Abstract: An optical device having a mat including plural nanofibers configured to transmit light having wavelengths above a cutoff wavelength and to reject light at wavelengths below the cutoff wavelength. The nanofibers have an average fiber diameter comparable in size to the cutoff wavelength.

Abstract: A device for stimulable light emission that includes a fiber mat of nanofibers having an average fiber diameter in a range between 100 and 2000 nm, and includes plural stimulable particles disposed in association with the nanofibers. The stimulable particles produce secondary light emission upon receiving primary light at a wavelength ?. The average fiber diameter is comparable in size to the wavelength ? in order to provide scattering sites within the fiber mat for the primary light. Various methods for making suitable luminescent nanofiber mats include: electrospinning a polymer solution including or not including the stimulable particles and forming from the electrospun solution nanofibers having an average fiber diameter between 100 and 2000 nm. Methods, which electrospin without the stimulable particles, introduce the stimulable particles during electrospinning or after electrospinning to the fibers and therefore to the resultant fiber mat.

Abstract: A very thin fuel cell (500) is formed by stacking a plurality of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) (210) and a plurality of double sided distribution plates (220). The distribution plates serve to distribute fuel and oxidant to the MEAs, and they are electrically and thermally conductive and gas impermeable, and have fuel and oxidant distribution channels formed on opposite sides. The oxidant flowing through the oxidant distribution channels also provides thermal management to the fuel cell, eliminating the need for a separate heat exchange system. The MEAs and the distribution plates are arranged in an alternating stack (200) such that the fuel distribution channel side (315) is in intimate and direct contact with the MEA anode (212), and such that the oxidant distribution channel (415) is in intimate and direct contact with the MEA cathode (214). The distribution plate acts as a bipolar plate and also as a heat exchanger.

Abstract: An optical waveguide (5) for use in the in the visible range, the infrared range or the ultraviolet range. The waveguide has two cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layers (10) positioned parallel to each other, forming a gap between them. When electrically modulated to an `on` state, one or more of the cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layers become optically reflective, so that the waveguide becomes internally reflective, allowing a light beam (15) to be transmitted along the waveguide. The liquid crystal polymer is optically non-reflective when electrically modulated to an `off` state. The cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layers are each disposed on a substrate (30) having an electrically conductive layer (35) disposed between the substrate and the cholesteric liquid crystal polymer. A modulating means impresses an electrical signal upon the cholesteric liquid crystal polymer layers to convert them from the optically reflective state to the optically non-reflective state.

Abstract: An antenna (100) includes a radiating element (202) covered with a protective jacket having at least one pocket selectively located therein. The at least one pocket (102) is filled with a material (105) having an absorptive index substantially higher than the index of the protective jacket (102). This material imposes substantial restriction to the free radiation of radio frequency energy. Conversely, the remainder of the jacket (102) with no pockets provides for the unrestricted radiation of the radio frequency energy therethrough. As a result the antenna (100) directionally radiates energy without the use of reflectors or additional radiating elements.

Abstract: A voltage variable capacitor (VVC) is made by placing an intercalation compound between two electrodes of a capacitor. The VVC has a reservoir of an intercalant in proximity with the intercalation compound. The two materials are chosen from those known to exhibit the intercalation reaction. The extent of the intercalation reaction is controlled by applying a voltage to the intercalant reservoir and the intercalation compound. A variable capacitor is created by applying a signal to the device and appropriately controlling the .epsilon. of the device by using the input control voltages.

Abstract: A communication device is designed to contain the lowest possible level of toxic or hazardous materials, so that when it is eventually disposed of, it will not harm the environment and can be safely recycled. Each component A.sub.1, A.sub.2, . . . , A.sub.n in the communication device has a calculated Component Toxicity Index value. A Product Toxicity Index for the entire communication device is calculated by summing the individual Component Toxicity Index values. The desired outcome is a communication device having a Product Toxicity Index less than or equal to 100. The resulting communication device is referred to as "environmentally friendly". The communication device may be a two-way radio (10), and some of the components are a radio transmitter (12), a radio receiver (14), an antenna (16), an amplifier (18), a battery (20) and a housing (22).

Abstract: A sulfuric acid-free fuel composition for use in liquid feed polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The fuel composition is a solution of water, methanol and formic acid. The methanol is present in concentrations between 0.5 and 15 molar and the formic acid is present in concentrations between 0.01% and 20%. No corrosive mineral acids are present in the fuel.

Abstract: An antenna (10) includes a radiating element (20) covered with a protective cover having a high dielectric constant polymer gel (15) located therein. The gel has a dielectric constant greater than 5, and is formed by swelling a polymer that has polar functional groups with a solvent that has a high dielectric constant. The gel is covered with a jacket (14) to contain the gel and provide physical protection.

Abstract: A voltage variable capacitor (VVC) is made by placing an intercalation compound between two electrodes of a capacitor. The VVC has a reservoir of an intercalant in proximity with the intercalation compound. The two materials are chosen from those known to exhibit the intercalation reaction. The extent of the intercalation reaction is controlled by applying a voltage to the intercalant reservoir and the intercalation compound. A variable capacitor is created by applying a signal to the device and appropriately controlling the .di-elect cons. of the device by using the input control voltages.

Abstract: Ferrite films are formed by reactively sputtering elemental iron in an oxygen-containing plasma to deposit a layer of iron oxide (14) on a ceramic substrate (12). A dopant layer (16) of a transition metal-oxide is reactively sputtered onto the iron oxide layer from a target of a transition metal, such as nickel or zinc, using an oxygen-containing plasma. The substrate, the layer of iron oxide and the dopant layer are all heated under conditions sufficient to diffuse the dopant layer into the layer of iron oxide, thereby forming a doped ferrite thin film (20). The resulting doped ferrite film can be FeFe.sub.2 O.sub.4, NiFe.sub.2 O.sub.4, (NiZn)Fe.sub.2 O.sub.4, or ZnFe.sub.2 O.sub.4.