Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method that includes polymerizing a nitrile with an acrylate ester to form a copolymer, in a mixture that includes water and an alcohol (R2—OH), according to the following reaction where R1 includes at least one of a first aliphatic group or hydrogen, R2 comprises at least one of a second aliphatic group or hydrogen, 100?m?4000, and 1?n?4000. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the mixture may be an emulsion.

Abstract: A method for wirelessly or conductively (non-wireless) providing AC or DC power in AC or DC load applications and bidirectional applications.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods of producing plants with preferred levels of cell wall biosynthesis; and uses of such plants. The inventors have identified that the GFR9, CCoAOMT and MYB41 genes are major regulators of the cell wall biosynthesis pathway. Plants with modulated cell wall biosynthesis, based on modulation of the expression or activity of the GFR9, CCoAOMT and MYB41 genes, have divergent uses including pulp and paper production, and bioproduct production.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are structures comprising a titanium, zirconium, or hafnium powder particle with titanium carbide, zirconium carbide, or hafnium carbide (respectively) nano-whiskers grown directly from and anchored to the powder particle. Also disclosed are methods for fabrication of such structures, involving heating the powder particles and exposing the particles to an organic gas.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a nuclear fuel compact is provided. The method includes forming an additive structure, consolidating a fuel matrix around the additive structure, and thermally processing the fuel matrix to form a fuel compact in which the additive structure is encapsulated therein. The additive structure optionally includes a vertical segment and a plurality of arm segments that extend generally radially from the vertical segment for conducting heat outwardly toward an exterior of the fuel compact. In addition to improving heat transfer, the additive structure may function as burnable absorbers, and may provide fission product trapping.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are vectors and components for a nucleic acid cloning system, and methods of use of the vectors and components in cloning nucleic acid fragments of interest. The cloning system includes two families of destination vectors which can be used in alternating form to systematically combine nucleic acid fragments of interest.

Abstract: An alloy includes aluminum, a rare earth element, and an alloying element selected from the following: Si, Cu, Mg, Fe, Ti, Zn, Zr, Mn, Ni, Sr, B, Ca, and a combination thereof. The aluminum (Al), the rare earth element (RE), and the alloying element are characterized by forming at least one form of an intermetallic compound. An amount of the rare earth element in the alloy is in a range of about 1 wt. % to about 12 wt. %, and an amount of the alloying element in the alloy is greater than an amount of the alloying element present in the intermetallic compound.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for determining the thermal conductivity of a fluid specimen are provided. The apparatus and the method include determining thermal conductivity using a quasi-steady state variable gap axial flow technique. The fluid specimen is heated on one side by a heat source with a known power output and cooled on the other side. After reaching steady state, a resulting temperature drop through the fluid specimen exists. This temperature drop, the known fluid specimen thickness (or gap distance), and the known power output are used to calculate the thermal resistance of the fluid specimen. The thermal conductivity of the fluid specimen is then determined using a curve fit of thermal resistance with respect to gap distance.

Abstract: An improved method of recycling lithium-ion battery anode scraps is provided. The method involves isolating an anode scrap including a graphite anode film adhered to a current collector foil with a polyvinylidene fluoride binder. The anode scrap is combined with deionized water to form a first mixture. The graphite anode film is delaminated from the current collector foil to form a second mixture comprising a free collector foil and a free graphite anode film. The free graphite anode film is filtered and dried from the second mixture to recover the free graphite anode film. The free graphite anode film is combined with a solvent comprising N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) to form an anode formation slurry. The slurry is coated onto a copper current collector to produce a new anode.

