Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing materials employ two cylindrical members, one mounted within the other, defining an annular processing chamber. Preferably, the outer member is stationery (stator), while the inner rotates (rotor). The radial spacing between the stator inner surface and the rotor outer surface is equal to or less than the back-to-back radial thicknesses of the two laminar boundary layers formed on the two surfaces by the material being processed. The surfaces are made smooth, as by buffing to a finish of not more than 10 microinches. This structure inhibits formation of Taylor vortices in the processing passage, which cause unstable flow and consequent incomplete mixing. Preferably, the relative velocity between rotor and stator surfaces is at least 1.2 meters per second. The surfaces may be coated with catalysts. Transducers may be provided to apply processing energy, such as microwave, light or ultrasonic waves, through the stator wall.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods for producing substrates (24) for electric circuits, particularly ultra high frequency circuits, and electric components (44-48) for mounting thereon employing for the purpose mixtures of polymers and finely powdered filler materials, the latter having specific electric characteristics, such as dielectric constant and/or resistivity. Any one substrate or component can be manufactured to have at least two body regions (241, 242), and even multiple body regions (241-24n), each of which has a different characteristic such as dielectric constant (&Sgr;1-&Sgr;n respectively) or resistivity (R1-Rn respectively). The regions can be formed separately as substrate or component preforms and thereafter placed together in a mold and united into a single body by a heating and pressing operation that at least melts polymer at the junctions to bond them together.

Abstract: A reactor produces a gas-in-liquid emulsion for providing increased interfacial contact area between the liquid and the gas for improved reaction of the gas with the liquid, or more rapid solution or reaction of a difficulty soluble or immiscible gas in or with a liquid. The reactor is suitable for a continuous or batch type process. Rotor and stator cylindrical members are mounted for rotation relative to one another and have opposing surfaces spaced to form an annular processing passage. The gap distance between the opposing surfaces and the relative rotation rate of the cylindrical members are such as to form a gas-in-liquid emulsion of the gas in the liquid. The liquid and gas pass through the processing passage, changing into the gas-in-liquid emulsion.

Abstract: Highly filled composite materials, e.g. comprising approximately 60 volume % or greater of finely powdered particles of filler in a polymer matrix, are made by dissolving polymer in a volatilisable solvent, adding filler and forming a homogeneous mixture by high shear mixing. Most solvent is then removed while maintaining homogeneity in the mixture, preferably by evaporation in a high shear mill. Then, extruding a thin layer of the composite material and removing remaining solvent, as by heating. Bodies are formed from the dried layer, which are heated and pressed to melt and disperse melted polymer into the interstices between filler particles. Thereby, certain polymers unusable at low solids contents become effective bonding materials at high solids contents. Filler materials are chosen to tailor electrical and physical properties of the articles, which may comprise substrates for electronic circuits. Suitable polymers are certain polyarylene ethers soluble in cyclohexanone.

Abstract: A micro-optical switch including a flexureless magnetic micromirror hinged centrally over a pin, cone or the like. The pin, cone or the like allows the micromirror to rapidly switch or tilt into a plurality of predefined positions as accurately controlled by an microelectromagnetic assembly. A liquid surrounds the pin or cone, connects the bottom of the surface of the mirror with the substrate supporting the pin or cone, and provides a capillary force holding the mirror onto the pin or cone. The liquid low vapor pressure also dissipates heat generated by the fiberoptic beam reflecting off the top surface of the micromirror.

Abstract: Composite materials comprising at least 60 volume %, preferably 70 volume %, of particles of finely powdered filler material in a matrix of poly(arylene ether) polymer material are made by forming a mixture of the components, forming the required bodies therefrom, and then heating and pressing the bodies to a temperature sufficient to melt the polymer and to a pressure sufficient to disperse the melted polymer into the interstices between the filler particles. Surprisingly these polymer materials can only be effective as bonding materials when the solids content is as high as that specified, since with lower contents the resultant bodies are too friable. This is completely contrary to accepted prior art practice which considers that composites are progressivly weakened as the solids content is increased, so that such content must be limited.

