Abstract: A mesoporous silicon compound includes a mesoporous silicon phase, a metal silicide phase, and a carbon phase. The metal silicide is embedded in mesoporous silicon particles, the surfaces of which are coated with a carbon layer. A weight ratio of elemental silicon to the metal element is from 2:3 to 900:1. The pores of the mesoporous silicon particles have a size distribution from two nanometers to eighty nanometers.

Abstract: System including a sensor configured to be disposed within a reservoir of a machine having moving parts that are lubricated by a liquid in the reservoir. The sensor is configured to obtain a measurement of the liquid that is representative of at least one of a quantity or quality of the liquid in the reservoir. The system also includes a device body operably coupled to the sensor. The device body has a processing unit that is operably coupled to the sensor and configured to generate first data signals representative of the measurement of the liquid. The device body also includes a transmitter that is configured to wirelessly communicate the first data signals to a remote reader.

Abstract: A sensor system senses one or more characteristics of vehicles in a vehicle system with sensors disposed onboard the vehicles and communicate data representative of the one or more characteristics from the sensors to one or more of a controller or a control system of the vehicle system. The data communicated from the sensors onboard the same vehicle can be synchronously communicated with respect to the sensors onboard the same vehicle and asynchronously communicated with respect to the sensors disposed onboard one or more other vehicles in the vehicle system. The systems and methods can direct components disposed onboard a vehicle system to change operations, monitor data output by sensors operatively connected with the components, and determine which of the sensors are operatively connected with which of the components based on the operations of the components that are changed and the data that is output by the sensors.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes one or more accelerometers that generate movement signals indicative of movement of a powered system, a fluid level sensor that generates fluid level signals indicative of an amount of fluid in the powered system, and one or more processors that receive the movement signals and the fluid level signals. The one or more processors also (a) filter at least some of the movement signals based on a speed at which the powered system operates and/or (b) calculate one or more of (1) a statistical measure, (2) a fast Fourier transform (FFT), or (3) a discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of the movement signals. The assembly also includes a first antenna that wirelessly communicates the one or more of the movement signals, the amount of fluid, the statistical measure, the FFT, or the DFT to a remote location.

Abstract: A sensor assembly includes a housing extending from an insertion end to an opposite coupling end, from a sensor end to an opposite back end, and from a top end to an opposite bottom end. The assembly also includes a sensor dish outwardly projecting from the sensor end of the housing and configured to hold one or more sensors. The assembly also includes a radio frequency (RF) transparent sensor cap configured to be secured to the sensor dish to secure the one or more sensors within the sensor dish. The housing also can be secured to a vehicle for the sensors to measure operational conditions of the vehicle. The housing of the sensor assembly may be connected to a drive train of the vehicle by inserting a fastener through a channel in the housing and into a jacking hole of the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle sensor system includes a fluid sensor configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system and at least partially extend into a gearbox of a traction motor of the vehicle system. The fluid sensor is configured to output data representative of an amount of a lubricating fluid in the gearbox. The system also includes a positioning system configured to output data representative of movement or an absence of movement of the vehicle system, and one or more processors configured to determine the amount of the lubricating fluid in the gearbox based on the data that is output by the fluid sensor responsive to the data output by the positioning system indicating that the vehicle system has not moved or has moved by less than a designated distance for at least a designated, non-instantaneous period of time.

Abstract: A sensor system includes one or more sensors that sense vibrations of a vehicle and one or more processors that can determine a speed of the vehicle and determine whether the vibrations occurring at one or more frequencies of interest (that are based on the speed of the vehicle) indicate damage to a propulsion system of the vehicle. The one or more processors optionally may determine a hunting frequency of a wheel and axle set and/or a lateral acceleration of the wheel and axle set from the vibrations. The one or more processors can determine a conicity of a wheel in the wheel and axle set based on the hunting frequency and/or the lateral acceleration that is determined.

Abstract: An apparatus for lifting and moving an axle of a rail vehicle includes a frame, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted to the frame to movably support the frame on a railroad track rail, and a pair of wedges mounted to the frame having mutually opposed ramped faces. The pair of wedges adjustable along the frame between a first position in which the ramped faces bracket, but do not contact, a rail vehicle wheel that rests on the track rail, and a second position in which the ramped faces engage the circumference of the wheel to support the wheel at a height above the railroad track rail. The apparatus further includes at least one jacking device for urging the wedges toward one another from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A silicon/carbon composite comprises mesoporous silicon particles and carbon coating provided on the silicon particles, wherein the silicon particles have two pore size distribution of 2-4 nm and 20-40 nm. A process of preparing the silicon/carbon composite comprises the steps of preparing mesoporous silicon particles via a mechanochemical reaction between SiCl4 and Li33Si4 under ball milling and subsequent thermal treatment and washing process, and coating the mesoporous silicon particles with carbon. An anode for lithium ion battery comprises the silicon/carbon composite. A lithium ion battery comprises the silicon/carbon composite.