Abstract: A method and a system for automated plant surveillance and manipulation are provided. Pursuant to the method and the system, images of target plants are obtained through a machine vision system having multiple cameras. The obtained images of the target plants are processed to determine tissue candidates of the target plants and to determine a position and an orientation of each tissue candidate. A tool is manipulated, based on the position and the orientation of each tissue candidate, to excise each tissue candidate to obtain tissue samples. The tissue samples are transported for subsequently manipulation including live processing of the tissue samples or destructive processing of the tissue samples.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a composition that can be used to make liquid crystalline networks using thiol-ene-based polymerization. In particular embodiments, the liquid crystalline networks can be formed by using the composition embodiments in additive manufacturing methods. The composition comprises a monomer, chain extender compound, and a crosslinker compound and each of these components can be selected so as to influence the thermomechanical and shape memory properties of the liquid crystalline networks and/or objects formed therewith.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides agricultural compositions and methods of using these compositions to increase plant growth, pathogen resistance and drought tolerance. The agricultural compositions disclosed herein comprise mixtures of mutualistic beneficial fungi such as Laccaria bicolor and Piriformispora indica, and bacterial strains of Pseudomonas.

Abstract: Various embodiments relate to devices for transporting high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU). A device may include at least one section, wherein each section of the at least one section includes a number of storage tubes. Each storage tube, which is configured to receive and hold a container, extends from adjacent a first end of the section toward a second, opposite end of the section. Each section further includes a number of flux traps, wherein each storage tube of the number of storage tubes is at least partially surrounded by a flux trap of the number of flux traps Associated systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing circular queues are disclosed. A pointer designates an index position of a particular queue element and contains an additional pointer state, whereby two pointer values (split indexes) can designate the same index position. Front and rear pointers are respectively managed by dequeue and enqueue logic. The front pointer state and rear pointer state distinguish full and empty queue states when both pointers designate the same index position. Asynchronous dequeue and enqueue operations are supported, no lock is required, and no queue entry is wasted. Hardware and software embodiments for numerous applications are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods of quantum key distribution include receiving a frequency bin photon at a location, selecting a frequency bin photon quantum key distribution measurement basis, with a quantum frequency processor, performing a measurement basis transformation on the received frequency bin photon so that the frequency bin photon is measurable in the selected frequency bin photon quantum key distribution measurement basis, and detecting the frequency bin photon in the selected quantum key distribution measurement basis and assigning a quantum key distribution key value based on the detection to a portion of a quantum key distribution key. Apparatus and methods for encoding, decoding, transmitting, and receiving frequency bin photons are disclosed.

Abstract: A catalyst composition for converting an alcohol to olefins, the catalyst composition comprising the following components: (a) a support (e.g., particles) comprising silicon and oxygen; (b) at least one of copper and silver residing on and/or incorporated into said support; and (c) at least one lanthanide element residing on and/or incorporated into said support. The catalyst may also further include component (d), which is zinc. Also described herein is a method for converting an alcohol to one or more olefinic compounds (an olefin fraction) by contacting the alcohol with a catalyst at a temperature of at least 100° C. and up to 500° C. to result in direct conversion of the alcohol to an olefin fraction containing one or more olefinic compounds containing at least three carbon atoms; wherein ethylene and propylene are produced in a minor proportion of the olefin fraction, and butenes and higher olefins are produced in major proportion.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention provide solid oxide cells and components thereof having a metal oxide electrolyte that exhibits enhanced ionic conductivity. Certain of those embodiments have two materials, at least one of which is a metal oxide, disposed so that at least some interfaces between the domains of the materials orient in a direction substantially parallel to the desired ionic conductivity.

Abstract: A solid aluminum-fiber composite comprising: (i) an aluminum-containing matrix comprising elemental aluminum; (ii) coated or uncoated fibers embedded within said aluminum-containing matrix, wherein said fibers have a different composition than said aluminum-containing matrix and impart additional strength to said aluminum-containing matrix as compared to said aluminum-containing matrix in the absence of said fibers embedded therein; and (iii) an intermetallic layer present as an interface between each of said fibers and the aluminum-containing matrix, wherein said intermetallic layer has a composition different from said aluminum-containing matrix and said fibers, and said intermetallic layer contains at least one element that is also present in the aluminum-containing matrix and at least one element present in the fibers, whether from the coated or interior portion of the fibers. Methods of producing the above-described composite are also described.