Abstract: Ultrathin film thermocouple devices, which are extremely small in size and thickness and flexible, allow measurement of temperatures during processing of flexible elements which flex during processing. The invention includes temperature measuring devices where the thermocouple is deposited on the flexible element being processed. Such thermocouple devices are useful in a variety of applications where conventional temperature measuring devices can not be used. Such thermocouples devices are made from a variety of thermocouple metals including copper-constantan and copper-nickel and may be fabricated on flexible substrates by evaporation. Detailed fabrication procedures are also described. These devices are surprisingly robust, able to withstand extensive flexing without alteration or deterioration in thermocouple properties, and exhibit thermal EMF's which are reproducible from sample to sample and readily measurable.

Abstract: A turbine blade including a blade and blade foot. The blade foot is formed by a ductile material and the blade comprises a material which is brittle compared to the ductile material but resistant to high temperature. The two materials are alloys of the same base compositions but differ as to presence and/or quantity of at least one doping element. The alloys can be hot-compacted with the formation of a transition zone joining the blade and blade root wherein fine crystallites of the blade root interpenetrate coarse crystallites of the blade. The two materials can comprise a gamma-titanium aluminide containing 0.5 to 8 atomic percent of a dopant. The turbine blade exhibits outstanding mechanical properties at high temperatures, good ductility at room temperature and a long service life.

Abstract: A thermoelectric cooling device for a thermoelectric refrigerator is described. The device is composed of p-type and n-type semiconductor layers, a first inner heat conductor, a first outer heat conductor, a second inner heat conductor, and a second outer heat conductor. The p-type and n-type semiconductor layers are electrically connected in series via the electrodes. The p-type and n-type semiconductor layers have a specific average thickness. The average figures of merit of the p-type and n-type semiconductor layers are controlled to a particular value. The thermal conductances of the first and second, inner and outer heat conductors fall within specific ranges, respectively. The coefficient of performance defined in terms of the ratio of the quantity of absorbed heat to inputted power is at least 0.6. Also described are a process for the fabrication of a semiconductor suitable for use in the thermoelectric cooling device and also a thermoelectric refrigerator using the thermoelectric cooling device.

Abstract: A nuclear propulsion reactor. A pressure vessel is provided with a reactor core that is surrounded by a radial reflector. Nuclear fuel elements in the core are formed from a hexagonal housing made from a high performance moderator and having a plurality of axial bores that extend the full length of the housing. A stack of nuclear fuel compacts having axial bores for coolant flow is received in the central axial bore of the housing. Hollow lithium hydride slugs are received in the bores at the corners of the housing. A rocket nozzle is attached to one end of the pressure vessel. Coolant/propellant flows into a passageway around the rocket nozzle for cooling thereof, upward through bores in the reflector and through the hexagonal housings of the fuel elements, downward through the bores in the nuclear fuel compacts and then out the rocket nozzle where propulsive thrust is produced.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a set of data from an industrial process and/or a sensor. The method and system can include processing data from either real or calculated data related to an industrial process variable. One of the data sets can be an artificial signal data set generated by an autoregressive moving average technique. After obtaining two data sets associated with one physical variable, a difference function data set is obtained by determining the arithmetic difference between the two pairs of data sets over time. A frequency domain transformation is made of the difference function data set to obtain Fourier modes describing a composite function data set. A residual function data set is obtained by subtracting the composite function data set from the difference function data set and the residual function data set (free of nonwhite noise) is analyzed by a statistical probability ratio test to provide a validated data base.

Abstract: A ferroelectric material, its fabrication technique, and use as a detector aterial, in a ferroelectric detector array is disclosed. The material is an alloy of essential pure components of Pb.sub.2 (Fe, Nb)O.sub.2 and Pb.sub.2 (Fe, Ta)O.sub.2 each with respective Curie temperatures. An essentially linear relationship is made for mole fraction compositions versus Curie temperatures of each component in the alloy, between the pure mole fractions and respective Curie temperatures of the pure components. A Curie temperature for the composition of Pb.sub.2 (Fe, [Ta.sub.(1-x), Nb.sub.x ])O.sub.6 is determined, where x is the mole fraction of Pb.sub.2 (Fe,Nb)O.sub.2 and 1-x is the mole fraction of Pb.sub.2 (Fe, Ta)O.sub.2, with x having a value greater than zero and less than one.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a gas generating material includes preparing a hot solution of a metal azide, preferably sodium azide, with metal oxide particles, preferably iron oxide particles, suspended in the solution. The metal azide is precipitated from the solution. The step of precipitating the metal azide from the solution includes cooling the hot solution to decrease the solubility of the metal azide in the solute. The metal azide precipitate and the iron oxide particles are then separated from the liquid.

Abstract: A method for heating metal powder, e.g., iron powder, comprises irradiating the powder with microwaves. The powder may be coated with various materials to enhance the heating effects of the microwave. For example, the powder may be coated with a non-emissive material, such as a ceramic material. The powder may also be coated with a dipole material, such as water or plastic, or a dielectric material.

Abstract: A turbine blade including a blade foot and a blade. The blade foot is formed by a ductile material and the blade comprises a material which is brittle compared to the ductile material but resistant to high temperature. The two materials are alloys of different chemical compositions and are hot-compacted with the formation of a boundary layer joining the blade foot and blade to produce a bimetallic composite material. The blade foot predominantly comprises a titanium-base alloy and the blade comprises a gamma-titanium aluminide containing 0.5 to 8 atomic percent of a dopant. The turbine blade exhibits outstanding mechanical properties at high temperatures, good ductility at room temperature and a long service life.

