Abstract: A method and article for damping acoustic energy caused vibrations comprises forming a damping surface comprising an alloy containing from about 13.5 to about 24.5 atom percent tin with the balance being essentially titanium or a titanium-chromium alloy containing from about 52 to about 56 atom percent chromium, about 8 to about 12 atom percent aluminum, and the balance essentially titanium.

Abstract: Intermetallic compounds of ruthenium and tantalum are disclosed comprising about 46 to 53 atomic percent tantalum and the balance substantially ruthenium. Another intermetallic compound is comprised of, about 45 to 54 atomic percent tantalum, up to about 35 atomic percent cobalt, and the balance substantially ruthenium, with ruthenium plus cobalt being less than 55 atomic percent. Another intermetallic compound is comprised of, about 45 to 54 atomic percent tantalum, up to about 25 atomic percent iron, and the balance substantially ruthenium. The intermetallic compounds have a high hardness up to about 950.degree. C. and have good room-temperature toughness.

Abstract: Intermetallic compounds of ruthenium and aluminum are disclosed comprising about 40 to 51 atomic percent aluminum, about 0.8 to 9 atomic percent scandium and boron, and the balance substantially ruthenium. The intermetallic compounds have a high hardness up to about 1150.degree. C., and good room-temperature toughness.

Abstract: A process for producing a sinterable doped superconductive powder which contains a sufficient amount of superconductive compound which is at least coated with sufficient uranium-235 and/or plutonium-239 dopant atoms to enable the sinterable powder to be formed into a sintered superconductive body which can be irradiated with thermal neutrons to produce from about 0.25.times.10.sup.14 to about 5.times.10.sup.14 fission events per cubic centimeter of the resulting irradiated superconductive body, said superconductive compound being selected from the group consisting of Bi.sub.2 CaSr.sub.2 Cu.sub.2 O.sub.8 .+-.x where x ranges from zero to 0.5, Bi.sub.2-y Pb.sub.y Ca.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.10.+-.z where y ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 and z ranges from zero to less than 1, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Intermetallic compounds of ruthenium and aluminum are disclosed comprising about 40 to 51 atomic percent aluminum and the balance substantially ruthenium. The intermetallic compounds have a high hardness up to about 1150.degree. C. and have good room temperature toughness. Hardness is improved by scandium additions up to about 7 atomic percent. Hardness is improved while maintaining good room temperature toughness by boron additions up to about 1 atomic percent.

Abstract: A polycrystalline Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductor doped with sufficient .sup.235 U and/or .sup.239 Pu atoms is irradiated with thermal neutrons to produce from about 2.5.times.10.sup.14 to about 50.times.10.sup.14 fission events per cubic centimeter of superconductor.

Abstract: A passive device particularly for the improved measurement of the flow of a liquid is described. The device comprises a conduit defining a flow volume for the internal transit therethrough of a liquid to be received at one open end thereof and discharged from the other open end thereof; means disposed in communication with the interior of the conduit for introducing a preselected tracer substance into liquid flowing (full channel flow) through the flow volume; at least one enclosure having wall area permeable to the preselected tracer substance, this enclosure being disposed relative to the flow volume so that the liquid flow through the flow volume will contact the permeable wall area, and means disposed within the enclosure for detecting the presence of such preselected tracer substance as may enter the enclosure through the permeable wall area from the interior of the conduit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for determining the occurrence or non-occurrence of subsurface air flow and, in the event of the occurrence of subsurface air flow, being able to determine its direction into or out of the earth. The determinations are accomplished by the use of a pair of alpha particle detectors, each of which is disposed in a protective enclosure to constitute a detector unit. A pair of such units is employed, the two units being buried in the earth spaced from each other and at different depths. Readings detecting alpha particle emission are taken on both units and compared.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described for reducing or removing the background noise caused by thoron gas (.sup.220 Rn) in uranium exploration conducted by the detection of radon gas (.sup.222 Rn) emanating from the ground. This is accomplished by the use of a number of alpha particle detectors, each of which is disposed in a protective enclosure. A barrier which permits, but deliberately retards, the passage therethrough of gases is disposed in the path to be traversed before such gases can reach the alpha particle detector. The increase in the transit time made necessary by requiring soil gases to move through the barrier should be sufficiently long to allow the decay of most of the thoron, thereby eliminating its contribution to the total signal reflected at the detector.