Abstract: A cover includes a body having a braided section and a plurality of side sections to which panels and hook-and-loop fastening elements are attached. A tail section includes tail hairs that have been customized to enhance the appearance of a horse's tail and is connected to the braided section of the body. The hairs can also form the braided section of the body. The body is attached to the dock section of the horse's tail using the hook-and-loop fastener elements and the hairs of the tail section are integrated into the hairs of the horse's tail.

Abstract: An optically-active air-clad fiber (30) includes a core (34, 84) that facilitates doping with an ion optically excitable and having a three-level optical transition when pumped at a first end (28) of an optical cavity (46) by a multimode pump source (72) at a pump wavelength (64) for lasing at a signal wavelength (66) different than the pump wavelength (64) at a second end (29) of the optical cavity (46), the core (34, 84) having a refractive index, wherein the core (34, 84) is transformed from the first end to proximate the second end (29) thereof such that the optically-active fiber (30) is multimode at the pump wavelength proximate to the first end (28), and is single-mode at the signal wavelength proximate to the second end (29). An air-clad (36, 86) surrounds at least one portion of the core (34, 84) and has a lower effective refractive index than the refractive index of the core (34, 84).

Abstract: An optically-active air-clad fiber (30) includes a core (34, 84) that facilitates doping with an ion optically excitable and having a three-level optical transition when pumped at a first end (28) of an optical cavity (46) by a multimode pump source (72) at a pump wavelength (64) for lasing at a signal wavelength (66) different than the pump wavelength (64) at a second end (29) of the optical cavity (46), the core (34, 84) having a refractive index, wherein the core (34, 84) is transformed from the first end to proximate the second end (29) thereof such that the optically-active fiber (30) is multimode at the pump wavelength proximate to the first end (28), and is single-mode at the signal wavelength proximate to the second end (29). An air-clad (36, 86) surrounds at least one portion of the core (34, 84) and has a lower effective refractive index than the refractive index of the core (34, 84).

Abstract: A method for forming a doped optical fiber includes drawing the optical fiber from a doped glass supply at a draw speed and a draw tension sufficient to introduce a heat aging defect in the optical fiber. The optical fiber is treated by maintaining the optical fiber within a treatment temperature range for a treatment time while preferably maintaining the optical fiber within a treatment tension range to reduce the tendency of the optical fiber to increase in attenuation over time following formation of the optical fiber. Apparatus are also provided.

Abstract: A method of making activated carbon of various pore size distributions involves an providing oxidized pitch, carbonizing the pitch when the softening point of the pitch is less than about 250° C., and activating the pitch to produce activated carbon. A catalyst metal can be included with the pitch to produce mesoporosity in the activated carbon.

Abstract: Mesoporous carbon and method of making involves forming a mixture of a high carbon-yielding carbon precursor that when carbonized yields greater than about 40% carbon on a cured basis, and an additive that can be catalyst metal and/or low carbon-yielding carbon precursor that when carbonized yields no greater than about 40% by weight carbon on a cured basis. When a catalyst metal is used, the amount of catalyst metal after the subsequent carbonization step is no greater than about 1 wt. % based on the carbon. The mixture is cured, and the carbon precursors are carbonized and activated to produce mesoporous activated carbon.

Abstract: Mesoporous carbon and method of making involves forming a mixture of a high carbon-yielding carbon precursor that when carbonized yields greater than about 40% carbon on a cured basis, and an additive that can be catalyst metal and/or low carbon-yielding carbon precursor that when carbonized yields no greater than about 40% by weight carbon on a cured basis. When a catalyst metal is used, the amount of catalyst metal after the subsequent carbonization step is no greater than about 1 wt. % based on the carbon. The mixture is cured, and the carbon precursors are carbonized and activated to produce mesoporous activated carbon.

Abstract: A fired body and method for producing the body that involves compounding the components of powder materials, binder, aqueous solvent for the binder, and non-solvent with respect to at least the solvent, binder, and powder materials. The non-solvent is made up of a high molecular weight organic portion having a molecular weight of greater than 200, and a low molecular weight organic portion having a molecular weight of up to 200. The components are mixed and plasticized to form a plasticized mixture which is then shaped to form a green body. The green body is then dried and fired.

Abstract: A fired body and method of making involves compounding powder, binder, aqueous solvent for the binder, surfactant, and non-solvent with respect to at least the binder, the solvent, and the powder, with the addition of an organosilicon compound. The non-solvent is lower in viscosity than the binder combined with the solvent, and the amount of solvent is less than the amount that would be used absent the non-solvent. The components are mixed and plasticized and then shaped into a green body, which is then fired to produce the product body. The organosilicon compound enhances the stiffness in the green body afforded by other non-solvents, and results in increased strength and reduced cracking in the fired body, among other advantages.

Abstract: A method for forming an article involves forming a mixture of components of powder materials, organic binder, solvent for the binder, non-solvent with respect to at least the binder, the solvent, and the powder materials, wherein the non-solvent is lower in viscosity than the binder combined with the solvent, and an agent for retarding the oxidation of the organic components. The components are mixed and plasticized, and shaped into a green structure which is then fired to impart strength and form the product article. The product article has fewer cracks than it would have absent the oxidation-retarding agent.

Abstract: A method of making mesoporous carbon involves combining a carbon precursor and a pore former. At least a portion of the pore former dissolves molecularly in the carbon precursor. The pore former has a decomposition or volatilization temperature above the curing temperature and below the carbonization temperature of the carbon precursor. The carbon precursor is cured, carbonized, and optionally activated, and at the same time the pore former is removed.