carboxylate group, and hydrogen or an alkali metal. Negative ions from a supporting electrolyte which may be used in the electrochemical synthesis of a polymer may be incorporated into the polymer during the synthesis and serve as a dopant to increase the conductivity.

Abstract: An organic extracting solution and an extraction method useful for separating elements of the actinide series of the periodic table from elements of the lanthanide series, where both are in trivalent form. The extracting solution consists of a primary ligand and a secondary ligand, preferably in an organic solvent. The primary ligand is a substituted monothio-1,3-dicarbonyl, which includes a substituted 4-acyl-2-pyrazolin-5-thione, such as 4-benzoyl-2,4-dihydro-5-methyl-2-phenyl-3H-pyrazol-3-thione (BMPPT). The secondary ligand is a substituted phosphine oxide, such as trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO).

Abstract: A composition of matter comprised of copper and particles which are dispersed throughout the copper, where the particles are comprised of copper oxide and copper having a coating of copper oxide, and a method for making this composition of matter.

Abstract: A prealloyed metal catalyst is used to grow silicon carbide whiskers, especially in the .beta. form. Pretreating the metal particles to increase the weight percentages of carbon or silicon or both carbon and silicon allows whisker growth to begin immediately upon reaching growth temperature.

Abstract: A method of synthesizing ultrafine powders using microwaves is described. A water soluble material is dissolved in water and the resulting aqueous solution is exposed to microwaves until the water has been removed. The resulting material is an ultrafine powder. This method can be used to make Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, NiO+Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 and NiO as well as a number of other materials including GaBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x.

Abstract: Electrolytes and plating solutions for use in processes for electroplating and electroforming pure magnesium and alloys of aluminum and magnesium and also electrodeposition processes. An electrolyte of this invention is comprised of an alkali metal fluoride or a quaternary ammonium halide, dimethyl magnesium and/or diethyl magnesium, and triethyl aluminum and/or triisobutyl aluminum. An electrolyte may be dissolved in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent to form a plating solution. The proportions of the component compounds in the electrolyte are varied to produce essentially pure magnesium or magnesium/aluminum alloys having varying selected compositions.

Abstract: An improved method for deasphalting and demetallizing heavy oils, where the improvement is a counterflow washing step which increases the yield of the product oil. A heavy oil feedstream is contacted in a countercurrent manner with a solvent in a multi-stage extraction zone and a resulting light phase stream is heated and passed into a settling zone. A second light phase stream comprised of the product deasphalted and demetallized oil and solvent is separated from a contaminant-laden heavy phase in the settling zone. The contaminant-laden heavy phase, which is termed a resin phase, contains an equilibrium amount of DMO and solvent. DMO-enriched solvent is displaced from the resin stream by means of a counterflow washing process using pure solvent.

Abstract: An improved catalytic reforming process. The process is operated at high severity in order to obtain a reformate product having an enhanced octane rating. Higher octane reformate is required to compensate for the reduction or total elimination of lead-based additives used in motor gasoline for increasing octane rating, since reformate is a primary component of motor gasoline. High severity operation results in the formation of quantities of polycyclic aromatic compounds whose presence is highly undesirable. These compounds are removed from the vaporous products of the catalytic reforming process by adsorption on an appropriate material. It was totally unexpected to find that these very high molecular weight compounds are present in vapor streams comprised of hydrogen and light normally-gaseous hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, and propane.

Abstract: A process for catalytic dehydrocyclodimerization and regeneration of the catalyst. C.sub.2 to C.sub.5 aliphatic hydrocarbons are reacted to produce aromatics, using a water-sensitive catalyst of a composition especially adapted to minimize deposition of coke on the catalyst. The catalyst is comprised of alumina which contains phosphorus, gallium, and a crystalline aluminosilicate having a silica to alumina ratio of at least 12. The use of this catalyst has resulted in a five-fold reduction in the rate of coke deposition, compared to a conventional dehydrocyclodimerization catalyst. However, the activity of this catalyst is significantly reduced by exposure to water at the temperatures normally used in removing the coke, which is accomplished by burning the coke in a combustion zone in the presence of oxygen, producing carbon dioxide and water. At least a portion of the gas leaving the combustion zone catalyst bed is combined with air and recycled back to the combustion zone.