Abstract: A family of new and novel molecules for mechanically superior two-dimensional (2D) polymers is described herein. By combining stiff carbon-containing cyclic polymer nodal units with more compliant linear polymer bridge units in an ordered, 2D repeating molecular structure it is possible to tailor the mechanical properties of 2D polymers and their assemblies to provide high stiffness, strength, and toughness. Furthermore, the inherent dimensionality of 2D polymers and their ability to be stacked into ordered and chemically interactive ensembles gives them inherent benefits in a variety of barrier and structural applications over current stiff and strong linear polymer technologies.

Abstract: A vehicle or shipping-container monitoring system is provided. The system is used to sample the interior environment of the container and if needed, clear a potentially hazardous material from the interior of the container prior to conventional opening. The system includes a monitoring assembly affixed to a first through-penetration in the vehicle container, an evacuation assembly affixed to a second through-penetration in the vehicle container, and an intake penetration with a cap affixed to a third through-penetration in the vehicle container. A method is also provided to assess the interior of a vehicle or shipping container for hazardous gases or vapors prior to opening the container.

Abstract: Cold spray devices and systems are disclosed. They include a flowpath having an inlet adapted for receiving communication with two or more inputs and an outlet adapted to discharge the two or more inputs. A discharge nozzle may be included in the flowpath of the outlet and a confluence may be included in the flowpath at the inlet for combining the two or more inputs. A nozzle body houses the discharge nozzle separate and downstream from the confluence of the two inputs.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer code on computer-readable media are provided that are directed to generating area skyline data using a digital elevation or surface models (DEMs or DESs) and shadow casting techniques. Some embodiments use an area of maximum shadow line overlap, for shadow line images based on target location skyline azimuth and elevation angle data, as the best approximation for the position of the target location in an area. Some embodiments select the location showing the best fit to the target skyline azimuth and elevation angle data as the best approximation for the target location.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a hydrogel-enzyme construct for performing high temperature enzymatic reaction on paraoxon, and/or for performing enzymatic reaction on paraoxon following exposure to high temperature, includes a hydrogel having multiple layers of poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) and a plurality of dPTE2 enzyme molecules. Individual dPTE2 enzyme molecules are embedded between adjacent PMAA layers and are covalently bonded with respective individual PMAA layers. The hydrogel-enzyme construct is capable of performing enzymatic reaction on the paraoxon when the paraoxon is exposed to the hydrogel-enzyme construct under a temperature condition of up to above 99° C. and below 100° C. or when the paraoxon is exposed to the hydrogel-enzyme construct after the hydrogel-enzyme construct has been heated to a temperature condition of up to 550° C., where the enzymatic reaction on the paraoxon by individual dPTE2 molecules embedded within the hydrogel occurs at a residual activity of between 20% and 100%.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring antenna radiation patterns comprising an array of test antennas coupled to at least one transmitter and an antenna under test located proximate to the array of test antennas. A compressive sensing processor is coupled to the antenna under test and the array of test antennas to control signals emitted and received by the antenna under test and the array of test antennas. The received signals comprise either amplitude only signals or amplitude and phase signals. The compressive sensing processor processes the received signals using compressive sensing to produce an antenna radiation pattern.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a filter cartridge for a facepiece respirator mask body. The filter cartridge includes a cover, a base, and a filter medium. The cover has a top surface, a cover sidewall, cover support elements, and an inhalation vent. The cover support elements extend downwardly from the top surface. The inhalation vent is located at least primarily in the cover sidewall. The base has a bottom surface, a base sidewall, base support elements, and an inhalation port. The base support elements extend upwardly from the bottom surface. The inhalation port is located in the bottom surface. The base and the cover collectively define an interior compartment. The filter medium is sandwiched between the base support elements and the cover support elements in a manner that divides the interior compartment into an upper chamber and a lower chamber.

Abstract: A highly-conformal, pliable thin electromagnetic (EM) skin for altering at least one electromagnetic property of a surface includes a pliable thin film, and sub-wavelength elements incorporated into and/or on the pliable thin film which are smaller in scale than the wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation they are intended to influence. The electromagnetic skin readily conforms to contours of a surface to which it attaches or otherwise adheres to. Such electromagnetic skin can be used to cover various surface and platforms on equipment, walls, vehicles, and aircraft to change the electromagnetic properties of such surfaces to achieve certain functions that are not achievable with simple ground plane surfaces. The EM skin may be judiciously configured to alter at least one electromagnetic property of the surface by blocking, absorbing, enhancing, and/or bending waves of electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: An ammunition projectile puller includes a body with one or more jaws to engage the projectile. The jaws can generally displace axially or radially relative to an axis of a through opening, and/or rotate around an axis transverse to the through axis, all within a predetermined range of motion. The jaws obtain a reliable purchase on the projectile to facilitate the extraction. The extracted projectile is cleared from the puller by the insertion of the next projectile to be extracted. The device is thus self-locating, self-locking, self-clearing, tolerant of projectile variation, operable with different projectile types and calibers, reliable, and efficient.