Abstract: Composite materials comprising at least 60 volume %, preferably 70 volume %, of particles of finely powdered filler material in a matrix of poly(arylene ether) polymer material are made by forming a mixture of the components, forming the required bodies therefrom, and then heating and pressing the bodies to a temperature sufficient to melt the polymer and to a pressure sufficient to disperse the melted polymer into the interstices between the filler particles. Surprisingly these polymer materials can only be effective as bonding materials when the solids content is as high as that specified, since with lower contents the resultant bodies are too friable. This is completely contrary to accepted prior art practice which considers that composites are progressivly weakened as the solids content is increased, so that such content must be limited.

Abstract: A window allows the introduction of radiation energy into an annular processing chamber filled with a material to be processed. The chamber is formed from coaxial cylinder members rapidly rotating relative to one another. The chamber can be thin enough so that it is short compared to the penetration depth of the radiation through the material, providing even exposure of the material to the radiation. Also, eddies created in the material by the relative rotation enhances the even exposure. When the material inside the annular processing chamber is opaque, resulting in an insignificant penetration depth, the eddies still insure that the material is evenly exposed to the irradiation.

Abstract: Composite materials comprising at least 60 volume %, preferably 70 volume %, of particles of finely powdered filler material in a matrix of poly(arylene ether) polymer material are made by forming a mixture of the components, forming the required bodies therefrom, and then heating and pressing the bodies to a temperature sufficient to melt the polymer and to a pressure sufficient to disperse the melted polymer into the interstices between the filler particles. Surprisingly these polymer materials can only be effective as bonding materials when the solids content is as high as that specified, since with lower contents the resultant bodies are too friable. This is completely contrary to accepted prior art practice which considers that composites are progressivly weakened as the solids content is increased, so that such content must be limited.

Abstract: High-shear treated materials are passed through a high-shear treatment zone which allows the coexistence of free supra-Kolmogoroff eddies larger than the smallest possible Kolmogoroff eddy diameter and forced sub-Kolmogoroff eddies smaller than this diameter. This zone includes a subsidiary higher-shear zone for suppressing these free eddies. The passage walls (40, 44, 102, 108) move relative to one another transverse to the flow to force the simultaneous development of supra-Kolmogoroff and sub-Kolmogoroff eddies while maintaining liquid films adherent to the passage surfaces. The movement produces only forced sub-Kolmogoroff eddies in the subsidiary zone while maintaining a non-turbulent flow. Ultrasonic oscillations (52) may be applied to cause elastohydrodynamic pressure and viscosity increases and/or production of smaller sub-Kolmogoroff eddies.

Abstract: New apparatus and methods are provided for the uniform mixing and dispersion of highly viscous flowable pastes, such apparatus comprising a body with a flow passage that is kept full of the material by pumping it under pressure. The passage is of constant flow cross-sectional area along its operative length and the ratio of its dimensions at right angles to one another changes cyclically and repeatedly along its length between a lower value and a higher value. In each stage each increase in ratio produces spreading deformation of the material from a compact mass to a thin sheet moving between closely spaced passage surfaces, and viscous shear in the material, while each decrease returns the moving material to a compact mass; the passage preferably has from 10 to 25 stages. Preferably, a rotatable core member extends through the passage so that it is annular, its rotation increasing the shear in the material above a minimum required for rheological plastic flow to facilitate the flow through the passage.

Abstract: The method for treating materials in liquids involves passing them with the liquid through a processing gap formed by a flow passage whose walls are closely spaced and move relative to one another transversely to the direction of flow, thereby producing "supra-kolmogoroff" mixing eddies in the gap, and at the same time applying ultrasonic longitudinal pressure oscillations that reverberate between the two closely spaced surfaces into the gap transversely to the direction of flow from transducers mounted on one wall, thereby producing "sub-Kolmogoroff" mixing eddies therein. The method is capable of rapidly producing relatively thick slurries of sub-micrometer particles that otherwise can take several days in conventional high shear mixers and ball or sand mills, or of rapidly dissolving difficultly soluble gases and powders into liquids.

