Abstract: A method for enhancing the diffusion of gas bubbles or voids attached to impurity precipitates, and biasing their direction of migration out of the host metal (or metal alloy) by applying a temperature gradient across the host metal (or metal alloy). In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the impurity metal is insoluble in the host metal and has a melting point lower than the melting point of the host material. Also, preferably the impurity metal is lead or indium and the host metal is aluminum or a metal alloy.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /SiAlON whiskers by mixing silicon carbide powder with aluminum nitride powder, adding impurities such as calcium oxide or potassium chloride to control whisker characteristics, forming the mixture in a boron nitrogen mold of desired shaped and hot isostatically pressing the formed mixture in a nitrogen environment to produce whiskers comprised substantially of SiAlON at the nucleating end of the whisker and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 at the other end of the whisker. In one embodiment, reinforced composites are formed by impregnating the Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 /SiAlON whisker preform with a matrix material such as resin binders, liquid metals, intermetallics or ceramic materials.

Abstract: A microbial process for removing heavy metals such as bismuth, cadmium, lead, thorium, uranium and other transuranics from soils and sediments, utilizing indigenous, or isolates of indigenous, microorganisms and reducing agents, such as cysteine or sodium thioglycollate, or complexing agents such as the amino acid glycine, to effect the mobilization or release of the metals from the soil particles.

Abstract: An interferometer in which a coherent beam of light is generated within a remote case and transmitted to a hand held unit tethered to said remote case, said hand held unit having optical elements for directing a pair of mutually coherent collimated laser beams at a diffraction grating. Data from the secondary or diffracted beams are then transmitted to a separate video and data acquisition system for recording and analysis for load induced deformation or for identification purposes. Means are also provided for shifting the phase of one incident beam relative to the other incident beam and being controlled from within said remote case.

Abstract: An self-aligning biaxial loading apparatus for use in testing the strength of specimens while maintaining a constant specimen centroid during the loading operation. The self-aligning biaxial loading apparatus consists of a load frame and two load assemblies for imparting two independent perpendicular forces upon a test specimen. The constant test specimen centroid is maintained by providing elements for linear motion of the load frame relative to a fixed crosshead, and by alignment and linear motion elements of one load assembly relative to the load frame.

Abstract: An integrated optical sensor for arc welding having multifunction feedback control. The sensor, comprising generally a CCD camera and diode laser, is positioned behind the arc torch for measuring weld pool position and width, standoff distance, and post-weld centerline cooling rate. Computer process information from this sensor is passed to a controlling computer for use in feedback control loops to aid in the control of the welding process. Weld pool position and width are used in a feedback loop, by the weld controller, to track the weld pool relative to the weld joint. Sensor standoff distance is used in a feedback loop to control the contact tip to base metal distance during the welding process. Cooling rate information is used to determine the final metallurgical state of the weld bead and heat affected zone, thereby controlling post-weld mechanical properties.

Abstract: A process is provided for solubilizing phosphate from phosphate containing ore by treatment with microorganisms which comprises forming an aqueous mixture of phosphate ore, microorganisms operable for solubilizing phosphate from the phosphate ore and maintaining the aqueous mixture for a period of time and under conditions operable to effect the microbial solubilization process. An aqueous solution containing soluble phosphorous can be separated from the reacted mixture by precipitation, solvent extraction, selective membrane, exchange resin or gravity methods to recover phosphate from the aqueous solution.

Abstract: A method of forming a polymer film having controlled physical and chemical characteristics, wherein a plume of nebulized droplets of a polymer or polymer precursor is directed toward a substrate from a converging/diverging nozzle having a throat at which the polymer or a precursor thereof is introduced and an exit from which the nebulized droplets of the polymer or precursor thereof leave entrained in a carrier gas. Relative movement between the nozzle and the substrate is provided to form a polymer film. Physical and chemical characteristics can be controlled by varying the deposition parameters and the gas and liquid chemistries. Semipermeable membranes of polyphosphazene films are disclosed, as are a variety of other polymer systems, both porous and non-porous.

Abstract: A method and apparatus resulting in the simplification of phase shifting interferometry by eliminating the requirement to know the phase shift between interferograms or to keep the phase shift between interferograms constant. The present invention provides a simple, inexpensive means to shutter each independent beam of the interferometer in order to facilitate the data acquisition requirements for optical interferometry and phase shifting interferometry. By eliminating the requirement to know the phase shift between interferograms or to keep the phase shift constant, a simple, economical means and apparatus for performing the technique of phase shifting interferometry is provide which, by thermally expanding a fiber optical cable changes the optical path distance of one incident beam relative to another.

Abstract: A spectroscopic method to rapidly measure the presence of plutonium in soils, filters, smears, and glass waste forms by measuring the uranium L-shell x-ray emissions associated with the decay of plutonium. In addition, the technique can simultaneously acquire spectra of samples and automatically analyze them for the amount of americium and .gamma.-ray emitting activation and fission products present. The samples are counted with a large area, thin-window, n-type germanium spectrometer which is equally efficient for the detection of low-energy x-rays (10-2000 keV), as well as high-energy .gamma. rays (>1 MeV). A 8192- or 16,384 channel analyzer is used to acquire the entire photon spectrum at one time. A dual-energy, time-tagged pulser, that is injected into the test input of the preamplifier to monitor the energy scale, and detector resolution. The L x-ray portion of each spectrum is analyzed by a linear-least-squares spectral fitting technique. The .gamma.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the in-process measurement of internal particulate temperature utilizing ultrasonic tomography techniques to determine the speed of sound through a specimen material. Ultrasonic pulses are transmitted through a material, which can be a multi-phase material, over known flight paths and the ultrasonic pulse transit times through all sectors of the specimen are measured to determine the speed of sound. The speed of sound being a function of temperature, it is possible to establish the correlation between speed of sound and temperature, throughout a cross-section of the material, which correlation is programmed into a computer to provide for a continuous in-process measurement of temperature throughout the specimen.