Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method and system for reducing emissions and improving knock-tolerance in an engine. Air, including exhaust gas present at levels greater than 20% by total air mass, may be introduced into a combustion chamber having a volume including a piston and a cylinder head. A first amount of fuel and a second amount of fuel may be directly injected into the combustion chamber at various points during the cycle, wherein the ratio of the air, including the exhaust gas, to the first and second amounts of fuel is 14.0:1 to 15.0:1. The first and second amounts of fuel may then be ignited. An electronic control unit may be utilized to time the injections and control the introduction of exhaust gas.

Abstract: A barrier coating composition includes a polymer material and a structuring agent dispersed in said polymer material, wherein the structuring agent decreases oxygen or water permeability through the polymer material. The barrier coating composition can be used to coat a core component, which can be oxygen or water sensitive, to form a microencapsulated material. The microencapsulated material can be formed by microencapsulation methods, which include atomization or coacervation methods, including forming an oil emulsion of an oil phase and an aqueous phase, the oil phase including the core component and the aqueous phase including the polymer material, adding the structuring agent to one of the oil phase and the aqueous phase, mixing the oil emulsion to form desired particle sizes of the core component, forming the shell component around the core component to form the microencapsulated material, and extracting the formed microencapsulated material from the oil emulsion.

Abstract: A method for depositing a nanostructured coating comprising chromium or a copper-chromium mixture on a workpiece. The workpiece may comprise a hollowed structure such as a rocket or jet engine combustion chamber liner. The method comprises providing a magnetron and an external sputter target material comprising chromium or a copper-chromium composite and effecting a magnetron sputter deposition to deposit a substantially uniform nanostructured coating comprising said sputter target material on said workpiece. The method may include plasma enhancement wherein a filament is utilized to produce a plasma that effects an ion bombardment on the workpiece during the magnetron sputter deposition process. The invention also includes the nanostructured coatings deposited by these methods and workpieces coated thereby.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for regenerating exhaust treatment devices. Incomplete combustion products may be selectively provided in at least one cylinder of multi-cylinder internal combustion engine. This may then be followed by directing the products to an engine exhaust treatment device. The temperature of the engine exhaust treatment device may then be increased due to exposure to the products of incomplete combustion. The catalyst in the converter may then be regenerated due to the temperature increase.

Abstract: This invention is directed to an apparatus and method for producing microparticles comprising pharmacologically active agents and biodegradable polymers. The apparatus includes a spinning disk containing a reservoir in the center thereof and a flat inclined surface. The apparatus optionally includes serrations and/or a flat surface beneath the periphery of the disk that is parallel to the rotational axis of the disk. The invention is also directed to a method for producing microparticles containing pharmacologically active agents, using the spinning disk apparatus. Formulations containing ophthalmically active agents are provided. Formulations exhibiting zero order release rates are also described.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to combusting fuel during cold start. A glow-plug may be provided within a combustion chamber having a volume including a piston, wherein the glow plug may provide a localized heated region. Air may then be provided into the chamber and compressed. A mass of fuel may also be provided into the combustion chamber, wherein an amount of the fuel mass may be directed towards the localized heated region of the glow plug, wherein the heated region of the glow plug may have a temperature T1, and the equivalence ratio of the fuel in the heated region achieves a value that the temperature T1 provides auto-ignition. All or a portion of the mass of fuel directed towards the heated region of said glow plug may be ignited, and then the remainder of the fuel may be ignited by auto-ignition and/or flame propagation.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrochemical corrosion sensor. The sensor may include an array of electrodes wherein each electrode may include a diamond like carbon coating disposed on at least a portion of the electrodes. The coating thickness may be at least about 1 micron. The electrodes may therefore provide relatively more accurate determination of electrode corrosion rates that may be more consistent with coupon type gravimetric testing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for cooling a combustion gas charge prior. The combustion gas charge may include compressed intake air, exhaust gas, or a mixture thereof. An evaporator is provided that may then receive a relatively high temperature combustion gas charge and discharge at a relatively lower temperature. The evaporator may be configured to operate with refrigeration cycle components and/or to receive a fluid below atmospheric pressure as the phase-change cooling medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a prosthesis. At least a portion of the prosthesis is made from a ceramic that is treated with ion implantation, which causes a controllable, bilateral compressive stress of the ceramic. A diamond-like-coating (DLC) can be coated on the ceramic and in the same chamber as the ion implantation. After treating by ion implantation and coating with DLC, the ceramic will be strengthened and have a low coefficient of friction and thereby be made much less likely to fracture under load.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dispensing an anti-traction, mobility denial material on a target surface. In various exemplary embodiments, a method of dispensing an anti-traction material on a target surface includes providing a polymer particle powder to a first section of a dispensing nozzle, providing a water stream to a second section of a dispensing nozzle, and mixing the polymer particle powder with the water stream upon exit of the streams out of the first and second sections of the dispensing nozzle to form the anti-traction material on the target surface, the formed anti-traction material being a gel.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device and method for pipeline inspection, The inspection device may include an exciter coil capable of providing an alternating current magnetic field and producing eddy currents. A plurality of sensors may then be provided which are capable of sensing a magnetic field produced by the eddy currents and the sensors may be engaged with a sensor shoe. The sensors may then be capable of being positioned at a first distance D1 with respect to an inner pipe wall surface and capable of providing coupling to the magnetic field produced by the eddy currents. The sensor shoe may also be capable of retracting to a second distance D2, wherein D1<D2. The sensor shoe may be connected to a sensor support arm wherein the support arm may be pivotably attached to a fixed hub and to a control arm which control arm may then be pivotably attached to a driven hub.

