Abstract: Biologically-inspired compositions, including color changing compositions, and corresponding embodiments such as sensors, textile materials, coatings and films, are provided which typically include a solid, transparent and nondegradable matrix. The matrix contains a plurality of (i) synthetic particles having a size in the micrometer or nanometer range, each synthetic particle including one or more aggregates of a pigment selected from phenoxazone, phenoxazine, and a derivate or precursor thereof, and a stabilizing material which has a refractive index larger than 1.45, the aggregates having a size larger than about 100 nm; or (ii) submicrometer natural particles extracted and purified from homogenized tissue.

Abstract: A vehicle has a sacrificial buoyancy structure for attenuating damage to the vehicle body due to an under-vehicle explosion. The vehicle has a primary hull, connector plates disposed along the primary hull, track assemblies mounted to the connector plates, and gussets attaching the connector plates to the primary hull. The connection of the gussets to the primary hull is sacrificial in that a sufficient amount of explosive force detaches the gussets, connector plates and track assemblies from the primary hull, whereby the gussets, connector plates and track assemblies absorb a portion of the explosive force. The vehicle further has cross rods disposed between the connector plates and affixed thereto. The vehicle also has a sacrificial buoyancy hull beneath the primary hull attached to the cross members wherein the buoyancy hull, connector plates and primary hull form an enclosed buoyancy compartment enabling the vehicle to float on water.

Abstract: This present invention provides a method of making benzazoles comprising a process of making aryl or alkyl benzazoles from corresponding aryl acid chlorides or alkyl acid chlorides without applying hazard condensing agent. The benzazole compounds described in this invention have following formula I: Wherein: n is an integer of from 3 to 8; Z is O, NR or S; and R and R? are individually hydrogen; alkyl of from 1 to 24 carbon atoms, for example, propyl, t-butyl, heptyl, and the like; aryl or hetero-atom substituted aryl of from 5 to 20 carbon atoms, for example, phenyl and naphthyl, furyl, thienyl, pyridyl, quinolinyl and other heterocyclic systems; or halo such as chloro, fluoro, bromo, cyano; or atoms necessary to complete a fused aromatic ring; and B is a linkage unit consisting of alkyl, aryl, substituted alkyl, or substituted aryl which conjugately or unconjugately connects the multiple benzazoles together.

Abstract: A large-aperture direct-view high-speed electro-optic shutter includes an electro-optic polymer material constructed to form a Pockels cell and an integrated photoconducting semiconductor switch. A chromophore-doped polymer material or chromophore copolymer, wherein the chromophore is oriented within the polymer material, exhibits a linear electro-optic effect when an electric field is applied to the device. In one embodiment, the polymer host material comprises one or more of a polycarbonate, amorphous polycarbonate, or polymethylmethacrylate polymer hosts. The optically active chromophore comprising one or more coumarin and coumarin derivatives, stilbene or tolane derivatives is incorporated within the polymer host, forming a guest-host polymer. In another embodiment, the chromophore is chemically bonded to the monomer that forms the polymer, resulting in an optically active copolymer.

Abstract: A series of polar and aprotic organic molecules, which, when used as solvents or additives in nonaqueous electrolytes, afford improved performance for electrochemical cells that operate at high voltages. These polar and aprotic solvents or additives may contain at least one unsaturated functionality per molecule. The unsaturated functionality is conjugated with the polar functionality of the molecule. The unsaturated functionality that is either a double or triple bond could be between carbon-carbon, or between carbon-heteroatom, or between hetroatom-heteroatom. Nonaqueous electrolyte solutions are provided comprising one or more lithium salts dissolved in the mixture solvents, which comprises, in all possible ratios, at least one of the polar, aprotic and unsaturated solvent or additives, one or more cyclic carbonic diesters such as ethylene carbonate, and one or more acyclic carbonic diesters such as dimethyl carbonate, diethyl carbonate, and ethylmethyl carbonate.

