Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described for removing contaminants from an article using a supercritical or near supercritical solvent fluid held at substantially constant pressure in a pressure vessel. The article to be cleaned is first contacted with a solvent fluid in which the contaminant is soluble at a first supercritical or near-supercritical temperature. The contaminate-containing fluid is then cooled or heated to a second supercritical or near supercritical temperature to lower the solubility of the contaminant in the supercritical fluid and thereby precipitate or phase separate the contaminant. The contaminant is then recovered. Movement of the solvent fluid within the pressure vessel is preferably by convection induced by heating and cooling means in the vessel.

Abstract: A drilling, drill-in, or completion fluid comprising water as a continuous phase, said continuous phase comprising a gas hydrate inhibiting amount of a blend comprising an ethylene glycol derivative and a propylene glycol derivative. The propylene glycol derivative is present in an amount effective to inhibit hydration of shale by the water base. The density of the fluid may be reduced by substituting the blend for salt, and by increasing the amount of propylene glycol derivative in the blend. The blend preferably should comprise at least about 10 vol % of the fluid, and a preferred ratio in the blend is about 35 vol % tripropylene glycol bottoms to about 65 vol % ethylene glycol.

Abstract: Fuel cell electrodes comprising a minimal load of catalyst having maximum catalytic activity and a method of forming such fuel cell electrodes. The method comprises vaporizing a catalyst, preferably platinum, in a vacuum to form a catalyst vapor. A catalytically effective amount of the catalyst vapor is deposited onto a carbon catalyst support on the fuel cell electrode. The electrode preferably is carbon cloth. The method reduces the amount of catalyst needed for a high performance fuel cell electrode to about 0.3 mg/cm.sup.2 or less.

Abstract: Amorphous carbon comprising a dispersion comprising a catalytically effective load of catalyst, preferably an electrocatalytically effective load of a noble metal electrocatalyst, and membrane electrode assemblies and fuel cell electrodes incorporating same.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the formation of pressure resistant buoyancy structures with a given buoyancy efficiency at smaller sizes. The invention involves embedding into syntactic foam metallic spheres which preferably are substantially hollow and comprise high strength, high performance, light weight metal alloys which can be precision forged. The weight per unit space of the metallic spheres is less than that of the syntactic foam. As a result, the metallic spheres can decrease the size of the structure required to achieve a desired buoyancy efficiency.

Abstract: A method for making a reinforced pipeline comprising determining the thicknesses of a metallic liner and a reinforcement which are effective to limit stresses on a reinforced pipeline at a known operating pressure to a known percentage of the specified minimum yield strength and a known percentage of at least one actual yield strength along the length of the pipeline which differs from the specified minimum yield strength. Preferably, the reinforced pipeline is pressurized to produce yielding which results in a residual stress pattern effective to resist ductile fracture propagation along a longitudinal axis of said metallic liner along a length of the pipeline comprising at least two actual yield strengths.

Abstract: Superalloy substrates bearing a rhenium diffusion barrier, and a method of forming a rhenium diffusion barrier between a superalloy substrate and an overlay coating comprising aluminum. The method involves depositing a rhenium film onto the surface of a superalloy substrate and subjecting the rhenium film to first conditions effective to cause a minor portion of rhenium atoms to penetrate the surface of the superalloy substrate and second conditions effective to cause a minority of the rhenium atoms to diffuse into the substrate, forming a diffusion barrier comprising an interfacial zone comprising a mixture of rhenium atoms and atoms of the superalloy substrate covered by a rhenium film. The diffusion barrier is effective to suppress diffusion of aluminum from the overlay coating under static oxidation testing conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a ceramic matrix composite comprising forming an infiltrated fiber reinforcement by infiltrating a plurality of plies of a fibrous material with a precursor polymer which decomposes to a substantially pure product selected from the group consisting of a refractory metal carbide and a refractory metal boride, and exposing the infiltrated fiber reinforcement to conditions effective to cure the precursor polymer and to decompose the precursor polymer to said substantially pure product.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an internal combustion engine, an electric motor/generator and a battery. The drivetrain includes a planetary gear in which the engine is coupled to the sun gear, the motor/generator to the ring gear and the vehicle wheels to the carrier of the planetary. A controller switches the vehicle between electric, assist, charge and regenerative modes of operation and substantially decouples the engine speed from the vehicle speed, enabling the engine to operate at peak efficiency. Additional overdrives are included to enable the engine to operate at optimum speed in the various modes of operation.

