Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions comprising oolitic aragonite particles, wherein the oolitic aragonite particles have an average particle size of between 100 nm to 1 mm, and a Hunter brightness level greater than 88. Further disclosed herein are personal care and/or cosmetic compositions, comprising a carrier and the aforementioned oolitic aragonite particles. Further disclosed herein are methods of making and using the oolitic aragonite particles.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions comprising oolitic aragonite particles, wherein the oolitic aragonite particles have an average particle size of between 100 nm to 1 mm, and a Hunter brightness level greater than 88. Further disclosed herein are personal care and/or cosmetic compositions, comprising a carrier and the aforementioned oolitic aragonite particles. Further disclosed herein are methods of making and using the oolitic aragonite particles.

Abstract: Improved dental appliances and polymeric sheet compositions are disclosed. The polymeric sheet compositions are useful for making dental appliances having outer layers comprised of a material having a modulus of from about 1,000 MPA to 2,500 MPA (“hard”) and an inner core comprised of elastomeric material or materials having a modulus of from about 50 MPa to 500 MPa (“soft”), which exhibit improved flexibility and strength, and better stain and tear resistance than currently available materials and dental appliances.

Abstract: A thermal insulation injection gun includes a pointed nozzle that prevents blocking of the nozzle by a distal panel of a building cavity and/or by pre-existing insulation within the cavity. In embodiments, the pointed nozzle can be pressed through a panel, thereby forming the injection hole. An enhancement port can be provided through which an enhancing material such as a carrier fluid, particulate or fibrous insulating material, a binder, or a fire retardant can be added and mixed with the insulating material. Embodiments include expanding nozzle wings that can compress pre-existing insulation to create a space on a proximal or distal side thereof for injecting the insulation. A compressible sheath installed over the nozzle can prevent dripping of excess insulation from the panel hole. Exchangeable collars can be used to fix an insertion depth of the nozzle and/or to block selected lateral dispensing ports of the nozzle.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a material, including a thermoset material, comprising: providing a reinforcement fiber; combining a low melt fiber with the reinforcement fiber using the method of plying, twisting, air texturing, air entanglement, yarn made via the coating extrusion process, whereas the coated area has a lower melt than the core and the reinforcement fiber, co-weaving, co-mingling, and any combination thereof; and, applying heat to the combination to melt the low melt fiber to form a fiber composite wherein a melting point of the reinforcement fiber is higher than the operational temperature resulting from the application of the heat. The fiber combination can be a fabric and can be hydrophobic. The fiber combination or fabric can include properties taken from the group consisting of lighter thermoplastic combination, fracture resistance or elimination, increased impact resistance, vibration damping, low conductivity, reduced structural failures, dielectric properties, and any combination thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions comprising oolitic aragonite particles, wherein the oolitic aragonite particles have an average particle size of between 100 nm to 1 mm, and a Hunter brightness level greater than 88. Further disclosed herein are personal care and/or cosmetic compositions, comprising a carrier and the aforementioned oolitic aragonite particles. Further disclosed herein are methods of making and using the oolitic aragonite particles.

Abstract: Disclosed methods relate to producing an aluminum-scandium (Al—Sc) alloy. A method can include providing an electrolyte bath comprising a first portion of at least one of ScF3 or AlF3 and a first portion of at least one of LiF, NaF, or KF; providing a cathode in electrical contact with the electrolyte bath; providing an anode in electrical contact with the electrolyte bath; adding a first portion of SC2O3 into the electrolyte bath; reacting an aluminum ion with the cathode; applying an electric current to the cathode, thereby reacting a scandium ion with the cathode to produce the Al—Sc alloy.