Abstract: A compositionally stratified multi-layer Ba1-xSrxTiO3 (BST) heterostructure material is described which includes a lower layer of crystallized Ba1-xSrxTiO3 perovskite oxide where x is in the range of 0.36-0.44, inclusive, deposited on a substrate; an intermediate layer of crystallized Ba1-xSrxTiO3 perovskite oxide where x is in the range of 0.23-0.27, inclusive, in contact with the lower layer; and an upper layer of crystallized Ba1-xSrxTiO3 perovskite oxide where x in the range of 0.08-0.13, inclusive, in contact with the intermediate layer. A phase shifter and/or preselector tunable device including a compositionally stratified multi-layer BST hererostructure material is described according to the present invention. Temperature sensitivity of an inventive phase shifter is reduced by at least 70% in the temperature interval of 20 to 90° C., inclusive, and by at least 14% in the temperature interval of ?10 to 20° C., inclusive, compared to a compositionally homogeneous 60/40 BST material.

Abstract: An electrochemical cell comprising a cathode comprising an electrode active material that reversibly intercalates and de-intercalates any of cations and molecules; an anode comprising an electrode active material that reversibly intercalates and de-intercalates any of cations, anions, and molecules; a separator material that separates the cathode from the anode; and an electrolyte comprising a base electrolyte composition, an ionic compound additive, and a solvent comprising any of aqueous and non-aqueous electrolyte solvents, wherein the additive dissolves in the base electrolyte composition as well a majority of the aqueous or non-aqueous electrolyte solvents, wherein the additive comprises a solubility of at least approximately 0.01 in the base electrolyte composition, wherein the additive dissociates into corresponding cations and anions upon dissolution, and wherein the cations originate from a metal element and reduce to an elemental form at a potential that is at least approximately 0.

Abstract: A process for forming a prestressed structure that includes: winding a plurality of fibers around a structure in order to compressively prestress the structure; wherein the winding is achieved by a fiber tensioning device that includes: a plurality of axles rotatably supported by the frame, each axle having a drum that engages the plurality of aligned fibers, each axle also having a sprocket; a chain for coupling each of the sprockets; a brake connected to the chain which opposes the motion of the chain thus increasing the tension in the plurality of aligned fibers that are in contact with said drums; and whereby the aligned fibers are wound onto the structure under increased tension thus imparting compressive pressure between the aligned fibers on to the wound structure.

Abstract: A primer feed mechanism mounted on a carrier of an artillery piece includes a body assembly for mounting the primer feed mechanism on the carrier, the body assembly having guide rails and a follower plate; a tray assembly that is movable on the guide rails of the body assembly, the tray assembly including a housing and an injector arm assembly; an actuator drive link connected to the carrier; a quick release link connected to the actuator drive link; and a drive link assembly connected to the quick release link and to the injector arm assembly; wherein one end of the injector arm assembly includes a push pin that reciprocates in the housing to inject a primer and another end of the injector arm assembly includes a follower that travels in the follower plate of the body assembly.

Abstract: A passive fuel cell assembly, in which there is neither air pump, nor fuel pump, is comprised of a plurality of bi-cell units. Each bi-cell unit includes a first cell and a second cell, and each cell includes an electrode of a first polarity and an electrode of a second polarity, with an ion permeable membrane disposed therebetween. The bi-cell unit further includes a fuel container which comprises a housing defining a fuel chamber having a first and second open surface. The first and second cells are disposed on opposite sides so that electrodes of each cell having the first polarity are disposed in fluid contact with the fuel chamber. The assembly further includes an oxidizer supply member disposed between adjacent pairs of bi-cell units. The oxidizer supply member includes an oxidizer chamber having four sides to take in air, and having first and second open surfaces.

Abstract: A method and system for generating images from projection data; a preferred embodiment comprising inputting projection data from at least one receiving element; generating a first aperture or array of data points containing positional and signal data; arbitrarily and/or randomly removing data points from the first array to form a series of subarrays comprising different sets of data points; generating preliminary images from the subarrays; comparing the corresponding image pixels from two preliminary images to determine for each pixel location the lesser or equal pixel values; forming a merged image from the lesser or equal pixel values; and repeating the comparison of corresponding image pixels of another preliminary image to the merged image to determine the lesser or equal pixel values until a merged image of the desired quality is obtained. A preferred embodiment of the system may comprise at least one processor, comparator and/or image generator.