Abstract: A biofabrication method for producing cellulose-based materials. The method includes providing active cellulose-producing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter and culturing media in a container; combining organic additives or inorganic additives with the active cellulose-producing bacteria in the container to produce a cellulose hydrogel matrix composed of entangled bacteria-produced cellulose nanofibers; controlling a concentration of the additives in the cellulose hydrogel matrix; and exposing the cellulose hydrogel matrix in selected thermal environment to create a biofabricated functional material.

Abstract: An actively stabilized random number generator includes a random number generator and a feedback controller. The random number generator includes a chaotic physical circuit realizing an iterated function. The iterated function is configured to produce a trajectory of iterates and has an operating parameter ? and a desired Markov operating point. A binary bit converter has a symbol function configured to produce binary symbols from the trajectory of iterates and a maximal kneading sequence. The feedback controller is configured to observe the maximal kneading sequence within the trajectory of iterates and adjust the operating parameter to the desired Markov operating point.

Abstract: An iron containing bioreactor for treating explosive compounds and other organics in contaminated surface water is disclosed. The bioreactor can be located either on-ground or in-ground at a location across which contaminated surface water flows. In one configuration the reactor is made up of (i) indigenous microbes, (ii) acetate, (iii) a low density iron-containing bed, and contains anaerobic zones in at least one portion of the flowpath. The reactor reduces the concentration of explosive compounds to below 10 ppb and also maintains this explosive compound reduction level for a period of at least one year without replenishing the microbes or iron.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a field-deployable acoustic camera system is provided for measuring a two-dimensional velocity field in a large scale flow in a turbid environment. The system includes an acoustic camera and a concentrator lens. The concentrator lens operates to reduce a spreading angle of the acoustic camera. The system is configured to apply planar cross-correlation velocimetry to collected images of native micro-bubble and/or suspended particle motion collected in turbid environments such as lake circulation, riverine, estuarine, and coastal flows, as well as turbid flows that occur near dredging operations.

Abstract: A heat exchange component includes a part configured for exchanging thermal energy, the part is formed of at least one solid state Martensitic transformation phase change material which is configured to readily undergo a solid-solid martensitic transformation from one crystalline structure to another different crystalline structure during a change in temperature in the normal and/or anticipated operating temperatures of the heat exchange component. In some embodiments, the system further includes a temporally-evolving external temperature/heat source which changes the temperature and resultant phase of the solid-state phase change material. The temporally-evolving external temperature/heat source may involve a solid conducting material or electronic/photonic component, a fluid, a plasma, and/or a radiation source.

Abstract: A method of forming a net shape preform for a high performance ballistic helmet includes preparing one or more full prepreg plies, preparing one or more filler prepreg plies, wherein a shape and orientation of one filler prepreg ply of the one or more filler prepreg plies is different from a shape and orientation of another filler prepreg ply of the one or more filler prepreg plies, layering the one or more full prepreg plies with one or more filler prepreg plies to form a ply stack and deforming a portion of the ply stack while constraining the ply stack by applying in-plane tensional force to the ply stack to form the net-shape preform.

Abstract: Alloys comprised of a refined microstructure, ultrafine or nano scaled, that when reacted with water or any liquid containing water will spontaneously and rapidly produce hydrogen at ambient or elevated temperature are described. These metals, termed here as aluminum based nanogalvanic alloys will have applications that include but are not limited to energy generation on demand. The alloys may be composed of primarily aluminum and other metals e.g. tin bismuth, indium, gallium, lead, etc. and/or carbon, and mixtures and alloys thereof. The alloys may be processed by ball milling for the purpose of synthesizing powder feed stocks, in which each powder particle will have the above mentioned characteristics. These powders can be used in their inherent form or consolidated using commercially available techniques for the purpose of manufacturing useful functional components.

Abstract: In some examples, a method for estimating the cetane number of a fuel includes receiving current engine operating condition measurements from a compression ignition (CI) engine using the fuel, and determining a value for a current engine performance indicator. The method further includes determining a projected engine performance indicator value for the CI engine based on the current estimated cetane number, current engine control signals and the current engine operating condition measurements. The method also includes determining that a difference between the value of the current engine performance indicator and the projected engine performance indicator value is greater than a threshold amount. If the difference is greater than the threshold amount, the method also includes determining a new estimated cetane number.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to aqueous and hybrid aqueous electrolytes that comprise a lithium salt. The present invention is also directed to methods of making the electrolytes and methods of using the electrolytes in batteries and other electrochemical technologies.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a bathymetry system includes a base slab, multiple spacer assemblies, a decking layer, multiple computer numerical control routed blocks, a waterproof coating, and multiple floor joints. The spacer assemblies are coupled with a top surface of the base slab, the decking layer is disposed on top surfaces of the spacer assemblies, the blocks are disposed on a top surface of the decking layer, floor joints are disposed between blocks and the decking layer, and the waterproof coating is disposed on top surfaces of the blocks. The top surfaces of the routed blocks are shaped so that the blocks collectively provide a bathymetry profile, such as a bottom contour of a riverbed.