Abstract: In summary, to simplify operation of a medical image acquisition system, it is proposed that the image acquisition system continuously monitors a current image acquisition situation and assigns at least one new function to at least one, preferably manual, operating element, which is adapted to a detected new image acquisition situation, in response to a change in the image acquisition situation, to the extent that said newly assigned function is adjustable and/or operable with the at least one operating element. To this end, the image acquisition system can detect the change in the image acquisition situation using predefined parameters by means of sensors and/or through communication with peripheral units and/or preferably through image analysis of an image sequence which is recorded with an image sensor of the image acquisition system.

Abstract: A handling device is provided. The handling device has a holding unit which has at least one holding element with which the part to be bent which is to be received and is arranged on a loading surface can be gripped on one of its flat sides by forces acting in a pulling manner on one side of the flat side at a plurality of successive locations in the longitudinal direction, that the holding unit for its part can be pivoted relative to a pivoting carrier unit about a first pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal direction, that the pivoting carrier unit can be pivoted relative to a pivoting carrier base about a second pivot axis which extends parallel to the first pivot axis, that the pivoting carrier base can be moved by means of a carrier base moving unit in a direction transverse to the second pivot axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a composition for preparing a green body for the manufacture of a refractory carbon-bonded product, a method for preparing such a green body and a green body prepared by such a method.

Abstract: A handling device is provided. The handling device has a holding unit which has at least one holding element with which the part to be bent which is to be received and is arranged on a loading surface can be gripped on one of its flat sides by forces acting in a pulling manner on one side of the flat side at a plurality of successive locations in the longitudinal direction, that the holding unit for its part can be pivoted relative to a pivoting carrier unit about a first pivot axis parallel to the longitudinal direction, that the pivoting carrier unit can be pivoted relative to a pivoting carrier base about a second pivot axis which extends parallel to the first pivot axis, that the pivoting carrier base can be moved by means of a carrier base moving unit in a direction transverse to the second pivot axis.

Abstract: An ink is disclosed for producing membrane electrode assemblies for fuel cells which contains a catalyst material, an ionomer, water and an organic solvent. The ink is characterized in that the organic solvent is at least one compound from the group of linear dialcohols with a flash point higher than 100° C. and is present in the ink in a concentration between 1 and 50 wt. %, with respect to the weight of water.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electrochemical cells and fuel cells, more specifically to polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM) fuel cells and describes a process for the manufacture of membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) containing five layers. The five-layer MEA is assembled together by means of a lamination process involving an adhesive component. The anode gas diffusion layer, the catalyst-coated membrane and the cathode gas diffusion layer are combined together by a low temperature/low pressure lamination process. Handling of the MEAs and assembly of the products into PEMFC and DMFC stacks is simplified. Less damage and perforation of the catalyst-coated membrane occurs and thus the performance of the five-layer MEAs is significantly improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of a membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane with two opposing membrane surfaces and a cathode and an anode electrode each comprising a catalyst layer and a gas distribution layer. Each catalyst layer is interposed between a membrane surface and the corresponding gas distribution layer. The catalyst layer of the cathode and/or the catalyst layer of the anode comprise at least two sub-layers. According to the present invention at least one of the sub-layers of the cathode electrode and/or the anode electrode is applied directly to the surface of the membrane while the remaining sub-layers are applied to the corresponding gas distribution layers. Finally the assembly of the coated membrane and the coated gas distribution layers is produced.

Abstract: A process for producing a membrane electrode assembly for fuel cells containing a polymer electrolyte membrane having a first and a second surface parallel to each other. The first surface forms a firm composite with a first catalyst layer and a first water repellent gas distribution layer and said second surface form a firm composite with a second catalyst layer and a second water repellent gas distribution layer. The catalyst layers are prepared by using inks containing electrocatalysts, one or more solvents, proton-conducting ionomer and optionally water repelling agents and pore-forming agents. In the process the two catalyst layers are applied to or contacted with the respective surfaces of the polymer electrolyte membrane successively, wherein during the application or contacting process to one surface always the opposite surface of the membrane is supported.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for making a membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane having two opposite faces, on each face of which is applied a catalyst layer and a gas distribution layer. The two gas distribution layers in the membrane electrode assembly are formed by hydrophobized carbon substrates which, using appropriate inks containing at least one catalyst, dissolved ionomer and solvent, are each coated with a catalyst layer and are then laid on opposite faces of the polymer electrolyte membrane with the catalyst layers still in the moist state. Afterwards, a firm bond between electrolyte membrane, catalyst layers and carbon substrates is produced by treating the membrane electrode assembly at elevated temperature under pressure.