Abstract: A piezoelectric microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) actuator includes a silicon substrate; an actuator beam comprising a first end region connected to the silicon substrate and a second end region connected to a mechanically compliant spring assembly; a first electrode over the silicon substrate; a piezoelectric layer above the first electrode; a second electrode over the piezoelectric layer; a conductive top structural layer above the second electrode, wherein a center half of the actuator beam is configured as a positive deflection region, and wherein both the first electrode and the second electrode supply voltage to both positive and negative deflection regions of the actuator beam.

Abstract: Co-fabricating of vertical piezoelectric MEMS actuators that achieve large positive and negative displacements through operating electric fields in excess of the coercive field includes forming a large negative displacement vertical piezoelectric MEMS actuator, forming a bottom structural dielectric layer above a substrate layer; forming a bottom electrode layer above the structural dielectric layer; forming an active piezoelectric layer above the bottom electrode layer; forming a top electrode layer above the active piezoelectric layer; forming a top structural layer above the top electrode layer, wherein the x-y neutral plane of the negative displacement vertical piezoelectric MEMS actuator is above the mid-plane of the active piezoelectric layer, wherein the negative displacement vertical piezoelectric MEMS actuator is partially released from the substrate to allow free motion of the actuator; and combining the large negative displacement vertical piezoelectric MEMS actuator and a large positive displaceme

Abstract: Compounds containing bibenzochalcogenophene structures are provided in which the chalcogenide is sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. The compounds are characterized by planarity, rigid conjugation structure and high charge mobility making them useful as organic semiconductor in optical devices, electronic devices and integrated devices like organic field effect transistors (OFET) for thin film transistor liquid crystal display (LCD), electrophoretic display such as electronic paper, organic light emitting diode (OLED) for flat panel displays, organic radio frequency identification (ORFID) tags, organic photovoltaic (OPV), sensor devices, and analog and digital electronics.

Abstract: A fuel cell assembly is comprised of a plurality of stack units. Each stack unit includes a first cell and a second cell, and each cell includes an electrode of a first polarity and an electrode of a second polarity, with an ion permeable membrane disposed therebetween. The stack unit further includes a fuel container which comprises a housing defining a fuel chamber having a first and second open surface. The first and second cells are disposed on opposite sides so that electrodes of each cell having the first polarity are disposed in fluid contact with the fuel chamber. The assembly further includes an oxidizer supply member disposed between adjacent pairs of stack units. The oxidizer supply member includes an oxidizer chamber having first and second open surfaces. The oxidizer supply member is disposed so that electrodes of the second polarity of adjacent stack units are in fluid contact with the chamber of the oxidizer supply member.

Abstract: A mirror having a first substrate and a reflective film formed on the first substrate, the reflective film made of mercury and at least one metal, wherein the mirror is operative such that light incident upon the first substrate and having an intensity that falls below a fluence threshold is reflected by the reflective film, and light incident upon the first substrate and having an intensity that exceeds the fluence threshold passes through the reflective film.

Abstract: A compositionally stratified multi-layer Ba1-xSrxTiO3 (BST) heterostructure material is described which includes a lower layer of crystallized Ba1-xSrxTiO3 perovskite oxide where x is in the range of 0.36-0.44, inclusive, deposited on a substrate; an intermediate layer of crystallized Ba1-xSrxTiO3 perovskite oxide where x is in the range of 0.23-0.27, inclusive, in contact with the lower layer; and an upper layer of crystallized Ba1-xSrxTiO3 perovskite oxide where x in the range of 0.08-0.13, inclusive, in contact with the intermediate layer. A phase shifter and/or preselector tunable device including a compositionally stratified multi-layer BST heterostructure material is described according to the present invention. Temperature sensitivity of an inventive phase shifter is reduced by at least 70% in the temperature interval of 20 to 90° C., inclusive, and by at least 14% in the temperature interval of ?10 to 20° C., inclusive, compared to a compositionally homogeneous 60/40 BST material.

Abstract: Included are embodiments for providing an infrared detector structure. At least one embodiment of a device includes a substrate and an n-type layer coupled to the substrate, the n-type layer being configured as an n-type contact for a first electrical connection to a read out integrated circuit. Some embodiments include a growing component configured as an intrinsic absorbing superlattice and a p-type contact layer coupled to the intrinsic absorbing superlattice layer, the p-type contact layer being coupled to the read out integrated circuit via a second electrical connection.