Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a rotor having a hub and a plurality of blades protruding from the hub, the plurality of blades including first blades and second blades disposed in alternation around a central axis of the rotor, natural vibration frequencies of the first blades different from natural vibration frequencies of the second blades; determining that a difference between a first natural vibration frequency of a first blade of the first blades and a second natural vibration frequency of a second blade of the second blades is below a threshold; and modifying a shape of the first blade until the difference between the first natural vibration frequency and the second natural vibration frequency is at or above the threshold.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and mesopores having a total volume of 0.4 to 0.75 cm3/g, wherein the micropore volume fraction is in the range of 0.5 to 0.85 based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores; and (b) silicon located at least within the micropores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to a particulate material consisting of a plurality of composite particles comprising a porous particle framework and a plurality of nanoscale elemental silicon domains located within the pores of the porous particle framework. The porous particle framework comprises micropores and mesopores, wherein the total volume of micropores and mesopores in the porous particle framework as measured by gas adsorption is from 0.5 to 1.8 cm3/g. The composite particles comprise from 30 to 70 wt % silicon, wherein at least 30 wt % of the silicon is surface silicon as determined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA); no more than 1.2 wt % of hydrogen; and have a weight ratio of oxygen to silicon of no more than 0.15. The BET surface area of the composite particles is no more than 40 m2/g.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material and processes for the preparation thereof. The particulate material consists of a plurality of composite particles. The composite particles comprise a porous particle framework comprising micropores and/or mesopores. The total pore volume of micropores and mesopores as measured by gas adsorption is in the range from 0.4 to 2.2 cm3/g. The composite particles comprise a plurality of electroactive material domains and a plurality of modifier material domains disposed within the internal pore volume of the porous particle framework. At least a portion of the modifier material domains are located between adjacent electroactive material domains.

Abstract: This invention relates a process for preparing composite particles. The process comprises a first step of providing a plurality of porous particles comprising micropores and/or mesopores, wherein the total pore volume of micropores and mesopores as measured by nitrogen gas adsorption is in the range from 0.4 to 2.2 cm3/g. The porous particles are contacted with a precursor of an electroactive material at a temperature effective to cause deposition of the electroactive material in the pores of the porous particles to form intermediate particles. Deposition of the electroactive material is discontinued and by-products are optionally separated from the intermediate particles. The intermediate particles are then contacted with a precursor of an electroactive material, at a temperature effective to cause further deposition of the electroactive material in the pores of the intermediate particles to form the composite particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a combined total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g and up to 2 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the total micropore and mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) silicon located within the micropores and optional mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the total volume of the micropores and optional mesopores.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a combined total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g and up to 2 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the total micropore and mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) silicon located within the micropores and optional mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the total volume of the micropores and optional mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and mesopores having a total volume of 0.5 to 1.5 cm3/g; and (b) silicon located at least within the micropores of the porous carbon framework. The porous carbon framework is an activated carbon material obtained by the pyrolysis of a plant source comprising at least 25 wt% lignin on a dry weight basis followed by activation with steam or carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A method includes: obtaining a rotor having a hub and a plurality of blades protruding from the hub, the plurality of blades including first blades and second blades disposed in alternation around a central axis of the rotor, natural vibration frequencies of the first blades different from natural vibration frequencies of the second blades; determining that a difference between a first natural vibration frequency of a first blade of the first blades and a second natural vibration frequency of a second blade of the second blades is below a threshold; and modifying a shape of the first blade until the difference between the first natural vibration frequency and the second natural vibration frequency is at or above the threshold.

Abstract: The invention relates to a particulate material comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework comprising micropores and mesopores having a total pore volume of at least 0.6 cm3/g and no more than 2 cm3/g, where the volume fraction of micropores is in the range from 0.5 to 0.9 and the volume fraction of pores having a pore diameter no more than 10 nm is at least 0.75, and the porous carbon framework has a D50 particle size of less than 20 ?m; (b) silicon located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and/or mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g and up to 2 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the total micropore and mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) silicon located within the micropores and optional mesopores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the total volume of the micropores and optional mesopores.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials comprising a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and optional mesopores having a combined total volume of at least 0.7 cm3/g, wherein at least half of the micropore/mesopore volume is in the form of pores having a diameter of no more than 1.5 nm; and (b) an electroactive material located within the micropores and/or mesopores of the porous carbon framework. The D90 particle diameter of the composite particles is no more than 10 nm.

Abstract: An absorbent article includes a topsheet, an absorbent core, and a backsheet. The absorbent article has a visually perceptible functional enhancement indicator and a functionally-distinguishable portion of the article with one or more channels. The visually perceptible functional enhancement indicator corresponds to the one or more channels, and the functional enhancement indicator is visually perceptible from a body-facing side of the absorbent article but the one or more channels are not visually perceptible.

Abstract: Shower curtains and shower curtain liners routinely get sucked into the occupant of a showering space due to the “shower-curtain effect,” which is the phenomenon in which a shower curtain or shower curtain liner gets drawn inward with a running shower. The present invention counteracts the shower curtain effect. In certain an embodiments of the invention, an outside unit and inside unit incorporate attachment mechanisms to draw both units into each other while trapping the shower curtain between both units. Attached to the outside unit of certain embodiments of the invention is a connector that also attaches a bottom unit. The bottom unit of certain embodiments of the present invention incorporates weight sufficient to utilize gravity to pull the attached shower curtain downward. The bottom unit places pressure on the external side of a bathtub to additionally force the entire apparatus and shower curtain outward.

Abstract: This invention relates to particulate electroactive materials consisting of a plurality of composite particles, wherein the composite particles comprise: (a) a porous carbon framework including micropores and mesopores having a total volume of 0.4 to 0.75 cm3/g, wherein the micropore volume fraction is in the range of 0.5 to 0.85 based on the total volume of micropores and mesopores; and 5 (b) silicon located at least within the micropores of the porous carbon framework in a defined amount relative to the volume of the micropores and mesopores.