Abstract: A heat exchanger having a plurality of coaxially aligned chambers for providing radiant, thermal heat transfer between a plurality of separately contained fluids within a single unit and a helical tube having at least one portion positioned within at least one of the chambers. A first, second, third, and fourth chambers are in coaxial alignment. The heat exchanger heats a cryogenic liquid to a gas phase using four different heat transfer fluids in one contained unit without mixing any of the fluids in the exchanger, thus reducing the size and cost, while increasing the efficiency of the heat exchanger.

Abstract: The present invention provides metal working tools with metal working surfaces bearing a coating of diamond-like carbon that is strongly adhered to the surface via the following gradient: metal alloy or cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide base; cobalt or metal-silicide and/or cobalt or metal-germanide; silicon and/or germanium; silicon carbide and/or germanium carbide; and, diamond-like carbon.

Abstract: A pre-spiral bundle for making a spiral wrapped cylindrical fuel cell and cylindrical fuel cells made using the pre-spiral bundle. The pre-spiral bundle comprises a sleeve defining a hydrogen flowpath. The sleeve comprises a proton exchange membrane encapsulating a substantially planar anode in ionic communication with a catalytically effective amount of a noble metal catalyst. A first hydrogen inlet comprises a first edge of the sleeve and a second hydrogen inlet comprises an opposed, substantially parallel edge of the sleeve. The hydrogen flowpath is defined by the anode. A cylindrical fuel cell is made by abutting a flexible, porous cathode to the sleeve in ionic communication with a noble metal catalyst and wrapping the sleeve and the cathode around one of the hydrogen inlets.

Abstract: A fluid selected form the group consisting of a drilling, a drill-in, and a completion fluid, said fluid comprising a substantially linear heteropolyglycol in an amount effective to perform a function selected from the group consisting of polymer stabilization, shale stabilization, and a combination thereof. The fluid preferably comprises water as a continuous phase, and the heteropolyglycol preferably consists essentially of monomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide and linear alpha-omega alkylene diols.

Abstract: A heat exchanger is disclosed having a first chamber, a second chamber positioned inside the first chamber, and a third chamber positioned inside the second chamber. The first, second, and third chambers are in coaxial alignment. A first portion of a first helical tube is positioned inside the second chamber and a second portion of the first helical tube is positioned inside the third chamber and a second helical tube is positioned inside the first chamber. The heat exchanger heats a cryogenic liquid to a gas phase using at least three different heat transfer fluids in one contained unit without mixing any of the fluids in the exchanger.

Abstract: A method for preventing radioactive contamination of porous surfaces comprising providing an apparatus for handling radioactive material comprising a porous surface; exposing the porous surface to a vacuum; depositing a flowable precursor material onto the porous surface, wherein the porous surface comprises pores and the vacuum is effective to substantially fill the pores with the flowable precursor material; subjecting the flowable precursor material to energy sufficient to convert the flowable precursor material to an effective sealant film comprising amorphous carbon. In a preferred embodiment, the porous surface is an anodized aluminum surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for making a high temperature coating comprising applying to a surface a precursor polymer which decomposes to a substantially pure product selected from the group consisting of a refractory metal carbide and a refractory metal boride, and exposing the precursor polymer to conditions effective to decompose the precursor polymer to said substantially pure product.

Abstract: A component comprising an anodized aluminum surface comprising a diamond-like carbon sealant. In a preferred embodiment, the diamond-like carbon sealant substantially fills pores in the anodized aluminum surface, and the pores are substantially free of gas. The anodized aluminum surface and sealant form an interface which preferably is substantially free of imperfections attributable to water molecules remaining adsorbed to the surface during application of said sealant.