Abstract: Disclosed are surfacing materials formed from a suitable angular or sub-angular base sand mixture that is coated with a polymer or polymer/oil blend and then combined with short fibers to produce the final surfacing composition. The polymers and polymer/oil blends are selected to reduce temperature dependent viscosity variations in the surfacing materials, thereby providing a more consistent “going” for horses or other livestock being worked on these surfacing materials. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing such surfacing compositions and methods of using such surfacing compositions in constructing riding venues including, for example, arenas and tracks.

Abstract: Provided are methods and initial structures for fabricating corrosion resistant steels that incorporate an aluminum rich corrosion resistant surface layer. The initial structures utilize layering and/or patterning for reducing the effective diffusion length Deff to a value well below the total thickness of the aluminum alloy protective layer X1 by providing vertical and/or lateral laminated structures that provide ready sources of Fe atoms during subsequent heat treatment processes.

Abstract: A device for concentrating ethanol from an ethanol water solution yielded from lignocellulose is equipped with a water separation membrane, an ethanol water solution storing unit and a depressurizing container provided so as to sandwich the water separation membrane, a dry gas cylinder for supplying dry gas to an ethanol vapor residing unit above the ethanol water solution storing unit, a pump for sucking in the interior of the ethanol vapor residing unit, and a cold trap for collecting the concentrated ethanol by condensing the ethanol vapor sucked in by the pump.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a light-colored wood component for the interior of an automotive vehicle that includes a UV additive-containing aqueous treating mixture coated onto the wood substrate at a loading ranging between about 84 to about 104 g/m2, and having a low gloss polyurethane-containing topcoat essentially free of UV additives applied to the top surface of the wood substrate. The wood component can have a 60 degree surface gloss rating no greater than about 25 gloss units measured according to ASTM D523-08 test conditions. Methods of producing the vehicle interior component are also disclosed.

Abstract: An organometallic complex [Cu2(pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate)2]n is provided by bonding a plurality of Cu2(pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate)2 repeating units to each other. The organometallic complex can be obtained by the steps of dissolving copper acetate monohydrate or anhydrate and pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid in a solvent, heating the solution at 50° C. to 140° C. for 24 to 168 hours to generate a reaction product, and then removing a guest molecule from the reaction product.

Abstract: In one embodiment, this invention discloses a device that is a lamp on the one hand, and also a speaker on the other, comprising a light-emitting element, a surface that acts as a sound-emitting element, and a base socket that can fit to an ordinary household lamp socket. The surface can be translucent and act as a lamp cover at the same time. There is also an electronic assembly in the lamp that controls both the light-emitting and sound-emitting elements, as well as communicates with an external host or other devices. In another embodiment, the lamp cover can also couple with an acoustic-wave transducer unit so that the audio lamp device becomes a light and a microphone. Various sensors can also be equipped within the audio lamp, and the results can be sent to the external host through the electronic assembly.

Abstract: A crystalline Al phase and a crystalline TiH2 phase each having a maximum length of 200 nm or less are dispersed in an amorphous phase containing an Al—Mg alloy to obtain a hydrogen storage material capable of reversibly storing and releasing hydrogen.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward a machine implemented method for estimating the state of charge of a battery. The machine implemented method includes providing measured and estimated cell terminal voltage to a model coefficient updater to update a model coefficient. Battery current information is provided to a battery state of charge estimator along with the updated model coefficient so that the estimated state of charge can be determined. A multi-layer model can be utilized to determine the states of charge for layers of the electrodes. The method can be implemented on a processing device, and is particularly applicable to Li-ion batteries.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward a machine implemented method for estimating the solid phase potentials of either positive or negative electrode of a battery. The machine implemented method includes providing battery voltage information and an estimated solid phase potential to a model coefficient updater to update a model coefficient. Battery current information is provided to a battery internal variable estimator along with the updated model coefficient so that the solid phase potentials can be determined. A multi-layer model can be utilized to determine the ion density of the electrodes. The method can be implemented on a processing device, and is particularly applicable to Li-ion batteries.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for utilizing motion capture techniques, for example, video based motion capture techniques, for capturing and modeling the captured 3D movement of an athlete through a defined space. The model is then compared with an intended motion pattern in order to identify deviations and/or form breaks that, in turn, may be used in combination with a scoring algorithm to quantify the athlete's execution of the intended motion pattern to produce an objective score. It is anticipated that these methods and systems will be particularly useful for training and judging in those sports that have struggled with the vagaries introduced by the subjective nature of human scoring.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed methods of producing tungsten-containing nanoparticles, specifically tungsten nanoparticles and tungsten oxide nanoparticles with an average particle size of less than about five nanometers.

