Abstract: A device including at least one gripping member, rotatably mounted about an axis Z-Z, adapted to hold at least one end of at least one elongated element for chemical vapour deposition for forming a preform. The device includes at least one burner being mobile along a direction substantially parallel to the axis Z-Z and adapted to deposit, on the elongated element, a chemical substance for forming a preform, and at least one suction element arranged on the opposite side of the burner on a portion of a wall of the device on the opposite side of the gripping member from the burner. At least one air suction member, mobile along direction Z, is provided with motion synchronous with respect to the burner. The wall with the air suction member has a pair of respective upper and lower tapes rigidly associated with the burner.

Abstract: Process and apparatus are provided for depositing target materials onto the surface of a moving substrate which may be used in the preparation of composites, cigarette filters, cigarette wrapper, bandages, biomedical applications, cosmetic and cleaning materials, and the like. A moving substrate comprising a fibrous mat or paper passes through one or more reaction chambers each having hot and cold regions. At least one target material is positioned in the hot region, and a laser beam ablates the material thereby producing modified additive material. As the substrate moves through the cold region of the reaction chamber, the modified additive material adheres to the exposed surface of the substrate.

Abstract: In order to improve a method for the production of structural ceramics and/or functional ceramics consisting of silicon carbide ceramics, with which a porous precursor body is produced from a cellulose-containing material, the porous precursor body is converted into an open-pored carbon body by means of pyrolysis and the open-pored carbon body is converted into silicon-containing carbide ceramics, in particular, silicon carbide ceramics as a result of infiltration of silicon-containing materials, in such a manner that the structural ceramics and/or functional ceramics as well as the components produced therefrom can be produced with properties which are as reproducible as possible it is suggested that at least cellulose-containing powder be used as starting ingredient for the production of the precursor body.

Abstract: A synthetic fire opal and a process for its preparation. Synthetic fire opals have similar physical and chemical properties as natural fire opals. Synthetic fire opals are colored, hard, and transparent. The process of preparation of synthetic fire opal includes; mixing TEOS with absolute ethanol (99.9%), distilled water, concentrated nitric acid, and an inorganic salt to form a clear sol, storing the clear sol to obtain a gel, drying the gel and sintering the dried gel to obtain a synthetic fire opal.

Abstract: A method of forming a glass melt including heating a glass feed material in a first melting furnace to form a glass melt, flowing the glass melt into a second melting furnace through a refractory metal connecting tube, and further heating the glass melt in the second melting furnace. The refractory metal connecting tube is heated to prevent the molten glass from excessive cooling, and to ensure that the glass melt entering the second melting furnace is equal to or greater than the temperature of the glass melt in the second melting furnace. An apparatus for performing the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the separation of foreign bodies and a device for the separation of foreign bodies from a tobacco stream. The method according to the invention is characterized in that the tobacco stream is directly conveyed into the area of the foreign-body detection device with compressed air and whereby foreign bodies in the tobacco stream are identified by means of the foreign-body detection device based on at least one characteristic and subsequently removed from the tobacco stream. The A device according to the invention is characterized in that a device (feeding device) feeding the tobacco to a foreign-body detection device and a foreign-body separation device are provided, whereby the tobacco feeding device for conveying the tobacco stream comprises a source of compressed air.

Abstract: Cigarettes are manufactured using modified automated cigarette making apparatus. Those cigarettes possess smokable rods having paper wrapping materials having additive materials applied thereto as patterns. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an off-line manner to a continuous paper sheet web that is later used for cigarette manufacture. The additive material can be applied as a coating formulation in an on-line manner to continuous paper web moving through an operating cigarette making machine. The coating formulation is applied to the paper web using roll applicator techniques, ink jet printing techniques or electrostatic precipitation techniques. Liquid coating formulation are curable, and are virtually absent of solvent or liquid carrier. Radiation, such as ultraviolet or electron beam radiation, is used to solidify and fix polymerizable liquid components of the coating formulation that have been applied to the paper web.

