Abstract: A process for making a thermal insulation material based on carbon and which includes carbon fibers, suitable for use at temperatures above 1,500° C. The process includes providing carbon fibers with embedded carbon black particles; cutting or milling said carbon fibers to obtain short carbon filaments; preparing a slurry by introducing the short carbon filaments in a liquid phase that includes a binder capable of forming a carbon residue upon pyrolysis under non-oxidizing conditions; casting the slurry into a mold capable of separating the slurry into a wet green body and a liquid phase; and drying and heat treating the wet green body to obtain a thermal insulation material.

Abstract: A non-chrome containing composition and process are disclosed for enhancing the corrosion resistance of zinc or zinc alloy surfaces. The composition comprises a source of titanium ions or titanates, an oxidant and fluorides or complex fluorides. The composition also preferably comprises an organic acid and/or a Group II metal compound, preferably a Group II metal chloride.

Abstract: A process for mechanical plating zinc alloys onto metal substrates is disclosed. The process is particularly suited to plating zinc-aluminium or zinc-manganese alloys onto aluminium or magnesium substrates. The zinc alloy particles are immersion coated with tin prior to plating upon the metal substrate. Fluoride ions are preferably added to the plating media to increase plating efficiency, particularly when zinc aluminium alloys are being plated.

Abstract: A telecommunications network system (10), formed of multiple interconnected nodes (16-22, 26-34, 50-58), is shown in FIG. 1. At least some of the nodes are provided with application spaces (DPASs, 70-94) into which specific programs can be downloaded and run. The application space (DPASs, 70-94), realized by control logic and memory, takes control of managing specific programs and reporting results arising from execution of the specific programs. The application spaces support specific functionality dependent upon the functionality of the node, and support real-time downloading and running of code. Resultant data acquired from running the specific programs is correlated between nodes to produce highly pertinent management data that is communicated to a management device, such as an OMC (48), for analysis and fault identification/performance optimization.

Abstract: Apparatus for measuring the energy absorption capacity of a substrate, comprises: a probe (1); means for driving the probe (1) into the substrate so that the probe (1) penetrates the substrate; measuring means (4, 8) arranged to take a plurality of measurements of the force applied to the probe (1) and of the displacement of the probe (1) as the probe (1) penetrates the substrate; and processing means (12) arranged to integrate instantaneous readings of both said measurements to give a measurement of the energy required to drive the probe (1) into the substrate and hence determine a measurement of the energy absorbing capacity of the substrate. A corresponding method is also disclosed.