Abstract: A method for making an activated carbon-supported catalyst involves providing an inorganic support having a continuous coating of activated carbon, activated carbon being derived from a synthetic carbon precursor, introducing a catalyst precursor into the pore structure of the activated carbon, and thermally treating the catalyst precursor to form an activated carbon-supported catalyst.

Abstract: Disclosed is cold-start fuel vapor emission control system for an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold and a fuel tank, comprising the following components: (1) a housing for containing an honeycomb adsorber for adsorbing fuel vapor; (2) a vapor passage for fluidly connecting the housing and the fuel tank; (3) a charging system for measuring the quantity of adsorbed fuel vapor and for, if necessary, increasing the amount of adsorbed fuel vapor to a level sufficient to "vapor-only" start the engine; (4) a purging passage connecting the housing to an intake manifold for introducing a mixture comprised of the fuel vapor and air to the intake manifold. In a preferred embodiment, the honeycomb adsorber comprises a monolithic, binderless honeycomb structure having a continuous activated carbon phase.

Abstract: A shaped article and method for making the article is disclosed. The method involves forming a raw material mixture of a thermosetting resin which can be either solid resin or liquid resin, hydrophilic filler, which can be carbonizable and/or inorganic, temporary organic binder, and optionally an effective amount of extrusion aids. The mixture is extruded into a shaped article, dried, and the resin is cured. The cured article can be further carbonized and activated. The activated carbon, especially a honeycomb is used for adsorbing components from a workstream.

Abstract: A method for making an activated carbon composite which involves providing a crosslinkable resin and a support material which is wettable by the resin. The support material can be cotton, chopped wood, sisal, non-fugitive material, and combinations of these. The support is contacted with the resin; and the resin and support material are dried. The resin and support material are then shaped, the resin is cured, and the resin and any carbonizable material are carbonized. The carbon is then activated to produce the product composite. An activated carbon composite produced by the above described method in which the carbon is in the form of a continuous structure reinforced by and uniformly distributed throughout non-fugitive support material.

Abstract: A device for purifying a workstream of contaminants and method of making. One device is made of an inorganic monolithic porous particulate filter and a continuous uninterrupted coating of activated carbon impregnated into the pores of the filter. Preferably the filter has inlet and outlet faces, and a multiplicity of cells separated by porous walls and extending longitudinally and mutually parallel therethrough from inlet to outlet end, a portion of the total number of cells being plugged at the inlet end face, and the remaining portion of the total number of cells being plugged at the outlet end face of the device. Another device can be made entirely of activated carbon having the multicellular structure. A workstream containing contaminants is passed through the device to cause retention of the contaminants. The device can have electrically conducting mechanism for conducting electric current therethrough for removal of the contaminants and regeneration of the device.

Abstract: A system for adsorbing a plurality of contaminants from a workstream composed of a first stage open-ended activated carbon monolith adsorber, a second stage open ended activated carbon monolith adsorber downstream of the first stage. The first stage activated carbon has an average pore size that is larger than the average pore size of the second stage activated carbon.

Abstract: A composite including an inorganic substrate having an outer surface from which pores extend into the substrate and a coating extending over the substrate's outer surface as a substantially uninterrupted layer of carbon. The coating penetrates into the pores of the inorganic substrate. The composite can be made by a process including the steps of contacting an inorganic substrate with a coating and impregnating liquid consisting essentially or wholly of a carbon precursor liquid, treating the inorganic substrate under conditions effective to cure substantially the carbon precursor liquid, and heating the inorganic substrate under conditions effective to convert substantially the cured carbon precursor liquid to carbon.

Abstract: An activated carbon body having flow-through channels and method of making the body. The method involves combining and shaping channel-forming material and optionally fugitive pore-forming material and non-fugitive support material, and a crosslinkable resin into a green body and curing the resin. The temperature at which the channel-forming material begins to distort is greater than the curing temperature of the resin. The resin is carbonized and at the same time the channel-forming material is vaporized out to form a carbon body having flow through channels in the configuration of the fugitive material. The carbon body is then activated. Among other shapes the channels can be straight, curved or crisscrossed.

Abstract: A method for making an activated carbon supported catalyst, the method comprising combining a carbon precursor and a catalyst precursor, curing the carbon precursor if necessary, carbonizing the carbon precursor, and activating the carbon to produce the activated carbon supported catalyst. The activated carbon supported catalyst can take the form of a coating on a substrate, a powder, or a monolithic body.