Abstract: The present invention relates to water-based catalyst inks and their use for manufacture of catalyst-coated substrates. According to the present invention, a catalyst layer is applied to the hydrophobic surface of a substrate by using a water-based catalyst ink comprising an electrocatalyst, an ionomer and water. The catalyst ink also comprises a highly volatile surfactant having a vapor pressure at ambient temperature in the range of 1 to 600 Pa. The use of this surfactant allows applying the water-based ink to the hydrophobic surface of a variety of substrates, such as gas diffusion layers, advanced ionomer membranes and polymer substrates. The required coating deposit can be applied in one coating pass and the resulting catalyst layer exhibits improved performance due to the absence of residual surfactant in the catalyst layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to water-based catalyst inks and their use for manufacture of catalyst-coated substrates. According to the present invention, a catalyst layer is applied to the hydrophobic surface of a substrate by using a water-based catalyst ink comprising an electrocatalyst, an ionomer and water. The catalyst ink also comprises a highly volatile surfactant having a vapor pressure at ambient temperature in the range of 1 to 600 Pa. The use of this surfactant allows applying the water-based ink to the hydrophobic surface of a variety of substrates, such as gas diffusion layers, advanced ionomer membranes and polymer substrates. The required coating deposit can be applied in one coating pass and the resulting catalyst layer exhibits improved performance due to the absence of residual surfactant in the catalyst layer.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of electrochemical cells and fuel cells, more specifically to polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEM) fuel cells and describes a process for the manufacture of membrane-electrode-assemblies (MEAs) containing five layers. The five-layer MEA is assembled together by means of a lamination process involving an adhesive component. The anode gas diffusion layer, the catalyst-coated membrane and the cathode gas diffusion layer are combined together by a low temperature/low pressure lamination process. Handling of the MEAs and assembly of the products into PEMFC and DMFC stacks is simplified. Less damage and perforation of the catalyst-coated membrane occurs and thus the performance of the five-layer MEAs is significantly improved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of a membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane with two opposing membrane surfaces and a cathode and an anode electrode each comprising a catalyst layer and a gas distribution layer. Each catalyst layer is interposed between a membrane surface and the corresponding gas distribution layer. The catalyst layer of the cathode and/or the catalyst layer of the anode comprise at least two sub-layers. According to the present invention at least one of the sub-layers of the cathode electrode and/or the anode electrode is applied directly to the surface of the membrane while the remaining sub-layers are applied to the corresponding gas distribution layers. Finally the assembly of the coated membrane and the coated gas distribution layers is produced.

Abstract: The invention comprises a process for making a membrane electrode assembly comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane having two opposite faces, on each face of which is applied a catalyst layer and a gas distribution layer. The two gas distribution layers in the membrane electrode assembly are formed by hydrophobized carbon substrates which, using appropriate inks containing at least one catalyst, dissolved ionomer and solvent, are each coated with a catalyst layer and are then laid on opposite faces of the polymer electrolyte membrane with the catalyst layers still in the moist state. Afterwards, a firm bond between electrolyte membrane, catalyst layers and carbon substrates is produced by treating the membrane electrode assembly at elevated temperature under pressure.

Abstract: When adapting a lexicon in a speech recognition system, a code book of hidden Markov sound models made available with a speech recognition system is adapted for specific applications. These applications are thereby defined by a lexicon of the application that is modified by the user. The adaption ensues during the operation and occurs by a shift of the stored mid-point vector of the probability density distributions of hidden Markov models in the direction of a recognized feature vector of sound expressions and with reference to the specifically employed hidden Markov models. Compared to standard methods, this method has the advantage that it ensues on-line and that it assures a very high recognition rate given a low calculating outlay. Further, the outlay for training specific sound models for corresponding applications is avoided.

Abstract: A process for producing a membrane electrode assembly for fuel cells containing a polymer electrolyte membrane having a first and a second surface parallel to each other. The first surface forms a firm composite with a first catalyst layer and a first water repellent gas distribution layer and said second surface form a firm composite with a second catalyst layer and a second water repellent gas distribution layer. The catalyst layers are prepared by using inks containing electrocatalysts, one or more solvents, proton-conducting ionomer and optionally water repelling agents and pore-forming agents. In the process the two catalyst layers are applied to or contacted with the respective surfaces of the polymer electrolyte membrane successively, wherein during the application or contacting process to one surface always the opposite surface of the membrane is supported.

Abstract: An ink is disclosed for producing membrane electrode assemblies for fuel cells which contains a catalyst material, an ionomer, water and an organic solvent. The ink is characterized in that the organic solvent is at least one compound from the group of linear dialcohols with a flash point higher than 100° C. and is present in the ink in a concentration between 1 and 50 wt. %, with respect to the weight of water.

Abstract: In a method for determining the similarities of sounds across different languages, hidden Markov modelling of multilingual phonemes is employed wherein language-specific as well as language-independent properties are identified by combining of the probability densities for different hidden Markov sound models in various languages.

Abstract: A switching system for plural electrical loads connected to a common power line and each individually energized by a separate user actuated line switch between the respective load and the line. A separate normally closed, electrically opened safety switch is series connected with each of the line switches. Separate sensors, preferably diodes, are connected respectively to each load and each sensor also connected to electrically open each of the remaining safety switches upon sensing voltage to its respective load. Preferably the safety switches are electromagnetic relays.

Abstract: The use of dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether in a quantity of 2 to 25 percent by weight as a swelling and penetrating material in hair shaping compositions based on a keratin softening active ingredient or an oxidizing active ingredient.The use of dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether brings about a clear increase in the effect of hair shaping compositions with an equally good or improved physiological compatibility.