Abstract: A biofuel containing an estolide ester, an ether ester, or a combination thereof. The estolide ester and ether ester can be of formula A: R1—CH(O—X)R2CO2R3 wherein R1 is an alkyl group having from 1 to 36 carbons, X is an alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbons and preferably 1, 2, or 3 carbons or is an acyl group of formula COR5 where R5 is an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbons and preferably 1, 2, or 3 carbons, R2 is an alkylene group or alkenylene group having from 1 to 36 carbons, and R3 is alkyl having 1 to 10 carbons and preferably 1, 2, or 3 carbons.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed at a method, system and apparatus that may include an oxidation catalyst, a first sensor positioned upstream of the oxidation catalyst, a second sensor positioned downstream of the oxidation catalyst. The first and second sensors may respond differently to the concentration of NO and NO2. In addition, the first and second sensors may provide signals, which may be received by a processor to determine oxidation catalyst efficiency.

Abstract: An anti-traction material is disclosed which may be used as a coating on a variety of surfaces over which people and vehicles may find it difficult to traverse. The anti-traction material may include polymer particles capable of absorbing or being dissolved by a fluid and a fluid capable of absorbing or dissolving the polymer particles. The anti-traction material may include hydrophobic particles which may then control the rate and/or amount of fluid absorption of the polymer particles which may therefore improve storage capability and polymer particle flow behavior.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method of preventing oxidation of copper alloys at high temperatures by deposition of a nano-structured, low-chromium copper-chromium protective coating to copper-alloy components. The coatings of the present invention are applied by an ion beam assisted, electron beam physical vapor deposition and consist of copper and chromium particles having a diameter of about 10 nm. This invention also encompasses the coated copper-alloy components produced by the disclosed deposition methods.

Abstract: A virtual reality system transposes a user's position and movement in real space to virtual space. The virtual reality system includes a locomotion interface that outputs signals indicative of a user's position in real space. The locomotion interface includes a pressure-sensing mat having a base layer, a plurality of pressure sensing elements formed over the base layer, and a top layer formed over the plurality of pressure-sensing elements, and a base around which the pressure sensing mat is disposed, the pressure-sensing mat being freely moveable about the base. The plurality of pressure sensing elements output a signal indicative of pressure applied to the top layer. A virtual reality processor uses the signals output by the locomotion interface to produce an output indicative of the user's position in the virtual space corresponding to the user's position and movement in the real space. A display uses the output from the virtual reality processor to produce an image of the virtual space.

Abstract: Substrates comprising a surface comprising chromium, said surface being adapted to exhibit reduced coefficient of friction and/or increased hardness.

Abstract: Methods for chemically-resolved optical microscopy are presented. The methods can provide a wide-field, spatial interference imaging using multiple nonlinear scattering channels to produce multiple, spatially coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS).

Abstract: A virtual reality system transposes a user's position and movement in real space to virtual space. The virtual reality system includes a locomotion interface that outputs signals indicative of a user's position in real space. The locomotion interface includes a pressure-sensing mat having a base layer, a plurality of pressure sensing elements formed over the base layer, a top layer formed over the plurality of pressure-sensing elements, and an input interface formed between the base layer and the top layer. The locomotion interface further includes a base around which the pressure sensing mat is disposed, the base structure being fixed in a first position but freely moveable in a second position. The plurality of pressure sensing elements output a signal indicative of pressure applied to the top layer.

Abstract: A method for depositing a coating using a magnetron sputtering apparatus and a magnetron sputtering apparatus comprising: a support structure comprising a hollowed shaft comprising a central conduit having a longitudinal axis; a sputter target material defining a bore which is external to the central conduit, the bore also having the longitudinal axis a magnet assembly supported about the support structure, the magnet assembly having a first end, a second end, and a plurality of magnets supported therebetween and being effective, upon rotation, to generate a circumferential external magnetic field about the sputter target material; a first sealed end extending radially inward from adjacent the sputter target material proximate the first end of the magnet assembly and a second sealed end extending radially inward from adjacent the sputter target material proximate the second end of the magnet assembly, wherein the first sealed end, the second sealed end, and the sputter target material seal the magnet assembly