Abstract: A medical device includes a surgical needle, an elongated suture, and an intervening segment. The elongated suture has a first end proximate to the needle and a second end located away from the needle. The elongated suture also includes a plurality of fibers defining a mesh wall between the first and second ends. A plurality of pores extend through the mesh wall, at least some which are in the macroporous size range of greater than 200 microns for facilitating tissue integration when introduced into a body. The intervening segment is disposed between and connected to either or both ends of the elongated suture and the needle. The intervening segment includes one or more fibers of the plurality of fibers and has a cross-sectional dimension smaller than a cross-sectional dimension of the mesh wall such that the intervening segment facilitates indirect attachment of the elongated macroporous mesh suture to the needle.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a glass, ceramic or composite material. The method may involve initially forming a plurality of tubes and then performing a coating operation to coat the plurality of tubes with materials containing metal or metalloid elements, including inorganic compounds, organometallic compounds, or coordination complexes to form coated tubes. The method may further include performing at least one of a thermal operation or a thermochemical operation on the coated tubes to form a solid glass, ceramic, or composite structure with dimensions representing at least one of a rod or fiber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for manufacturing and processing microwires for use as microelectrodes are disclosed. The disclosed techniques provide methods for creating microelectrode bundles with different organizations and patterns. Systems and methods of the present disclosure also provide methods for electrochemically modifying bundles of microelectrode ends.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and facility for manufacturing a fiberglass material, in which melted glass is produced in a melting furnace heated via combustion of a fuel with an oxygen-rich oxidant. The fumes generated are used to preheat a combustion reagent in two steps: a first step in which air is heated via heat exchange with the fumes, and a second step in which the combustion reagent is preheated via heat exchange with the hot air. The air is then used in the method for converting the melted glass into a fiberglass material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to refractories with a composition gradient for lining the interior surface of combustion chambers. The invention envisages the use of refractories characterized by the presence of a number of layers with a different chemical composition to form a gradient along the cross section of the material. The presence of the composition gradient serves to combine the corrosion resistance of the surface layer, facing towards the inside of the combustion chamber, with the shock resistance of the bulk material.

Abstract: An epoxy resin composition for encapsulating a semiconductor device, the epoxy resin composition including an epoxy resin, a curing agent, and one or more inorganic fillers, the one or more inorganic fillers including prismatic cristobalite, the prismatic cristobalite being present in the epoxy resin composition in an amount of about 1 to about 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the epoxy resin composition.

Abstract: A production method for a glass particulate deposit which includes a deposition step in which, at least two liquid source material ejecting ports 31a for a glass source material 23 jetting out from a burner 22 are provided per one burner 22, the area of at least one liquid source material port 31a is 2.25×10?4 or less of the area of the flame forming part of the burner 22, the glass source material 23 is, in the form of a liquid thereof, supplied to each liquid material source port 31a, jetting gas ports 31b are arranged in such a manner that the inner periphery of the jetting gas port is positioned outside by 1.0 mm or less from the outer periphery of each liquid source material port 31a, and a gas is jetted out from each gas jetting port 31b.

Abstract: A production process for producing a glass fiber fabric that has good smoothness and is excellent in resin impregnation property is provided wherein glass fiber yarns are woven to obtain a glass fiber fabric.

Abstract: A glass fiber and a method of manufacturing a glass fiber for reinforcing a transparent composite matrix is disclosed. The glass fiber includes a first glass material having a first refractive index, a first modulus, and a first durability characteristic and a second glass material having a second refractive index, a second modulus, and second durability characteristic. The second durability characteristic is greater than the first durability characteristic. Durability characteristic is selected from the group comprising resistance to chemical attack, resistance to acid attack, resistance to fading from exposure to ultra-violet radiation, and resistance to mechanical abrasion.

Abstract: A glass fiber and a method of manufacturing a glass fiber for reinforcing a transparent composite matrix are disclosed. The glass fiber includes a first glass material having a first set of mechanical properties including a first modulus and a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a second glass material having a second set of mechanical properties including a second modulus and a second CTE. The second glass material forms a substantially uniform coating on the first glass material. The second CTE is less than the first CTE. The glass fiber is formed by reducing the cross-section of a glass fiber preform of the first glass material coated with the second glass material by hot working. Because of the selected difference in the CTE's, the first glass material imparts a compressive force upon the second glass material, which improves the strength of the glass fiber.

