Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components and which further includes an intended chromium oxide additive to improve the dimensional stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal insulation performance at 1400° C. and greater, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and which remains soluble in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms that are made from a plurality of the inorganic fibers, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber, and methods of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for identifying a target geographic area. In one embodiment, the method comprises acquiring user information associated with a geographic area to be identified; determining characteristic data of the user information; and determining a value parameter of the geographic area to be identified based on the characteristic data.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components and which further includes intended addition of lithium oxide to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater, low linear shrinkage, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide a method and apparatus for identifying a target geographic area. In one embodiment, the method comprises acquiring user information associated with a geographic area to be identified; determining characteristic data of the user information; and determining a value parameter of the geographic area to be identified based on the characteristic data.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components which further includes intended synergistic amounts of calcia and, an additional alkali metal oxide other than magnesia, such as lithium oxide, to improve the thermal performance and manufacturability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber is easier to manufacture, has a better fiber quality, exhibits good thermal performance at a use temperature of 1260° C. and greater, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components and which further includes an intended chromium oxide additive to improve the dimensional stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal insulation performance at 1400° C. and greater, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and which remains soluble in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms that are made from a plurality of the inorganic fibers, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber, and methods of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components and which further includes intended addition of lithium oxide to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater, low linear shrinkage, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components which further includes an intended strontium oxide additive to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater for 24 hours or more, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components which further includes an intended strontium oxide additive to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater for 24 hours or more, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: Methods for chemically strengthening glass articles, e.g., glass sheets, are disclosed, in which computer-implemented techniques are employed to select the conditions, e.g., times, temperatures, and bath compositions and sizes, used in the chemical strengthening. The computer-implemented techniques can be applied to chemical-strengthening methods that employ more than one ion-diffusion treatment, e.g., more than one ion-exchange treatment or a combination of at least one ion-exchange treatment and at least one heat treatment. Through the use of the computer-implemented techniques, more precisely-controlled ion concentration profiles can be achieved in chemically-strengthened glass articles, which can improve the ultimate mechanical properties of the articles.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components which further includes an intended strontium oxide additive to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater for 24 hours or more, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components and which further includes intended addition of lithium oxide to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater, low linear shrinkage, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: An inorganic fiber containing silica and magnesia as the major fiber components which further includes intended lithium oxide and strontium oxide additions to improve the thermal stability of the fiber. The inorganic fiber exhibits good thermal performance at 1260° C. and greater, retains mechanical integrity after exposure to the use temperature, and exhibits low biopersistence in physiological fluids. Also provided are thermal insulation product forms, methods of preparing the inorganic fiber and of thermally insulating articles using thermal insulation prepared from a plurality of the inorganic fibers.

Abstract: In the present invention an optical waveguide grating sensing device for a dual-parameter optical waveguide grating sensor includes a first optical waveguide grating of a first resonant wavelength provided in a first section of an optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide grating of a second resonant wavelength provided in a second of an optical waveguide. The first and second gratings have different coefficients of rate of change of wavelength as a function of temperature and have substantially the same coefficient of rate of change of wavelength as a function of stain.

Abstract: In the present invention an optical waveguide grating sensing device for a dual-parameter optical waveguide grating sensor includes a first optical waveguide grating of a first resonant wavelength provided in a first section of an optical waveguide and a second optical waveguide grating of a second resonant wavelength provided in a second of an optical wavelguide. The first and second gratings have different coefficients of rate of change of wavelength as a function of temperature and have substantially the same coefficient of rate of change of wavelength as a function of stain.