Abstract: A superconducting material useful for forming electrolytic devices is made by establishing multiple niobium or tantalum components in a primary billet of a ductile material; working the primary billet through a series of reduction steps to form the niobium or tantalum components into elongated elements; cutting and restacking the resulting elongated elements with a porous confining layer to form a secondary billet, working the secondary billet through a series of reduction steps including twisting and final rolling to thin ribbon cross-sections with greater than 5:1 Aspect Ratios; cutting the resulting elongated billet into sections; and leaching the core and sheath at least in part.

Abstract: A tungsten disulfide metal surface treatment in which the substrate material is prepared through impingement of small blast media particle sizes to create formed pockets in the substrate material approximately matched to the size of the tungsten disulfide particles. A sand blast apparatus having a vibratory bowl with a throttled intake pipe enables small blast media particles to be used to prepare the substrate surface with the formed pockets. A method for forming the tungsten disulfide surface treatment through roughening the substrate surface in a controlled manner is disclosed.

Abstract: A tungsten disulfide metal surface treatment in which the substrate material is prepared through impingement of small blast media particle sizes to create formed pockets in the substrate material approximately matched to the size of the tungsten disulfide particles. A sand blast apparatus having a vibratory bowl with a throttled intake pipe enables small blast media particles to be used to prepare the substrate surface with the formed pockets. A method for forming the tungsten disulfide surface treatment through roughening the substrate surface in a controlled manner is disclosed.

Abstract: A niobium-based superconductor is manufactured by establishing multiple niobium components in a billet of a ductile metal, working the composite billet through a series of reduction steps to form the niobium components into elongated elements, each niobium element having a thickness on the order of 1 to 25 microns, surrounding the billet prior to the last reduction step with a porous confining layer of an acid resistant metal, immersing the confined billet in an acid or a high temperature liquid metal to remove the ductile metal from between the niobium elements while the niobium elements remain confined by said porous layer, exposing the confined mass of niobium elements to a material capable of reacting with Nb to form a superconductor.

Abstract: The present invention is a fly ash filler or filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes that can be combined with a polymer at higher filler loadings to produce a filled polymer for polymer composites that, in many cases, can produce improved mechanical properties for the polymer composites over polymer composites using conventional fillers. As a result, superior polymer composites (e.g. those used in carpet backing) can be produced at a lower cost than conventional polymer composites. The present invention also includes a method for producing a polymer composite, comprising the steps of combining a polymer with a fly ash filler or a filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes to produce a filled polymer and producing a polymer composite with the resulting filled polymer. The present invention further includes a method of determining what fly ashes can be used as fillers for polymer composites.

Abstract: A niobium-based superconductor is manufactured by establishing multiple niobium components in a billet of a ductile metal, working the composite billet through a series of reduction steps to form the niobium components into elongated elements, each niobium element having a thickness on the order of 1 to 25 microns, surrounding the billet prior to the last reduction step with a porous confining layer of an acid resistant metal, immersing the confined billet in an acid or a high temperature liquid metal to remove the ductile metal from between the niobium elements while the niobium elements remain confined by said porous layer, exposing the confined mass of niobium elements to a material capable of reacting with Nb to form a superconductor.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a tool body of a cutting tool comprises mechanically shaping the tool body to provide a metal surface on the tool body having a first surface characteristic. Thereafter, the metal surface is chemically treated with a metal reactant to create a relatively soft metal film along the metal surface. This soft metal film is removed via burnishing or other appropriate action to smooth the metal surface. After the surface is smoothed, the metal surface is then roughened to prepare the surface for the receipt of tungsten disulfide. The roughened metal surface is coated with tungsten disulfide. A cutting tool is disclosed that comprises a tool body defining a substantially isotropic surface having pits formed therein, and tungsten disulfide particles filled into the pits.

Abstract: A method and system for treating fly ash with a treating fluid by evenly dispersing a treating fluid into a flowing stream of fly ash. By dispersing the treating fluid into the fly ash as the fly ash is flowing, the method takes advantage of natural mixing and particle motion that occurs during flow of the bulk solid. The application of treating fluid is advantageously controlled by an automated controller that has inputs and outputs that allow the controller to adjust flow rate of the treating fluid in correspondence with a measured flow rate of the fly ash.

Abstract: A tungsten disulfide metal surface treatment in which the substrate material is prepared through impingement of small blast media particle sizes to create formed pockets in the substrate material approximately matched to the size of the tungsten disulfide particles. A sand blast apparatus having a vibratory bowl with a throttled intake pipe enables small blast media particles to be used to prepare the substrate surface with the formed pockets. A method for forming the tungsten disulfide surface treatment through roughening the substrate surface in a controlled manner is disclosed.

Abstract: A Nb3Al superconducting wire and method for fabricating the same wherein Nb and Al powders in combination, or Nb—Al alloy powders are encapsulated in a metal tube, preferably copper or copper-alloy (e.g., CuNi), and the resultant composite is processed by conventional means to fine wire. Multifilamentary composites are produced by rebundling of the powder-filled wires into metal tubes followed by conventional processing to wire of a desired size. It is required for the use of Nb and Al powders in combination that the Nb and Al powder particle size be less than 100 nm. In the use of Nb—Al alloy powders, it is preferred, but not required, that the powder particle size be similarly of a nanometer scale. The use of nanometer-scale powders is beneficial to wire fabrication, allowing the production of long wire piece-lengths. At final wire size, the wires produced by practice of the present invention are heat treated at temperatures below the melting point of copper (1083° C.