Abstract: A glass fiber and a method of manufacturing a glass fiber for reinforcing a transparent composite matrix are disclosed. The glass fiber includes a first glass material having a first set of mechanical properties including a first modulus and a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a second glass material having a second set of mechanical properties including a second modulus and a second CTE. The second glass material forms a substantially uniform coating on the first glass material. The second CTE is less than the first CTE. The glass fiber is formed by reducing the cross-section of a glass fiber preform of the first glass material coated with the second glass material by hot working. Because of the selected difference in the CTE's, the first glass material imparts a compressive force upon the second glass material, which improves the strength of the glass fiber.

Abstract: A glass fiber and a method of manufacturing a glass fiber for reinforcing a transparent composite matrix is disclosed. The glass fiber includes a first glass material having a first refractive index, a first modulus, and a first durability characteristic and a second glass material having a second refractive index, a second modulus, and second durability characteristic. The second durability characteristic is greater than the first durability characteristic. Durability characteristic is selected from the group comprising resistance to chemical attack, resistance to acid attack, resistance to fading from exposure to ultra-violet radiation, and resistance to mechanical abrasion.

Abstract: A glass fiber and a method of manufacturing a glass fiber for reinforcing a transparent composite matrix are disclosed. The glass fiber includes a first glass material having a first set of mechanical properties including a first modulus and a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and a second glass material having a second set of mechanical properties including a second modulus and a second CTE. The second glass material forms a substantially uniform coating on the first glass material. The second CTE is less than the first CTE. The glass fiber is formed by reducing the cross-section of a glass fiber preform of the first glass material coated with the second glass material by hot working. Because of the selected difference in the CTE's, the first glass material imparts a compressive force upon the second glass material, which improves the strength of the glass fiber.

Abstract: A glass fiber and a method of manufacturing a glass fiber for reinforcing a transparent composite matrix is disclosed. The glass fiber includes a first glass material having a first refractive index, a first modulus, and a first durability characteristic and a second glass material having a second refractive index, a second modulus, and second durability characteristic. The second durability characteristic is greater than the first durability characteristic. Durability characteristic is selected from the group comprising resistance to chemical attack, resistance to acid attack, resistance to fading from exposure to ultra-violet radiation, and resistance to mechanical abrasion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of drawing a thermoelectrically active material in a glass cladding, comprising sealing off one end of a glass tube such that the tube has an open end and a closed end, introducing the thermoelectrically active material inside the glass tube and evacuating the tube by attaching the open end to a vacuum pump, heating a portion of the glass tube such that the glass partially melts and collapses under the vacuum such that the partially melted glass tube provides an ampoule containing the thermoelectric material to be used in a first drawing operation, introducing the ampoule containing the thermoelectric material into a heating device, increasing the temperature within the heating device such that the glass tube melts just enough for it to be drawn and drawing fibers of glass clad thermoelectrically active material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of drawing nanowires, comprising sealing off one end of a glass tube such that the tube has an open end and a closed end, introducing a nanowire material inside the glass tube and evacuating the tube by attaching the open end to a vacuum pump, heating a portion of the glass tube such that the glass partially melts under the vacuum such that the partially melted glass tube provides an ampoule containing the nanowire material to be used in a first drawing operation, introducing the ampoule containing the nanowire material into a heating device, increasing the temperature within the heating device such that the glass tube melts just enough for it to be drawn and drawing fibers of glass clad nanowire material. The invention further provides a method for bunching together such fibers and redrawing them one or more times to produce arrays of nanowires clad in glass.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to sizing compositions for glass fibers and glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic resins. The sizing composition comprises a maleic anhydride copolymer. Thermoplastic polyamide resin articles reinforced with glass fibers at least partially coated with a residue of the sizing composition can demonstrate a surprising improvement in strength of the reinforced polyamide resin when lubricated with a fatty acid metal salt and in the hydrolysis resistance when exposed to boiling water/ethylene glycol medium.

