Abstract: A porous material of desired porosity and pore size is made by mixing a piculate material and fungible beads that are thermally decomposable until the desired distribution is attained; compacting the mixed material and beads to form a green body that has sufficient strength to be handled where the beads are undecomposed; and compacting and heating the green body to fuse the material particles and to decompose the beads to gas.

Abstract: Ceramic structure having porosity of 10-80% is characterized by a solid cmic matrix having therein elongated and parallel channels, the structure is made by a process that includes the steps of:(a) arranging tows of elongated fibers parallel to each other to form a fiber preform,(b) contacting the fiber preform with a matrix precursor whereby the matrix precursor deposits around the fibers,(c) removing the fiber preform from the matrix precursor,(d) drying the fiber preform,(e) calcining the fiber preform,(f) hot pressing the structure containing the fugitive fibers therein, and(g) removing at least some of the fibers to form channels in the structure.

Abstract: Single crystals of binary and ternary compounds of alkaline earth and a chalcogen, with or without a transition element, are grown by: charging a reaction vessel with an alkaline earth chalcogenide, with or without a transition element or a halide thereof, an acidic mineralizer, and anhydrous ammonia to where the fill factor in the reaction vessel is 30-95%; sealing the reaction vessel to the outside atmosphere; heating the contents of the reaction vessel to a temperature of at least 300.degree. C. until single crystal materials visible to the eye form in the reaction vessel; cooling the contents of the reaction vessel; and extracting the single crystal materials from the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A vertically disposed apparatus used to make core-clad optical fibers inces an inner elongated cylinder removably closed at the top and provided at the bottom with an inner exit port of a smaller diameter than the inner cylinder and an outer cylinder, disposed around the inner cylinder, removably closed at the top and provided at the bottom with an outer exit port of a smaller diameter than the outer cylinder. The inner exit port is of a smaller diameter than the outer exit port and is disposed directly above the outer exit port. The apparatus also includes a heater for heating the inner and outer cylinders and acces to the inner and the outer cylinders for individually pressurizing inner and outer cylinders.

Abstract: A process for making diamond and diamond products includes the steps of implanting ions in a diamond substrate to form a damaged layer of non-diamond carbon below the top surface of the substrate, heating the substrate to about 600-1200.degree. C., growing diamond on the top surface of the heated substrate by chemical vapor deposition, and electrochemically etching the damaged layer to separate the grown diamond from the substrate along the damage layer. The diamond product consists of a first diamond layer and a second diamond layer attached to the first layer. The second layer contains damage caused by ions traversing the second layer.

Abstract: A water vapor insensitive and corrosion resistant chemical or biochemical nsor device, including a transducer, coated with a protective coating of diamond or a diamond-like carbon, preferably by a pulsed laser deposition technique. The surface of the protective coating is coated with a chemoselective or bioselective absorption material or film.

Abstract: The process for making a porous mass containing dense aggregates or granu includes the steps of mixing powder with more than 10% by weight of a binder to form agglomerated powder, heating the agglomerated powder to remove the binder and to grow crystallites in the powder to an average diameter exceeding 5 microns to form a porous mass containing the dense aggregates, and cooling the porous mass. The porous mass is broken up, if it is cohesive, into the aggregates containing the crystallites and the aggregates can be used to make an article, such as a transducer. The transducer is essentially a thick film and its thickness is that of the ceramic aggregates of granules. The electrodes connect to the top and to the bottom of the aggragates. As a result, the transducer material operates in the 1-3 mode.

Abstract: In one embodiment, this invention pertains to desalination of seawater by eding methane into seawater at a depth exceeding 100 meters to form methane hydrate which rises to where it is decomposed into methane and water, and recovering water. Methane is recycled.

Abstract: Ceramic structure and process for its preparation wherein the structure is omposed of a matrix having therein parallel and spaced reinforcing fibers and strands of backfilled ceramic material, the strands being parallel to the reinforcing fibers; and wherein the process includes the steps of arranging tows of fugitive and reinforcing fibers parallel to each other to form a fiber preform, contacting the preform with a matrix precursor whereby the precursor deposits around the fibers, removing the preform from the precursor wherein the fibers are coated with the precursor, drying the preform to solidify the precursor on the fibers and to convert the precursor to a matrix form, calcining the preform to convert the matrix form on the fibers to another matrix form, removing the fugitive fibers from the preform to form channels therein, backfilling the channels with a material, and hot pressing the preform for densification purposes to form the ceramic structure containing spaced fibers and spaced backfilled materi

Abstract: A field test kit for determining quantity of hydrogen sulfide in a liquid st sample. The test kit includes a test container with an opening for a liquid test sample containing hydrogen sulfide gas and a cap provided over the opening. The cap has calorimetric particulate indicator on its top inside surface. A silicone barrier disposed over the indicator protects the indicator from contact with the test sample.