Abstract: Photoresist topcoat compositions comprise: a matrix polymer and a surface active polymer, wherein the surface active polymer comprises polymerized units of the following general formula (I): wherein: R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a C1-C4 alkyl group, or a C1-C4 haloalkyl group; R2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or an optionally substituted alkyl group, wherein at least one R2 is not a hydrogen atom, wherein the R2 groups taken together optionally form a cyclic structure, and wherein the total number of carbon atoms for the R2 groups taken together is from 2 to 20; R3 represents an optionally substituted C1-C4 alkylene group, wherein an R2 group optionally forms a cyclic structure with R3; and R4 independently represents C1-C4 fluoroalkyl groups; wherein the total polymerized units of general formula (I) are present in the surface active polymer in an amount of 95 wt % or more based on total polymerized units of the surface active polymer; and wherein the surface active polymer i

Abstract: Coating compositions comprise: a curable compound comprising: a core chosen from a C6 carbocyclic aromatic ring, a C2-5 heterocyclic aromatic ring, a C9-30 fused carbocyclic aromatic ring system, a C4-30 fused heterocyclic aromatic ring system, C1-20 aliphatic, and C3-20 cycloaliphatic, and three or more substituents of formula (1) wherein at least two substituents of formula (1) are attached to the aromatic core; provided that no substituents of formula (1) are in an ortho position to each other on the same aromatic ring of the core; a polymer; and one or more solvents, wherein the total solvent content is from 50 to 99 wt % based on the coating composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides formulations comprising a suspension of nanocellulose (NC) elements and a drying/dispersal additive selected from the group consisting of temperature-responsive polymers, small molecule additives in volatile systems, and blocking agents and methods of preparing such formulations, and further provides NC-containing materials, composite materials and useful articles of manufacture made therefrom.

Abstract: There is provided a dielectric composite material comprising (a) 20-50 weight % total solids of at least one thermosetting resin and other resin components; and (b) 50-70 weight % total solids of at least one inorganic particulate filler; where the at least one inorganic particulate filler is surface modified with one or more acrylic-based silane coupling agents.

Abstract: Gas sensors are provided. The gas sensors comprise: a substrate; a plurality of electrodes on the substrate; and a polymeric sensing layer on the substrate for adsorbing a gas-phase analyte. The adsorption of the analyte is effective to change a property of the gas sensor that results in a change in an output signal from the gas sensor. The polymeric sensing layer comprises a polymer chosen from substituted or unsubstituted polyarylenes comprising the reaction product of monomers comprising a first monomer comprising an aromatic acetylene group and a second monomer comprising two or more cyclopentadienone groups, or a cured product of the reaction product. The gas sensors and methods of using such sensors find particular applicability in the sensing of gas-phase organic analytes.

Abstract: Carbon-neutral fuels are produced from aragonite in a solar thermal decomposition process in which the carbon dioxide generated from the aragonite is catalytically converted to methane, ethanol, or Fischer-Tropsch liquids. Advantageously, heat from the aragonite production can be recovered and used in downstream processes to thereby minimize the carbon footprint of the fuel production.

Abstract: In one aspect, an oxygenated hierarchically porous carbon (an “O-HPC”) is provided, the O-HPC comprising: a hierarchically porous carbon (an “HPC”), the HPC comprising a surface, the surface comprising: (A) first order pores having an average diameter of between about 1 ?m and about 10 ?m; and (B) walls separating the first order pores, the walls comprising: (1) second order pores having a peak diameter between about 7 nm and about 130 nm; and (2) third order pores having an average diameter of less than about 4 nm, wherein at least a portion of the HPC surface has been subjected to O2 plasma to oxygenate and induce a negative charge to the surface. In one aspect, the O-HPC further comprises metal nanoparticles dispersed within the first, second, and third order pores. Methods for making and using the metal nanoparticle-impregnated O-HPCs are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention includes methods of manufacturing a metal infused graphitic material. Also described is how this device may be rendered impermeable. The present invention includes the electroplating/electroless deposition of metal on exposed internal and external surfaces of a porous graphitic substrate. The deposition of metal on the internal structure is accomplished by replacing the void space in the porous substrate with an electrolyte solution containing dissolved metallic species. The plating is initiated either through electrochemical means, electroless means, chemical vapor deposition means, or other means obvious to one familiar in the art of metal plating. A post-deposition bath is also described wherein the plating may be removed from one or both sides of the external surface without impacting the internal pore plating.