Abstract: A porous preform body is infiltrated with carbon by a thermal gradient process using a multi-portion heating element to heat the body. Selected portions of the heating element are supplied with power to create the thermal gradient between different areas of the preform body.

Abstract: A buffered optical fiber ribbon cable includes at least one optical fiber ribbon cable, which has parallel optical fibers encased in a ribbon matrix sheath, and a ribbon buffering layer surrounding the optical fiber ribbon cable. The ribbon matrix sheath is at least partially molecularly bonded to outer coatings of the optical fibers and surrounds the parallel optical fibers, thereby holding the optical fibers immediately adjacent one another. The material of the ribbon buffering layer is preferably UV curable resin or thermoplastic material. Also, the ribbon buffering layer material may further contain imbedded reinforcement fibers for strengthening the ribbon buffering layer. The ribbon buffering layer is made of a material that allows the buffered optical fiber ribbon cable to be installed in environments independent of any additional protective cable covering.