Abstract: A two-part sizing composition including a precursor size composition and a binder composition, the binder composition being substantially free of any aminosilane coupling agent for is provided for the production of reinforcing fiber materials that exhibit little or no coloration. The two-part sizing composition may be advantageously employed to make substantially colorless, densified fiber pellets of a reinforcing fiber material. The densified fiber pellets may be produced by applying the sizing composition to reinforcing fiber strands, chopping the reinforcing fiber strands to form chopped strand segments, applying the binder composition, and palletizing and densifying the coated chopped strand segments to form flowable densified fiber pellets.

Abstract: The device and process allow for continuous processing of metal wire sheathed in glass (10) of considerable length. Normally a feed pipe (15) containing all the necessary metal, itself placed into a glass tube (20), so as to continuously supply a bead (14) to the lower part of the glass tube (20). Heat from a first inductor (23) around the glass tube (20) and a second inductor (24) under the glass tube (20) allow to maintain a bead (14) at a stable temperature and in a continuous manner and to obtain the continuous drawing process of a metal wire sheathed in glass (10).

Abstract: The invention relates to a sizing composition composed of a solution comprising at least 5% by weight of solvent and comprising a thermally curable base system, said system comprising at least 60% by weight of components with a molecular mass of less than 750 and at least 60% by weight of components of a mixture exhibiting at least one epoxy reactive functional group, at least one amine, preferably primary or secondary amine, reactive functional group, and at least one hydroxyl reactive functional group. Another subject matter of the invention relates to the glass strands coated with the abovementioned sizing composition. The glass strands obtained are capable of being used to reinforce organic or inorganic materials.

Abstract: A two-part sizing composition that imparts improved resistance to hydrolysis of reinforced composites including a size composition and a binder composition is provided. The size composition may include one or more coupling agents, one or more lubricants, and at least one wetting agent. The binder composition may include a copolymer formed from maleic anhydride and at least one other copolymerizable monomer, at least one crosslinking agent, and a surfactant or mixture of surfactants. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the maleic anhydride copolymer is a maleic anhydride-butadiene copolymer partial ammonium salt. The size composition may be applied to a reinforcing fiber material before the binder size material is applied. The two-part size composition may be applied to a reinforcing fiber material to form a reinforcing fiber product which may then be densified or compacted to form a densified reinforcing fiber product, such as a pellet.

Abstract: The device and process allow for continuous processing of metal wire sheathed in glass (10) of considerable length.

Abstract: Reinforced fiber insulation is formed by depositing a mixture of textile fiber segments and rotary and/or flame attenuated segments on a surface, mixing a binder with the fibers, and heating the binder to join the fibers together. The low cost process provides a mixed fiber insulation product with improved strength after compression.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus consistent with the present invention apply one or more laser beams to a glass object, such as a tube. The beams may have differing wavelengths, energy levels, and/or focal length characteristics. As the beam (single or multiple) penetrates the glass tube, it creates a channel. The beam is provided through the channel to a starting point on a region of the glass tube, usually the region below an inside diameter surface of the tube. In one embodiment, the beam is used to selectively heat a reactant gas within the tube to deposit a coating/dopant layer on the inside diameter surface. In another embodiment, the coating layer is already present and the beam selectively heats the layer causing thermal diffusion of the coating material into the glass tube at the region being heated.

Abstract: A sizing composition for coating glass and carbon fibers. The composition comprises low concentrations of a cationic and nonionic lubricant, a film-forming polymer, and preferably a coupling agent and a hydrolyzing agent. Use of the sizing composition reduces fuzz development, increases wettability, and improves roving package stability.

Abstract: A method for delivering a coated glass stream having a first inner layer and a second outer layer wherein the method includes providing a vertical orifice, delivering molten glass from a first source through the orifice, providing a gap about the orifice intermediate its upper and lower ends, delivering glass from a second source about the gap such that the glass from the second source flows through the gap to provide an outer layer about the glass from the first source as it flows through the orifice, and controlling the size and shape of the gap parallel to the flow and the size of the gap perpendicular to the flow such that the gap provides sufficient flow resistance and the gap is of sufficient size and shape to prevent clogging.

Abstract: Planar waveguides are produced by using radiation to write path regions into a photosensitive layer. Originally, the photosensitive layer had the same refractive index as the confining regions, e.g., it consists of silica doped with oxides of Ge and B. Composite path regions are produced by depositing a glass soot onto a partial region. On sintering the soot melts to fill up the empty spaces and thereby create a composite layer.