Abstract: The present invention is a fly ash filler or filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes that when combined with asphalt produces asphalt composites such as roofing shingles with improved mechanical properties at a lower cost than asphalt shingles produced using conventional calcium carbonate fillers. The present invention also includes a method for producing an asphalt composite, comprising the steps of combining asphalt with a fly ash filler or a filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes and producing an asphalt composite with the resulting filled asphalt. The present invention further includes a method of determining what fly ashes can be used as fillers for asphalt composites such as roofing shingles.

Abstract: A parallel-plate, voltage-variable capacitor is designed to have an increased current conducting perimeter relative to its area. In one approach, the perimeter is increased by changing the shape of the plates. In another approach, the varactor is implemented by a number of disjoint plates, which are coupled in parallel.

Abstract: A capacitive element includes two or more voltage-variable capacitors (varactors). The varactors are configured so that they are coupled in series with respect to an applied AC signal and are coupled in parallel with respect to an applied DC bias voltage. The effective capacitance of the overall capacitive element can be tuned by varying the DC bias voltage.

Abstract: The cementitious material comprises a cement having a cement mass, and an aggregate having an aggregate mass. The cement mass and the aggregate mass has a combined mass of about 80 to 95 percent of the total mass. The cementitious material also includes a pozzolan composition comprising at least one of a silica fume and a metakaolin. The pozzolan composition is present in an amount of about 4.0 to 6.0 percent of the total mass. The cementitious material further includes an acrylic polymer composition.

Abstract: The present invention is an admixture for cementitious compositions that provides both good flowability and high early strength as is desired in the art. The admixture of the invention includes a superplasticizer comprising a water-soluble modified acrylic copolymer and at least one accelerant selected from the group consisting of salts of thiocyanic acid, water-soluble alkanolamines, ethylene oxide adducts of ethylenediamine, and morpholine derivatives. The combination of the superplasticizer and the accelerant used in the invention surprisingly has a synergistic effect on the early compressive strength of the cementitious composition and also enhances the W/CM ratio and the flowability of the cementitious composition.

Abstract: A niobium-based superconductor is manufactured by establishing multiple niobium components in a billet of a ductile metal, working the composite billet through a series of reduction steps to form the niobium components into elongated elements, each niobium element having a thickness on the order of 1 to 25 microns, surrounding the billet prior to the last reduction step with a porous confining layer of an acid resistant metal, immersing the confined billet in an acid to remove the ductile metal from between the niobium elements while the niobium elements remain confined by said porous layer, exposing the confined mass of niobium elements to a material capable of reacting with Nb to form a superconductor.

Abstract: The present invention is a fly ash filler or filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes that can be combined with a polymer at higher filler loadings to produce a filled polymer for polymer composites that, in many cases, can produce improved mechanical properties for the polymer composites over polymer composites using conventional fillers. As a result, superior polymer composites (e.g. those used in carpet backing) can be produced at a lower cost than conventional polymer composites. The present invention also includes a method for producing a polymer composite, comprising the steps of combining a polymer with a fly ash filler or a filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes to produce a filled polymer and producing a polymer composite with the resulting filled polymer. The present invention further includes a method of determining what fly ashes can be used as fillers for polymer composites.

Abstract: A composite nonwoven fabric comprising multiple, layers of a web formed from a blended mixture of metal fibers and nonmetal fibers is provided. The metal fibers preferably have a rough outer surface with irregular shaped cross-sections that vary along their length. The fibers of adjacent layers of the web material are interengaged in a needlepunching step. The composite nonwoven fabrics of the invention, which have very good isotropic strength. In a preferred embodiment, the composite nonwoven fabric is employed as a floor buffing pad for use with an electric floor buffing apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention is a fly ash filler or filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes that when combined with asphalt produces asphalt composites such as roofing shingles with improved mechanical properties at a lower cost than asphalt shingles produced using conventional calcium carbonate fillers. The present invention also includes a method for producing an asphalt composite, comprising the steps of combining asphalt with a fly ash filler or a filler blend having a particle size distribution with at least three modes and producing an asphalt composite with the resulting filled asphalt. The present invention further includes a method of determining what fly ashes can be used as fillers for asphalt composites such as roofing shingles.

Abstract: A composition comprising fly ash particles with an average particle diameter of not greater than 100 micrometers and a moisture content of not greater than 0.25 percent by weight. The compositions are useful as both a filler and a colorant in polymer containing compositions, particularly polyvinyl chloride compositions for extruding pipes and conduits. Desirably, the composition is used at a filler loading level of from about 1 to about 80 parts by weight of the fly ash per hundred parts of the polymer. Fly ash-filled polyvinyl chloride compositions containing the fly ash as described meet commercial requirements and are economically and environmentally beneficial.