Abstract: A liquid filter apparatus and system is provided. The liquid filter apparatus and system is especially suitable for purifying water. The apparatus and system may have a solid portion and/or a porous filter portion called a monolithic unit. The present apparatus and system is suitable for providing clean water for drinking, cooking, washing and other household, public, medical, agricultural and industrial uses. The present apparatus and system utilizes anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-mold and/or other cleansing elements to purify the liquid. The liquid passing through the system must pass through the monolithic unit which is solid and porous therein contacting the antimicrobial material and/or antimicrobial components located within the monolithic unit. The apparatus and system provide a high hydraulic conductivity as a result of the solid and porous nature of the monolithic unit.

Abstract: A liquid filter apparatus and system is provided. The liquid filter apparatus and system is especially suitable for purifying water. The apparatus and system may have a solid portion and/or a porous filter portion called a monolithic unit. The present apparatus and system is suitable for providing clean water for drinking, cooking, washing and other household, public, medical, agricultural and industrial uses. The present apparatus and system utilizes anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-mold and/or other cleansing elements to purify the liquid. The liquid passing through the system must pass through the monolithic unit which is solid and porous therein contacting the antimicrobial material and/or antimicrobial components located within the monolithic unit. The apparatus and system provide a high hydraulic conductivity as a result of the solid and porous nature of the monolithic unit.

Abstract: Disclosed are nano-engineered porous ceramic composite filtration media for removal of phosphorous contaminates from wastewater and other water or liquid sources. Such porous ceramic media has high surface area and an interconnecting hierarchical pore structure containing nano-iron oxide/oxyhydroxide compounds, as well as other nano materials, surfactants, ligands or other compounds appropriate for removing higher amounts of phosphorous or phosphorous compounds. The composite media can be modified with nano-phased materials grown on the high surface area and addition of other compounds, contains hierarchical, interconnected porosity ranging from nanometer to millimeter in size that provides high permeability substrate especially suited for removal of contaminants at the interface of the water or other fluids and the nanomaterial or surfactants residing on the surfaces of the porous structure.

Abstract: Cement compositions and methods for making cement compositions are provided. The cement compositions can comprise at least one oxide having a particle size of less than about 600 nm. The methods for making cement may include: providing a mixture of compounds containing the required calcium, silicon, aluminum, and iron to provide at least one of tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, tetracalcium aluminoferrite, other calcium silicates, aluminates, ferrites, and silicates or combinations thereof; adding a fuel source and an oxidizer to the mixture of compounds; and heating the mixture of compounds, the fuel source, and the oxidizer such that the mixture of compounds, the fuel source, and the oxidizer ignite to form the at least one tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, tricalcium aluminate, and tetracalcium aluminoferrite, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: Cement compositions and methods for making cement compositions are provided. The cement compositions can comprise at least one oxide having a particle size of less than about 600 nm.

Abstract: The invention provides a dense bulk thermoelectric composition containing a plurality of nanometer-sized particles of a thermoelectric material. The bulk composition provides thermoelectric power up to 550 ?V/° C. In some embodiments, the surface of each particle is coated by another thermoelectric material. The size of the particles ranges from about 5 nm to about 500 nm. The density of thermoelectric composition ranges from about 80% to about 100% of theoretical density.

Abstract: A method for forming porous ceramic objects is provided, in which a suspension of ceramic precursor particles in a solution of gelatin is allowed to gel in the desired shape, and is then dried and sintered to the desired level of porosity.

Abstract: Solder compositions and methods of forming solders are provided. The solder compositions exhibit desirable melting characteristics. In addition, the solder compositions may be useful in joining heat sensitive components such as sensors, system-in-package, memory, and MEMS devices.

Abstract: Methods of forming crystalline films on a substrate are provided. The crystalline films may be formed using amorphous nanoparticles. Methods of forming dispersions of amorphous nanoparticles are also provided.

Abstract: A process which relies on a joining technique between two individual strongly linked superconductors is disclosed. Specifically, this invention relates to fabrication of single domains of YBa2Cu3Ox or YBa2Cu3Ox with the addition of Y2BaCuO5 and/or other secondary phases such as Pt/PtO2, CeO2, SnO2, Ag, Y2O3 and other rare earth oxides, by using a top-seeded, melt processing technique. Beginning with a single crystal seed such as Nd1+xBa2−xCu3Ox or SmBa2Cu3Ox crystals, a melt-textured YBCO domain with crystallographic orientation nearly similar to that of the seed crystal can be fabricated. The samples are next machined to desired geometrical shapes. A bonding material is then applied to the ac plane. Low solidification or recrystalization point, similar crystal structure to that of YBa2Cu3Ox, and capability of growing epitaxially on YBCO domains are critical parameters of the bonding material.