Abstract: In this invention, a cutting tool comprises two layers of hard sintered compact of cBN. The first sintered compact layer comprises about 75-98% by volume of cBN and a first binder material. The first binder material comprises from about 1 to out 40% by weight of Al. The second sintered compact layer comprises from about 40 to about 65% by volume of cBN and a second binder material. The second binder material comprises about 2 to about 30% by weight of Al. The first sintered compact layer is bonded to the second sintered compact layer. This composite material is bonded directly or indirectly to a tool holder to form a cutting tool. The first sintered compact layer constitutes a rake face of the cutting tool.

Abstract: A low voltage high amperage thermopile generating and electron storage unit is disclosed wherein current is formed by heating and cooling alternate junctions of dissimilar metals arranged in a circular fashion and may be enhanced with an electrical flux pump. Current may be withdrawn using an ultra fast thermopile type switch to connect to an electrical load source.

Abstract: Multijunction thermal converters are formed in an integral multifilm membrane form over a through opening in a nonmagnetic, dielectric substrate. Through the use of conventional photolithographic and etching techniques, very compact, rugged and precise integrated structures are formed to include either single linear elongate heater elements, bifilar or trifilar heater elements, and multijunction thermopiles at reasonable cost. Disposition of the heater element and hot junctions of the thermopiles over a through opening in the substrate, with the cold junctions of the thermopiles disposed over the substrate thickness, enables the heating element to provide a substantially isothermal uniform heating of the thermocouple hot junctions to obtain high thermal efficiency and reduce Thompson and Peltier heating effects. Forming the essential elements into an integrated multifilm membrane also makes possible minimization of interconnections between the elements, and this results in minimized reactance.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coating and method of depositing the same on the surfaces of combustion chamber components in compression-ignition internal combustion engines is disclosed. The thermal barrier coating is a dual layer having a first metallic layer comprised of MCrAlY material deposited on the component surface. A porous ceramic layer comprised of Yttria partially stabilized zirconia or Ceria-Yttria partially stabilized zirconia is deposited on the metallic layer to impede the flow of heat therethrough. In operation, the metallic layer creates a mechanical bond between the component surface and the ceramic layer, allows for a smooth transition between the differing physical properties of the component and the ceramic layer and serves as a corrosion barrier by protecting the component from combustion gases and contaminants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for making an aluminum silicon carbide composite material in strip form. The process comprises blending a powdered aluminum matrix material and a powdered silicon carbide material, roll compacting the blended powdered materials in an inert atmosphere to form a green strip having a first thickness, and directly hot working the blended and roll compacted materials to bond the aluminum matrix material particles and the silicon carbide particles and to form a thin strip material having a desired thickness.

Abstract: Heat transfer apparatus, whether in panel or tubular form, comprises bimetallic laminations, at least one of the metals being ferromagnetic. A temperature differential causes thermoelectric current circulation (in effect, a d.c. eddy-current) within each lamination which develops a magnetizing H-field. A transverse electric potential may also be used to enhance thermoelectric activity across a bimetallic junction. The ferromagnetic B-field enhancement develops in turn a circulating diamagnetic reaction current which augments the thermoelectric activity and causes an overriding thermal feedback and bistable direction-of-heat-flow operation. Control involves the priming action of an applied electric and/or magnetic field or preheating by electrical resistors in the heat sinks. Application in a thermally powered electric transformer generator is described.

Abstract: To prepare an aluminum matrix particle composite alloy, a molten metal, mainly composed of aluminum, containing ceramic particles is disintegrated by atomization, to prepare atomized powder. The atomized powder is mechanically ground/reflocculated with a ball mill or the like, to prepare mechanically ground/reflocculated powder containing ceramic particles of not more than 8 .mu.m in maximum diameter and not more than 3 .mu.m in mean particle diameter. The mechanically ground/reflocculated powder is then warm-formed/solidified. Alternatively, an aluminum alloy molten metal containing dispersed particles is disintegrated by atomization, and thereafter the powder containing the dispersed particles of not more than 20 .mu.m in mean particle diameter is warm-formed/solidified by powder forging. Thus, it is possible to obtain an aluminum matrix particle composite alloy in which extra-fine ceramic particles are homogeneously distributed without segregation.

Abstract: An improved welding auxiliary material for producing welded joints between refractory metal parts of high-wattage electric light sources is described. The characteristic feature of the invention is that the welding auxiliary material has a porous structure surface layer sintered from a refractory metal powder having a melting point of above 2000.degree. C.

Abstract: A system and method for generating high concentration ozone by introducing a high purity oxygen (99.995% or greater purity) into a silent discharge type ozone generator. Another high purity gas (99.99% or greater), is mixed with the oxygen before the gas is introduced into the ozone generator. By this process, high concentration ozone is generated such that the ozone concentration does not decrease with time. The highest ozone concentrations are maintained when the non-oxygen gas makes up between 1% and 10% of the volume content of the gas mixture introduced in the ozone generator.

Abstract: An article having a slip-resistant surface and method of producing the same includes metallurgically bonding raised bead-like configurations of a compatible material at select locations on the article surface. The method includes injecting, substantially simultaneously with projecting a high power radiant energy beam, powder particles into a portion of the beam lying a distance away from the point of impingement on the surface portion of the article. The particles interact with the beam for a time period sufficient to cause at least partial melting of a substantial number of particles which are then transported to a selected point on the surface portion. The partially melted particles, along with completely and/or any substantially unmelted particles, are allowed to bond with the surface material thereby forming a raised configuration thereon. The process is repeated for forming another raised configuration at another selected location on the surface portion for thereby forming a slip-resistant article.

Abstract: A semifinished product for electric contact made from a composite material based on silver-tin oxide is described as well as a powder-metallurgical process of making said product. The structure of the semifinished products contains regions which contain no metal oxide or very little metal oxide in alternation with regions which contain the entire metal oxide component or a greatly predominating/share thereof in a fine division.