Abstract: Ceramic structure having porosity of 10-80% is characterized by a solid cmic matrix having therein elongated and parallel channels, the structure is made by a process that includes the steps of:(a) arranging tows of elongated fibers parallel to each other to form a fiber preform,(b) contacting the fiber preform with a matrix precursor whereby the matrix precursor deposits around the fibers,(c) removing the fiber preform from the matrix precursor,(d) drying the fiber preform,(e) calcining the fiber preform,(f) hot pressing the structure containing the fugitive fibers therein, and(g) removing at least some of the fibers to form channels in the structure.

Abstract: In one embodiment the article includes a metal support having a top surface, a well provided in the top surface of the support and extends downwardly into the support, the well is defined by a floor at the bottom thereof, second fibers anchored in spaced relationship in the floor of the well and extending therefrom to a level short of the top surface of the support, a diamond substrate disposed over and covering the well, the substrate is larger than the well and has portions thereof in direct or indirect contact with the support, a metal layer adhering to the substrate, first fibers anchored in spaced relationship in the metal layer and extending therefrom into the well to a level short of said well floor, the substrate being smaller than the support.

Abstract: A rod feeder assembly composed of elongated tubular members arranged in vical courses and disposed in a box, the tubular members being flush at their downstream end and provided with a loading section at the upstream or the opposite end. The tubular members are of the same length in the same course but are shorter in the upper courses. The method for automatically feeding rods into a matrix includes the steps of randomly disposing the rods on the loading sections of the tubular members, aligning and positioning the rods in the tubular members by vibrating the tubular members in an inclined disposition, and transferring the rods from the rod feeder assembly to the matrix.

Abstract: An optical limiter structure which includes a limiter material preferably dissolved in a host. The limiter material is selected from substituted and unsubstituted phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, porphyrins, salts of these materials and mixtures thereof, whereas the host is selected from any material which can dissolve the limiter material to at least the extent of 0.1% by weight.

Abstract: A unitary article that is solid at a temperature in excess of about 1100.ree. C. which includes a diamond, a metal, and a brazing material brazing the diamond and the metal. The brazing material includes a metal carbide adhering to the diamond and a platinum family metal or nickel adhering to the metal. The platinum family metal has dissolved therein carbide forming metal and contains particles of metal carbide. The article is made by depositing a platinum family metal or nickel on a metal melting above the melting point of the platinum family metal or nickel, depositing a carbide forming metal which is soluble in molten platinum family metal or nickel, heating the assembly until platinum family metal or nickel is in a molten state, and cooling the molten platinum family metal or nickel to a solid state.

Abstract: Zinc oxide stabilized zirconia containing zirconia in cubic phase is prepd by evaporating zirconia and zinc oxide and depositing zirconia and zinc oxide on an atomic scale on a substrate. The stabilized zirconia resists corrosion at high temperatures above 1000.degree. C., can be used as a part of a barrier coating, is transparent to visible light, and is electrically conducting.

Abstract: An electronic device characterized by a GaAs substrate and a base disposed n the substrate, the base comprising InAs channel layer, AlSb layer above the channel layer, In.sub.x Al.sub.1-x As.sub.y Sb.sub.1-y layer containing at least In, Al, and As disposed above the AlSb channel layer, InAs cap layer disposed above and in contact with the In.sub.x Al.sub.1-x As.sub.y Sb.sub.1-y layer disposed below the InAs channel layer and in contact with the substrate, p.sup.+ GaSb layer disposed within the AlSb layer, Schottky gate with a pad disposed on and in contact with the In.sub.x Al.sub.1-x As.sub.y Sb.sub.1-y layer, at least one ohmic contact disposed on the InAs cap layer, and a trench extending through the base to the substrate isolating the gate bonding pad from the device and providing a gate air bridge which prevents contact between the gate and the InAs layer.

Abstract: An optical fiber termination connector includes an elongated structure with chamber extending therethrough open at both ends, a fiber disposed in the chamber and spaced therefrom, a solid first material disposed in the chamber around the fiber, and an air gap in the chamber around the end of the fiber. The process includes the steps of locating a fiber in a chamber disposed vertically, with the end of the fiber extending beyond the lower portion of chamber; dipping a lower portion of the chamber into a first material in liquid form so that the first material enters the lower portion of the chamber to a level below an exit port located in the lower portion of the chamber; solidifying the first material disposed in and around the chamber and the fiber; above the solid first material; polishing the lower end of the fiber until it is flush with the chamber at the lower thereof; and removing the first material to form an air gap between the fiber and the lower portion of the chamber.

Abstract: The use of lactic acid or its derivative in compositions to etch or polish materials containing indium phosphide results in treated surfaces that have reduced surface roughness compared to the surfaces treated with compositions devoid of lactic acid or its derivative. Indium phosphide surfaces treated with compositions containing lactic acid can have treated surfaces that are smooth or mirror-like, meaning that surface irregularities thereon are less than about 50 .ANG..

Abstract: Inclusion complexes have an organic guest molecule dye with an electron dr portion, an electron acceptor portion and a hydrophobic tail portion disposed within an organic carbohydrate host molecule. The dye in the inclusion complexes has improved thermal stability compared to itself. The complexes can be used to form a solution-cast film disposed on a substrate wherein the film thickness is up to about 20 microns and the film is made of anisotropically self-aligned (self-poled) inclusion complexes.