Abstract: An SiOx/Si/C composite material, includes SiOx/Si composite particles and a carbon coating layer coated on the SiOx/Si composite particles. The SiOx/Si composite particles include nano-silicon crystallites embedded in an SiOx (0<x?2) amorphous matrix phase. The SiOx/Si composite particles have an Si:O molar ratio of 5:1-1.1:1, preferably 2:1-1.2:1. A process for producing an SiOx/Si/C composite material, includes a) milling SiO powder together with a metal reductant in a molar ratio of 125:1-10:1, preferably 2:11-5:1, b) totally removing the oxidation product of the metal reductant to obtain SiOx/Si composite particles, and c) coating the SiOx/Si composite particles with carbon to obtain the SiOx/Si/C composite material.

Abstract: A system includes a sensor, one or more processors, a transmitter, and a capacitance control structure. The sensor is configured to contact a fluid and measure a characteristic of the fluid. The one or more processors are operably coupled to the sensor. The one or more processors are configured to generate one or more data signals representative of the characteristic of the fluid that is measured by the sensor. The transmitter is operably coupled to the one or more processors. The transmitter is configured to wirelessly communicate the one or more data signals to a remote reader. The capacitance control structure is configured to one or more of reduce or isolate sensor capacitance of the sensor from the one or more processors.

Abstract: System including a sensor configured to be disposed within a reservoir of a machine having moving parts that are lubricated by a liquid in the reservoir. The sensor is configured to obtain a measurement of the liquid that is representative of at least one of a quantity or quality of the liquid in the reservoir. The system also includes a device body operably coupled to the sensor. The device body has a processing unit that is operably coupled to the sensor and configured to generate first data signals representative of the measurement of the liquid. The device body also includes a transmitter that is configured to wirelessly communicate the first data signals to a remote reader.

Abstract: A silicon/carbon composite comprises mesoporous silicon particles and carbon coating provided on the silicon particles, wherein the silicon particles have two pore size distribution of 2-4 nm and 20-40 nm. A process of preparing the silicon/carbon composite comprises the steps of preparing mesoporous silicon particles via a mechanochemical reaction between SiCl4 and Li33Si4 under ball milling and subsequent thermal treatment and washing process, and coating the mesoporous silicon particles with carbon. An anode for lithium ion battery comprises the silicon/carbon composite. A lithium ion battery comprises the silicon/carbon composite.

Abstract: A mesoporous silicon compound includes a mesoporous silicon phase, a metal silicide phase, and a carbon phase. The metal silicide is embedded in mesoporous silicon particles, the surfaces of which are coated with a carbon layer. A weight ratio of elemental silicon to the metal element is from 2:3 to 900:1. The pores of the mesoporous silicon particles have a size distribution from two nanometers to eighty nanometers.

Abstract: An electrode is formed of a ternary composite of silicon, carbon, and carbon filter foil, for lithium ion batteries. Also described is a method for manufacturing silicon/carbon/carbon fiber foil composite electrode for lithium batteries, including: mixing silicon and an organic substance capable of forming carbon after heat treatment, in a solvent, to form a slurry; immersing the carbon fiber foil in said slurry until the slurry coats on and penetrates into the carbon fiber foil; and heating the carbon fiber foil, which has been coated and penetrated with the slurry, in an inert gas atmosphere or all inert gas atmosphere mixed with a reductive gas at a temperature of at least 400° C. for at least 2 hours.

Abstract: Vehicle suspension systems including a truck and a spring system for an axle are provided. In one example, a truck includes an unpowered axle spring system that is configured to generate an overall unpowered axle separation force between a truck frame and an unpowered axle carrier. The overall unpowered axle separation force has a rate of decrease that increases past a first separation distance between the truck frame and the unpowered axle carrier. A powered axle spring system is configured to generate a powered axle separation force between the truck frame and a powered axle carrier. The powered axle separation force has a rate of decrease that decreases past a second separation distance between the truck frame and the powered axle carrier.

Abstract: Truck assemblies, systems and methods are provided for transferring weight supported by various wheels, and axles. The vehicle suspension method includes operating the suspension in a first mode with a first effective suspension spring rate; and operating the suspension in a second mode with a second, different, effective suspension spring rate.

Abstract: Truck assemblies, systems and methods are provided for transferring weight supported by various wheels, and axles. The vehicle suspension method includes operating the suspension in a first mode with a first effective suspension spring rate; and operating the suspension in a second mode with a second, different, effective suspension spring rate.