Abstract: The invention provides fluid handling apparatus which may be heat exchange apparatus or fluid reaction apparatus. The apparatus is provided with an interrupter structure for disrupting the fluid boundary layers at the walls of the apparatus and promoting mixing of the separated boundary layers with the adjacent core layers. One interrupter structure comprises a plurality of longitudinally-spaced interrupter elements mounted on a core rod, each element comprising a plurality of blade-like members each of at least approximately spherical segment profile in side elevation, the members extending mutually radially outward relative to one another to touch or nearly touch the said surface or surfaces adjacent the elements. The elements are spaced longitudinally from one another the distance required to provide wake intererence flow of the fluid, wherein the vortex upstream of one element cooperates with the vortex downstream of the next element in the fluid path.

Abstract: An improved heat exchange construction for tube bundle heat exchange systems including shell (4) and tube (6) types (2), incorporating detached, essentially spherical flow interrupters (24, 26) arranged in an interconnected matrix configuration (22), and disposed within the tube bundle interstices (9, 11). Substantial improvements in heat exchange and exchanger tube life, is provided. The mechanically interconnected matrix configuration of the flow interrupters provides an economical and easily assembled means to improve heat transfer outside of individual tubes in a tube bundle configuration. Continuous tube support is also provided by tube/interrupter contact, thereby greatly decreasing fatigue failures encountered in presently used multiple tube, tube/shell heat exchanger configurations (2).

Abstract: The invention provides fluid handling apparatus which may be heat exchange apparatus or fluid reaction apparatus. The apparatus is provided with an interrupter structure for disrupting the fluid boundary layers at the walls of the apparatus and promoting mixing of the separated boundary layers with the adjacent core layers. One interrupter structure comprises a plurality of longitudinally-spaced interrupter elements mounted on a core rod, each element comprising a plurality of blade-like members each of at least approximately spherical segment profile in side elevation, the members extending mutually radially outward relative to one another to touch or nearly touch the said surface or surfaces adjacent the elements. The elements are spaced longitudinally from one another the distance required to provide wake interference flow of the fluid, wherein the vortex upstream of one element cooperates with the vortex downstream of the next element in the fluid path.

Abstract: Shell and tube heat transfer apparatus and a corresponding process of heat transfer employ a fluid flow consisting of non-turbulent boundary-layers adjacent the inner and outer heat exchanger surfaces of the tubes and a non-turbulent core-layer between the boundary-layers and interfacing therewith. Interrupter-structures disposed within the tube and shell flow passes and interrupt the full development of the boundary-layers at a multitude of spaced spots, leaving the heat transfer surfaces unaltered, unmodified and uninterrupted, so that the boundary-layers cannot increase in thickness but will partially separate from the surfaces and mix non-turbulently with the core-layer to effect the required heat transfer between the surfaces and the fluid. The interrupter-structure preferably consists of a plurality of rows of spheres, with which the space remote from the heat exchange surface is filled with a space-filling material to prevent the useless flow of fluid in a space not effective for heat transfer.

Abstract: Apparatus for the treatment of materials by the application thereto of ultrasonic longitudinal pressure oscillations, for example, for dispersing or emulsifying or dissolving or mixing or deagglomerating consists of an enclosure having an interior with two closely-spaced walls at least one of which is made to oscillate at ultrasonic frequencies, or otherwise impart such oscillations to the interior, for example, by ultrasonic transducers mounted on the wall exterior. The spacing between the walls is such that the longitudinal pressure oscillations produced at the oscillating wall are reflected by the other wall, preferably several times, before they are attenuated to a negligible value. Preferably, the other wall also vibrates to produce doppler effects and avoid standing waves. The distance between the inner surfaces of the two walls is normally not more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).