Abstract: A method of producing activated carbon supported on a substrate involves impregnating a substrate with a crosslinking resin curing catalyst, followed by impregnating the substrate with a crosslinking thermosetting resin, curing the resin, carbonizing the resin, and activating the carbon.

Abstract: A composite including an inorganic substrate having an outer surface from which pores extend into the substrate and a coating extending over the substrate's outer surface as a substantially uninterrupted layer of carbon. The coating penetrates into the pores of the inorganic substrate. The composite can be made by a process including the steps of contacting an inorganic substrate with a coating and impregnating liquid consisting essentially or wholly of a carbon precursor liquid, treating the inorganic substrate under conditions effective to cure substantially the carbon precursor liquid, and heating the inorganic substrate under conditions effective to convert substantially the cured carbon precursor liquid to carbon.

Abstract: A rigid, low expansion formable housing composition can be used to package optical waveguide couplers. The housing is in intimate contact with and strongly bonded to the coupler being packaged. The housing composition includes a formable polymeric resin, a glass-ceramic or ceramic or glass filler, and, optionally, strengthening fibers. The filler has a low thermal expansion to compensate for the high expansion of the resin. A moisture barrier layer may be placed around the housing composition, and it is possible to incorporate a shock absorbing material between the housing and the moisture barrier layer.

Abstract: An aluminum article having a mirror-like surface and an improved working tool and method for fabricating the article from an aluminum blank, the tool comprising a mechanically strong, abrasion-resistant body against which the aluminum blank is forced under pressure, the tool body comprising a whisker-reinforced, crystalline body consisting essentially of about 5-35 weight % of SiC whiskers and 65-95 weight % of a crystalline matrix. The predominant crystal phase in the crystalline matrix may be a CaO--Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 crystal phase.

Abstract: Semi-permeable microporous polymer bodies, such as porous plates or membranes for separation processes, are provided, these being made of durable high-temperature thermoplastics, eg., a liquid crystal polymer, by a process comprising melt-mixing the polymer with high loadings of leachable glass and then leaching the glass from the polymer to leave a continuous relict polymer network, the network typically demonstrating pore volumes of 50 percent or more and average pore diameters in the 0.1-10 micron range.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced glass-ceramic matrix composites exhibiting substantially increased resistance to stress failure above the microcrack point in a hot oxidizing environment are provided by introducing into the composite a matrix additive consisting of a stable, refractory, chemically compatible glass. The glass is disposed as an intergranular glass phase in the crystalline aluminosilicate glass-ceramic matrix of the composite, which may further comprise a whisker addition to the matrix to increase the high-temperature viscosity of the intergranular glass.

Abstract: A method for making a semi-permeable microporous polymer sheet, useful as a separation membrane or the like, including extruding a melt-blended mixture of a high-temperature thermoplastic polymer and a leachable glass to form sheet and then leaching the glass from the sheet to leave a microporous relict polymer network, wherein the permeability of the sheet is improved by plasma-etching the surface of the sheet before or after leaching. Hydrophilic or hydrophobic porous membranes may be provided.

Abstract: A method for producing a laminated ceramic composite article with improved transverse and interlaminer shear strength. The method includes the steps of forming a laminated preform by interlaminating toughened green ceramic matrix layers which include a randomly oriented toughening phase with green layers of aligned fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix material and thereafter forming the ceramic composite article from the laminated preform.

Abstract: Semi-permeable microporous polymer bodies, such as porous plates or membranes for separation processes, are provided, these being made of durable high-temperature thermoplastics, e.g., a liquid crystal polymer, by a process comprising melt-mixing the polymer with high loadings of leachable glass and then leaching the glass from the polymer to leave a continuous relict polymer network, the network typically demonstrating pore volumes of 50 percent or more and average pore diameters in the 0.1-10 micron range.

Abstract: Ceramic matrix composite articles of improved high temperature oxidation resistance are provided, the articles comprising reinforcing fibers disposed within a ceramic matrix, the matrix further comprising a minor matrix addition consisting of a dispersion of fluormica crystallites in a proportion effective to improve the oxidation resistance of the article and ranging up to about 20% by weight of the matrix.

Abstract: Fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites incorporating a glass-ceramic matrix of lithium aluminosilicate composition in which is disposed a fiber reinforcement phase including at least one layer of unidirectionally oriented fibers (e.g. SiC), the matrix further comprising a whisker reinforcement phase selected from the group of SiC, alumina, HfC and Si.sub.3 N.sub.4, the whiskers imparting substantially improved transverse modulus of rupture strength and interlaminar shear strength to the composite.