Abstract: Smoking articles and filters, which involve the use of carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbents are provided. The carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent has a carbon coating within pores of a mesoporous molecular sieve. The carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent provides selective adsorption of one or more constituents from mainstream smoke, such as acrolein or 1,3-butadiene. Thus, certain constituents from cigarette smoke will be selectively removed, while maintaining other constituents, such as those that contribute to flavor. Methods for making cigarette filters and smoking articles using the carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent, as well as methods for smoking a cigarette comprising the carbon-coated molecular sieve sorbent, are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing compounds based on one or more silicates of alkali metals and/or of alkaline-earth metals, optionally in the form of mixed silicates that combine at least two of these elements, said process involving: (i) preferably a conversion reaction (1) in which halides of said alkali metals and/or of said rare earths and/or of said alkaline-earth metals are converted into the corresponding sulfates; (iii) a conversion reaction (2) in which said sulfates together with silica are converted into the corresponding silicates, the heat supply needed for this conversion being provided, at least in part, by a combustion reaction (3) using a submerged burner or a plurality of submerged burners.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a ceramic article which includes providing a batch comprising components of (i) a mixture of inorganic raw materials comprising talc, alumina, and silica; (ii) a binder comprising a water-soluble organic binder and a fibrous silicate mineral having a high aspect ratio in combination with a large surface area that is highly charged and has a strong interaction with a polar solvent, and is further characterized by a median particle size of 1-2 microns; and (iii) a polar solvent; mixing the batch components to form a homogenous and plasticized mass; shaping the plasticized mass into a green body wherein the green body has improved strength in a temperature region between 300°-900° C. to resist cracking during subsequent sintering; and, sintering the green body by heating to a temperature and for a time to initiate and sufficiently achieve conversion of the green body into a fired ceramic article.

Abstract: Multi-flame burner wherein each flame is separated with respect to the neighboring flame by at least one separating tube made of a heat resistant material, for example, quartz glass or ceramic material. The burner also has a plurality of co-axial pipes, preferably made of a metallic material. The cross section of the upper end of the separating tube can be modified in order to increase the deposition rate of the burner. Methods for manufacturing optical fibre preforms by vapour deposition using the multi-flame deposition burners.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for manufacturing an optical glass in order to prevent the deterioration of the burner used in the synthesis of glass particles that form the optical glass, and to obtain a stable quality optical glass. In this invention, the number of residual bubbles with a diameter of 0.3 mm and more is 0.005/cm3 or less per unit volume of the optical glass. Such optical glass is obtained by controlling the temperature of an end face of the burner for glass synthesis during the deposition of the glass particles by regulating the relationship of the flow velocity or the flow volume between an inflammable gas and a combustion-supporting gas.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure, including: firing a formed body containing ceramic particles and a combustible powder functioning as a pore former, and burning off the combustible powder to obtain the porous ceramic structure. As the combustible powder, porous resin particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 50 ?m and a porosity of 50 to 90% are used. The method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure can inhibit the combustible powder functioning as a pore former from being smashed upon mixing/kneading a forming raw material and suppressing an excess heat generation upon firing and can manufacture a porous ceramic structure having a stable porosity with a good yield.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure which can produce a high porosity ceramic structure as well as a low porosity ceramic structure without causing cracks at the time of firing. A method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure comprising molding a raw material which contains a ceramic material as a main component and a pore-forming agent and then drying and firing the obtained molded article. When the molded article is fired, the temperature of a firing environment is raised substantially in synchronization with the temperature of the central portion of the molded article within a temperature range in which at least a portion of the molded article is shrunk by firing.

Abstract: A microstructured assembly including a barrier portions and land portions is described. The microstructures have alternating barrier portions and land portions that have barrier surfaces and land surfaces, respectively. Each barrier surface and land surface is connected by curved surface, which is part of a curved portion. The curved surface and the land surface are substantially continuous.

Abstract: The invention relates to a smokeable filler material having an increased fill value and processes for making the smokeable filler. The smokeable filler has a fill value of at least 5 cc/g and comprises a cellulose material, a humectant, an inert filler, a binder, and optionally a tobacco containing material.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a device for melting batch materials that combines at least two separate melting modules, including a module A(1) which is predominantly fitted with heating means in the form of crown burners and/or submerged electrodes, and a module B(2) which is predominantly fitted with heating means in the form of submerged burners.

Abstract: A press die and a molding process can form a disk member having a shaft shaped portion at a center with satisfactory circularity and flatness in a disk portion, dimensional precision in the shaft shaped portion, and concentricity between the disk portion and the shaft shaped portion at the center. The press die is designed for press molding of a glass substrate of a disk member with a shaft shaped portion at a center thereof. The press die includes an upper die forming an upper surface of the disk member, an intermediate die having a shaft forming hole portion for forming a shaft shaped portion projecting from a disk portion of the disk member, a lower die for forming a lower surface of the shaft shaped portion and a guide member for guiding the upper die, the intermediate die and the lower die.

Abstract: A method of forming a porous mullite composition of acicular mullite grains having improved properties is described, where the mullite is formed at some time in the presence of a fluorine containing gas. For example, it has been discovered that improved properties may result from heating the mullite to a high temperature in an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of water vapor, oxygen, an inert gas or mixtures thereof or forming the mullite composition from precursors having an AL/Si ratio of at most 2.95.

Abstract: A smokeless pipe for the ingestion of tobacco products which includes an elongated hollow member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a length therebetween. The elongated hollow member includes a constricted portion along its length to retain the tobacco products within, a first opening to enable a user to draw from, a fill port to enable a user to fill the hollow member with the tobacco products, and a bulbous chamber.