Abstract: A hollow high temperature ceramic superconducting fiber (10, 100), a process for making the hollow fibers and an apparatus for carrying out the process are provided. The apparatus functions to simultaneously draw a molten superconducting material (16) and a molten glass material (18) into a hollow preform (25) which is heat treated to form a hollow superconducting fiber (10, 100) which is flexible and has a high electrical current carrying capacity. The glass cladding layer (14, 14') surrounds the hollow superconducting core (12).

Abstract: A process for making a superconducting fiber or wire (10) is provided. The superconducting fiber or wire (10) has a superconducting core (12) and a glass cladding outer layer (14). The process comprises melting a superconducting composition (16) and a glass composition (18) and simultaneously drawing the compositions from a bushing (26) with the glass cladding layer (14) surrounding the superconducting core (12). The wire (10) is then annealed to create a superconducting crystalline phase.

Abstract: A single mode optical fiber suitable for use in an amplified fiber optic system which includes an inner glass core doped with a rare earth element and an outer transparent glass cladding. The fiber exhibits a plurality of mode coupling sites formed at regular intervals along the length of the fiber which provides for a reduced DOP. The sites are formed by a twist at regular intervals along the fiber length by applying a torque to the fiber. The method of forming the fiber is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for producing an oxide glass thin film is provided, in which volatilization of additives in a porous film from which the thin film is formed is effectively suppressed, and which the oxide glass film has a desired arrangement of refractive index with a low optical loss. According to this method, glass fine particles mainly containing SiO.sub.2 with a first additive are deposited on a substrate to form a porous thin film. A gas containing a second additive is supplied to a first chamber and heated to a first predetermined temperature profile to provide a heated gas containing an oxide. After disposing the substrate in a second chamber communicated with the first chamber, the substrate is heated to make the deposited porous glass into transparent glass while controlling a temperature in the second chamber according to a second temperature profile.

Abstract: A method for making dual-glass fibers includes supplying first and second molten glass to a rotating spinner having an orificed peripheral wall, where the first glass has a higher viscosity than that of the second glass, centrifuging the first and second glasses through the orifices as molten dual-glass streams, maintaining the dual-glass streams at a temperature sufficient to enable the second glass to flow around the first glass, and cooling the dual-glass streams to make dual-glass fibers.

Abstract: A glass preform structure, preferably of an optical glass, constructed with a central core of a first material, a surrounding tube of a second material, and a deeply placed bonded layer integrally formed between the core and tube preferably by a heat driven interdiffusion of the first and second materials. The deeply placed interface layer of the resulting preform structure exhibits material characteristics related to the interdiffused material characteristics of the rod and tube materials. The interdiffusion is preferably performed while supporting the combined rod and tube structure. The preform is rotated during heating to maintain the geometric symmetry of the preform and of the interface layer. An encapsulating carrier is used to support the preform in all dimensions during heating.

Abstract: This invention describes a method of manufacturing silica waveguide optical components in which silica glass films are laminated on a substrate by repeating a unit operation in which a sol material, a precursor of glass particles, is coated and then the coated layer is heated in an oxygen atmosphere. wherein the heating temperature is controlled in such a manner that the radius of curvature of warping of the substrate is 2 m or more after the coated layer is heated, thereby preventing cracking in the formed silica glass film and/or peeling of the coated layer. At locations where a difference in height is present, at least when sol is coated first time, the thickness of the coated layer is less than that of one of the subsequent coated layers.

Abstract: A method of making a high critical temperature superconductive fiber by fiber drawing a material of the family Bi.sub.x Pb.sub.y Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.z where 1.9.ltoreq. x+y.ltoreq. 2.3. In the method a preform is made, fiber drawing is performed, and the resulting fiber is annealed in air, wherein said preform is constituted by a block of vitreous material having the formula Bi.sub.x P.sub.y Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.z where: 1.9.ltoreq. x+y.ltoreq. 2.3 and a tube surrounding said block and made of a vitreous material having the formula Bi.sub.x' Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.1 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.z' with 1.5.ltoreq. x'.ltoreq. 2.2.