Abstract: To provide a manufacturing method of a field emission cathode, which method exerts no adverse effect on element characteristics at the time when etching is performed with an ion beam. A sacrificial layer 4 made of a thermosetting resin is formed on a gate electrode layer 3. An opening section 5 is formed in the sacrificial layer 4 and the gate electrode layer 3 by irradiating a focused ion beam, and a hole section 6 is formed by etching the insulating layer 2 by using the sacrificial layer 4 and the gate electrode layer 3 as a mask. An emitter electrode 8 is formed in the hole section 6, and the emitter material 7 on the sacrificial layer 4 is removed together with the sacrificial layer 4 on the gate electrode layer 3.

Abstract: A system for NOx reduction in combustion gases, especially from diesel engines, incorporates an oxidation catalyst to convert at least a portion of NO to NO2, a particulate filter, a source of reductant such as NH3 and an SCR catalyst. Considerable improvements in NOx conversion are observed.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward a matrix containing nanosized metal components and carbon nanotubes, with the carbon nanotubes being produced in situ by the nanosized metal components upon the contacting of the nanosized metal components with a carbon source under conditions sufficient to produce the carbon nanotubes. Also disclosed are methods of producing the matrix containing the nanosized metal components and carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: Synthesis of nanoparticles with particle size control is provided by the method of using two different metal-containing precursors, a capping component, an optional reducing agent, and then contacting the two precursors with the capping component to form a reaction solution, which is heated to produce first and second metals-containing nanoparticles. By controlling the ratio of the concentration of the capping component to the total concentration of the two metal-containing precursors, the nanoparticles can have diameters ranging between about 1 nm to about 15 nm. A decrease in the concentration of the capping component typically increases the size of the nanoparticles. Preferred compositions include Pt and Co-containing alloy nanoparticles. Controlled synthesis of larger, about 6 nm to about 12 nm, sized nanoparticles can be achieved in a solvent-free reaction process.

Abstract: A biplate assembly may include a biplate, a negative electrode and a positive electrode. A method for manufacturing the biplate assembly may involve selecting the size of the biplate and arranging the positive electrode, which is formed by a compressed first powder, to a first side of the biplate. The first powder contains positive active material. The method may also involve arranging the negative electrode, which is formed by a compressed second powder, to a carrier arranged within the biplate assembly. The second powder contains negative active material. The carrier may be a side opposite to the first side of the biplate. The biplate assembly may be implemented in a bipolar battery.

Abstract: A system for NOx reduction in combustion gases, especially from diesel engines, incorporates an oxidation catalyst to convert at least a portion of NO to NO2, a particulate filter, a source of reductant such as NH3 and an SCR catalyst. Considerable improvements in NOx conversion are observed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, this invention discloses a device that is a lamp on the one hand, and also a speaker on the other, comprising a light-emitting element, a surface that acts as a sound-emitting element, and a base socket that can fit to an ordinary household lamp socket. The surface can be translucent and act as a lamp cover at the same time. There is also an electronic assembly in the lamp that controls both the light-emitting and sound-emitting elements, as well as communicates with an external host or other devices. In another embodiment, the lamp cover can also couple with an acoustic-wave transducer unit so that the audio lamp device becomes a light and a microphone. Various sensors can also be equipped within the audio lamp, and the results can be sent to the external host through the electronic assembly.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward methods of controlling the charging of a battery. The method includes the steps of receiving current and voltage output information for the battery during a charging/discharging cycle at a certain time interval, and using a model to determine both charging efficiency of the battery and the overpotential for a side reaction. These values for the charging efficiency and the overpotential of the side reaction are then compared to respective first and second given values. If either the charging efficiency or the overpotential is less than their respective given values, then the charging of the battery is suspended. The present method is particularly applicable to Li-ion batteries.

Abstract: The present teachings are directed toward methods of determining the lifetime of a catalyst for producing carbon nanotubes. The methods include providing different isotopically-labeled reaction components, primarily hydrocarbon sources containing different carbon isotopes, to the catalyst and measuring the Raman spectra of the carbon nanotubes produced with the different hydrocarbon sources.