Abstract: Disclosed are capped nanoparticles that are effectively trapped within an aqueous gelling solution to produce stable gels and function as a contrast agent for vascular imaging. The contrast agent has good radioopacity, is inexpensive to produce, and is safe to handle. This provides a new method to image the fine vasculature of biological systems.

Abstract: The present invention generally concerns a nano-enhanced explosive that is integrated at many points across an explosive train. More specifically, a nano-enhanced explosive is formed when a nanocomposite we call nMx is combined with a secondary high explosive. nMx is made of Li3AlH6 nanoparticles, elemental Al nanoparticles, an amount of Ti metal, and a nanoscale organic layer having unique burning profiles that lend energy to the explosive process including increased shockwave propagation through a chemical explosive and increased temperatures and gaseous pressure build up and release in and about the same. Our nano-enhanced explosive can be integrated at various points across an explosive train, e.g. use within a detonation cord (fuse), or as a detonation charge (initiator), or as the main charge, where the use of the nano-enhanced explosive can be characterized by the energy lent to projectiles from munitions, bubbles formed by underwater explosive trains, or blast profiles.

Abstract: In some aspects, the present disclosure provides new nanomaterials which are passivized by the polymerization of an olefin catalyzed by the nanomaterial. In some embodiments, these nanomaterials exhibit increased stability in the ambient atmosphere. In other aspects, the present disclosure provides methods of preparing nanomaterials as well as use of these nanomaterials in a fuel such as a rocket fuel.

Abstract: In some aspects, the present disclosure also provides new Al—Li3AlH6 nanocomposite materials, as well as methods of using LiAlH4 to produce Al nanoparticles, Li3AlH6 nanoparticles, or Al—Li3AlH6 nanocomposite materials.

Abstract: A method for the quantitative determination of dissolved oxygen in a liquid fuel includes the steps of doping a sample of the fuel with a preselected concentration of a probe material including a luminophor which exhibits luminescence of wavelength which is quenched by oxygen dissolved in the fuel, illuminating the fuel with light from a coherent light source, such as a laser, of a wavelength which induces the luminescence in the luminophor, and thereafter measuring the change with time of the luminescence from the luminophor in the fuel and determing from the change with time of the luminescence the concentration of oxygen in the fuel.