Abstract: Alumina-silica catalyst supports having substantially high surfaces areas are formed by extrusion, drying and firing of a plasticized batch including an alumina-silica powder component, acid, organic binder and water. The alumina-silica powder component can be formed either by the mixing of alumina- and silica-source powders or by forming a slurry therefrom which is spray dried to form a particulate material prior to batching.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is set forth for packaging substrates in a monolith reactor, wherein the substrates are positioned in a stacked relationship along a longitudinal axis of the reactor housing. The stack of substrates is supported in a fixed position at the bottom of the stack, and the upper end of the stack is provided with a predetermined constant compression to not only compensate for different expansions between the stacked substrates and the reactor housing, but also to hold the stacked assemblies together in a tight relationship so as to prevent deleterious vibration of the substrates. The compression is preferably applied by spring-loaded means, which may be adjusted by threading a nut against the loading spring.

Abstract: High-surface-area alumina honeycombs are subjected to a water vapor pre-treatment to obtain protection from cracking damage on subsequent exposure to aqueous media e.g., aqueous solutions for depositing catalysts on the honeycombs.

Abstract: High-surface-area alumina honeycombs are subjected to a water vapor pre-treatment to obtain protection from cracking damage on subsequent exposure to aqueous media e.g., aqueous solutions for depositing catalysts on the honeycombs.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is set forth for packaging substrates in a monolith reactor, wherein the substrates are positioned in a stacked relationship along a longitudinal axis of the reactor housing. The stack of substrates is supported in a fixed position at the bottom of the stack, and the upper end of the stack is provided with a predetermined constant compression to not only compensate for different expansions between the stacked substrates and the reactor housing, but also to hold the stacked assemblies together in a tight relationship so as to prevent deleterious vibration of the substrates. The compression is preferably applied by spring-loaded means, which may be adjusted by threading a nut against the loading spring.

Abstract: Ceramic honeycombs incorporating cell walls of a sintered alumina material providing controlled pore size distribution in combination with high BET surface area and flexural (MOR) strength are formed by the extrusion, drying and firing of plasticized alumina powder batches containing major proportions of anhydrous, high-surface-area gamma alumina powders dispersed with selected acids; low combined drying and firing shrinkages provide strong, crack-free bodies of high surface area and strength.

Abstract: Porous sintered ceramic materials having mullite as its primary phase and a method for producing them. The method includes preparing a plasticizable raw material mixture comprised, by weight, of 75-99% of the mullite powder and 1.0 to 25% of the water swelling clay and 5-25% of the alumina and/or alumina-yielding precursor, adding an organic binder system to the mixture and mixing the mixture to form an extrudable mixture, and extruding the mixture to form a substrate of the desired configuration. The green body is dried and fired for a time and at temperature sufficient to form a sintered mullite structure having an acid/base exposure strength loss of less than about 20%.

Abstract: Porous sintered ceramic materials having mullite as its primary phase and a method for producing them. The method includes preparing a plasticizable raw material mixture comprised, by weight, of 75 to 99% pre-reacted mullite powder, and 1.0 to 25% of a water-swelling clay, adding an organic binder system to the mixture and mixing the mixture to form an extrudable mixture, and extruding the mixture to form a substrate of the desired configuration. The green body is dried and fired for a time and at temperature sufficient to form a sintered mullite structure having a narrow through-pore size distribution comprised of pores exhibiting an average intrusion-pore size of between about 2-15 &mgr;m, and a total intrusion porosity, as measured by Hg intrusion method, of at least 30%.

Abstract: An improvement in a method of extruding a plasticized powder mixture having a thermally gellable binder carried in an aqueous vehicle, by passing the mixture through an extruder and then through a die to produce an extrudate, the improvement being the additional step of contacting the extrudate directly after it leaves the die with an agent for simultaneously lowering the gel point of the binder and dehydrating the extrudate. The result is a stiffening of the extrudate in a shorter time than it would be, absent the additional step.

Abstract: Thick-skinned extruded metal honeycomb structures, and a method and apparatus for making them, are disclosed wherein a plasticized powder metal extrusion batch is extruded though a die assembly comprising a die and annular mask, the mask having a central outlet for extrusion of the skin and honeycomb core and an extrudate reservoir adjacent the central outlet, the die and mask cooperating to form a skinforming gap fed by the die and by the extrudate reservoir, such that batch material supplied from the reservoir and directly from the die combines to form a thickened outer skin which is integral with, and resistant to separation from, the honeycomb core.

Abstract: A sintered metal body is disclosed of composition consisting essentially of in weight percent about 5 to 40 Cr, about 2 to 30 Al, 0 to about 5 special metal, 0 to about 4 rare earth oxide additive, and the balance Fe group metal and unavoidable impurities,the composition including at least one component selected from component A and/or component B, component A being special metal, and component B being at least an effective amount of rare earth oxide additive,the special metal being a first special metal component, and optionally, a second special metal component when rare earth oxide additive is 0, the first special metal component consisting of at least one of: Y, lanthanides, Zr, Hf, Ti, Si, and B, and the second special metal component consisting of at least one of: alkaline earth metal, Cu, and Sn, and the special metal being a third special metal component when rare earth oxide additive is >0, the third special metal component consisting of at least one of Y, lanthanides, Zr, Hf, Ti, Si, alkaline ear

Abstract: An induction furnace for heating a portion of an optical preform in order to draw an optical fiber therefrom. The furnace includes a tubular susceptor which is disposed centrally within a housing. The electromagnetic field from a high frequency coil surrounding the susceptor is coupled to the susceptor to heat and reflow a portion of the preform. A cellular refractory tubular insulator is located between the coil and the susceptor.

Abstract: A method is presented for uniformly heating plastically deformable material, which comprises particles of electrically conducting matter. This method comprises inducing an electric current, or causing hysteresis loss within such material, by using electromagnetic radiation with frequency between about 50 Hertz and about 10 MegaHertz, to cause heating of the material.

Abstract: A method of drying plastically deformable metal structures using high frequency energy in a frequency range greater than 10 MHz. The highly efficient drying of the invention is accomplished by shielding the structure from the electrodes using a material whose dielectric constant is greater than that of air.

Abstract: A method of stiffening plastically deformable material, newly forming or formed into a shaped body, is disclosed. The method includes; exposing the material, which includes body-forming matter, polar molecules, and a polymeric agent having a thermal gel point, to electromagnetic radiation within the frequency range 10.sup.7 to 10.sup.13 Hertz. The radiation is applied while plastically deformable material is contained in, or as it emerges from a forming member in the shape of a body.