Abstract: Materials and methods are described to produce xylitol from a mixture of hemicellulosic sugars by several routes. Examples include either as a direct co-product of a biorefinery or ethanol facility, or as a stand-alone product produced from an agricultural or forestry biomass feedstock including using, e.g. ethanol waste streams.

Abstract: Materials and methods are described to produce xylitol from a mixture of hemicellulosic sugars by several routes. Examples include either as a direct co-product of a biorefinery or ethanol facility, or as a stand-alone product produced from an agricultural or forestry biomass feedstock including using, e.g. ethanol waste streams.

Abstract: A system for sealing a port of a pulverizer. A pulverizer has journal assembly and a port for receiving the journal assembly. At least a portion of the journal assembly extends through the port. The system further includes a seal having a first end and a second end. The seal includes a first opening at or near the first end and a second opening at or near the second end. A bore extends between the first opening and the second opening. One of the first end and the second end is coupled to the pulverizer and the other one of the first end and the second end is coupled to the journal assembly. The seal inhibits fluid communication through the port.

Abstract: Materials and methods are described to produce xylitol from a mixture of hemicellulosic sugars by several routes. Examples include either as a direct co-product of a biorefinery or ethanol facility, or as a stand-alone product produced from an agricultural or forestry biomass feedstock including using, e.g. ethanol waste streams.

Abstract: The invention provides biosynthetic routes to xylitol production that do not require pure D-xylose for synthesis and that can utilize inexpensive substrates such as hemicellulose hydrolysates.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for the production of L-ribitol and other rare sugars using a mannitol-1-dehydrogenase or a polyol-1-dehydrogenase.

Abstract: The invention provides biosynthetic routes to xylitol production that do not require pure D-xylose for synthesis and that can utilize inexpensive substrates such as hemicellulose hydrolysates.

Abstract: The invention provides biosynthetic routes to xylitol production that do not require pure D-xylose for synthesis and that can utilize inexpensive substrates such as hemicellulose hydrolysates.

Abstract: The invention provides processes for continuous fed-batch fermentative production and continuous recycle fermentative production of mannitol.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium that includes a substrate, an underlayer deposited above the substrate, the underlayer comprised of a magnetically soft alloy containing at least one soft ferromagnetic element and at least one corrosion inhibitor element that is selected from the group consisting of chromium (Cr), tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), carbon (C), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), nitrogen (N), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), silicon (Si), tantalum (Ta), and aluminum (Al), and a magnetic data recording layer deposited above the underlayer. A sputter target comprised of the magnetically soft alloy is also provided, and the magnetically soft alloy is also used in soft magnetic layers on magnetic recording heads.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having an underlayer comprised of ruthenium (Ru) and an alloying element is provided. The alloying element may be for refining grain size, when it has little or no solid solubility in HCP phase Ru and is present in an amount in excess of that solubility. The alloying element may be for reducing lattice misfit, where it has some solid solubility in HCP phase Ru and is present in an amount not exceeding that solubility. The alloying element may be for both refining grain size and reducing lattice misfit, where it has some solid solubility in HCP phase Ru and is present in an amount in excess of that solubility. The underlayer may alternately include ruthenium and two alloying elements, one for refining grain size, the other for reducing lattice misfit. A sputter target comprising ruthenium and an alloying element is also provided.

Abstract: A seedlayer for a magnetic recording medium, the seedlayer formed over a substrate from a sputter target comprised of tantalum (Ta) and an alloying element. The solubility of the alloying element in a body centered cubic tantalum (Ta) phase does not exceed 10 atomic percent at room temperature, and the alloying element has a mass susceptibility of less than or equal to 1.5 × 10 - 7 ? m 3 kg , where possible alloying elements include (but are not limited to) boron (B), carbon (C), aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), hafnium (Hf), bismuth (Bi), and tungsten (W). Alternatively, the alloying element is soluble in tantalum (Ta) at room temperature or at elevated temperatures, has a mass susceptibility of less than or equal to 1.5 × 10 - 7 ? m 3 kg , and has an atomic radius smaller than 1.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, including the step of reactively or non-reactively sputtering at least a first data storing thin film layer over a substrate from a sputter target. The sputter target is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a first metal oxide further comprised of a first metal and oxygen (O) and, when non-reactively sputtering, a second metal oxide. The first data storing thin film layer is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), and a stoichiometric third metal oxide comprising the first metal and oxygen (O). During sputtering, any non-stoichiometry of the third metal oxide in the first data storing thin film layer is compensated for using oxygen (O) from the second metal oxide in the sputter target, or using oxygen (O) from the oxygen-rich gas atmosphere.

Abstract: A sputter target, where the sputter target is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), a single-component oxide or a multi-component oxide, and an elemental metal additive. The elemental metal additive has a reduction potential of greater than ?0.03 electron volts, and is substantially insoluble with cobalt (Co) at room temperature. The elemental metal additive is copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au), and the sputter target is further comprised of chromium (Cr) and/or boron (B). The sputter target is comprised of between 2 atomic % and 10 atomic % copper (Cu), silver (Ag), or gold (Au) or other elemental metal additive. Accordingly, the enhanced sputter target provides significant improvements in thermal stability and SNR, through enhancements to magnetocrystalline anisotropy and increased grain-to-grain segregation.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium, including a substrate, and a data-storing thin film layer formed over the substrate. The data-storing thin film layer is comprised of cobalt (Co), platinum (Pt), and a multi-component oxide. The multi-component oxide has cations with a reduction potential of less than ?0.03 electron volts, and atomic radii of less than 0.25 nanometers. Additionally, the multi-component oxide is diamagnetic, paramagnetic, or magnetic with a permeability of less than 10?6 m3/kg. The multi-component oxide has a dielectric constant greater than 5.0. The sputter target is further comprised of chromium (Cr) and/or boron (B).

Abstract: A sputter target composed of a ferromagnetic alloy having a base metal, and X, where X is a metal having an atomic diameter of less than 0.266 nm and an oxidation potential greater than the base metal. The base metal may be Fe, Co, or any other ferromagnetic material, and may be further comprised of elements such as Pt, Ta and/or Cr to enhance its coercivity. X may be a metal selected from the group consisting of Al, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Ce, Cr, Cs, Dy, Er, Eu, Ga, Gd, Hf, Ho, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Na, Nb, Nd, Pm, Pr, Rb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Th, Te, Th, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr. The sputter target may comprise more than 0 less than 15 atomic percent X. The sputter target is reactively sputtered to form a granular medium with optimized magnetic grain size and grain-to-grain separation.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic recording medium. The method includes the steps of sputtering at least a first underlayer over a substrate layer, where the first underlayer is comprised of a Cr-based alloy, and sputtering at least a first interlayer over the first underlayer, where the first interlayer is comprised of a Co-based alloy. The method further includes the step of sputtering at least a first overlayer over the first interlayer, where the first overlayer is comprised of a Co-based alloy. At least one of the first underlayer, the first interlayer and/or the first overlayer are doped with X, where X is a metal with an oxidation potential of less than ?0.6 eV. The at least one of the first underlayer, the first interlayer and/or the first overlayer are reactively sputtered in the presence of oxygen.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputter target in which cooling rates are selectively controlled, by generating a sputter surface and a backside surface obverse to the sputter surface. The backside surface includes at least a first textured region. The first textured region aids in cooling a region of the sputter target adjacent to the first textured region, by effectuating heat dissipation.