Abstract: A process which relies on a joining technique between two individual strongly linked superconductors is disclosed. Specifically, this invention relates to fabrication of single domains of YBa2Cu3Ox or YBa2Cu3Ox with the addition of Y2BaCuO5 and/or other secondary phases such as Pt/PtO2, CeO2, SnO2, Ag, Y2O3 and other rare earth oxides, by using a top-seeded, melt processing technique. Beginning with a single crystal seed such as Nd1+xBa2−xCu3Ox or SmBa2Cu3Ox crystals, a melt-textured YBCO domain with crystallographic orientation nearly similar to that of the seed crystal can be fabricated. The samples are next machined to desired geometrical shapes. A bonding material is then applied to the ac plane. Low solidification or recrystalization point, similar crystal structure to that of YBa2Cu3Ox, and capability of growing epitaxially on YBCO domains are critical parameters of the bonding material.

Abstract: A process which relies on a joining technique between two individual strongly linked superconductors is disclosed. Specifically, this invention relates to fabrication of single domains of YBa2Cu3Ox or YBa2Cu3Ox with the addition of Y2BaCuO5 and/or other secondary phases such as Pt/PtO2, CeO2, SnO2, Ag, Y2O3 and other rare earth oxides, by using a top-seeded, melt processing technique. Beginning with a single crystal seed such as Nd1+xBa2−xCu3O3 or SmBa2Cu3Ox crystals, a melt-textured YBCO domain with crystallographic orientation nearly similar to that of the seed crystal can be fabricated. The samples are next machined to desired geometrical shapes. A bonding material is then applied to the ac plane. Low solidification or recrystalization point, similar crystal structure to that of YBa2Cu3Ox, and capability of growing epitaxially on YBCO domains are critical parameters of the bonding material.

Abstract: A method of preparing a high temperature superconductor. A method of preparing a superconductor includes providing a powdered high temperature superconductor and a nanophase material. These components are combined to form a solid compacted mass with the material disposed in the polycrystalline high temperature superconductor. This combined mixture is rapidly heated, forming a dispersion of nanophase size particles without a eutectic reaction. These nanophase particles can have a flat plate or columnar type morphology.

Abstract: In accordance with the invention a process is provided for achieving a phase-pure BSCCO or lead doped BSCCO powder or precursor of the 2201, 2212 or 2223 phase. In this process a cation solution is intimately mixed with an anion solution and precipitation is caused at a carefully controlled pH in the range from about 10 to about 12.5. The resulting product is filtered and dried or heat-treated at a temperature of from about 400.degree. to about 500.degree. C. for a period of from about 8 to about 12 hours. The heat-treated powder is then subjected to a second heat treatment at a reduced oxygen of from about 3 to about 10 torr and a temperature of from about 700.degree. to about 800.degree. to form a precursor powder. The precursor powder is heat-treated at ambient pressure in CO.sub.2 -free air from about 12 to about 31 hours or more at a temperature of from about 800.degree. to about 850.degree. C.

Abstract: A method of fabricating bulk YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x where compressed powder oxides and/or carbonates of Y and Ba and Cu present in mole ratios to form YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x are heated in the presence of a Nd.sub.1+x Ba.sub.2-x Cu.sub.3 O.sub.y seed crystal to a temperature sufficient to form a liquid phase in the YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x while maintaining the seed crystal solid. The materials are slowly cooled to provide a YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x material having a predetermined number of domains between 1 and 5. Crack-free single domain materials can be formed using either plate shaped seed crystals or cube shaped seed crystals with a pedestal of preferential orientation material.

Abstract: A method of preparing single crystals. The method of preparation involves preparing precursor materials of a particular composition, heating the precursor material to achieve a peritectic mixture of peritectic liquid and crystals, cooling the peritectic mixture to quench directly the mixture on a porous, wettable inert substrate to wick off the peritectic liquid, leaving single crystals on the porous substrate. Alternatively, the peritectic mixture can be cooled to a solid mass and reheated on a porous, inert substrate to melt the matrix of peritectic fluid while leaving the crystals unmelted, allowing the wicking away of the peritectic liquid.

Abstract: A method of preparing high temperature superconductor single crystals. The method of preparation involves preparing precursor materials of a particular composition, heating the precursor material to achieve a peritectic mixture of peritectic liquid and crystals of the high temperature superconductor, cooling the peritectic mixture to quench directly the mixture on a porous, wettable inert substrate to wick off the peritectic liquid, leaving single crystals of the high temperature superconductor on the porous substrate. Alternatively, the peritectic mixture can be cooled to a solid mass and reheated on a porous, inert substrate to melt the matrix of peritectic fluid while leaving the crystals melted, allowing the wicking away of the peritectic liquid.