Patents by Inventor Roger T. Pepper
Roger T. Pepper has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 5773122Abstract: Layered carbon-carbon composites having improved interlaminar tensile strength are disclosed together with a process for making such composites. A metal catalyst is first deposited on a panel comprising a plurality of layers of carbon fiber cloth. The panel is then exposed to a gaseous hydrocarbon in an inert atmosphere at elevated temperature in order to promote the growth of graphite whiskers between the carbon cloth layers.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 1996Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: James R. Lennox, Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 5597611Abstract: Layered carbon-carbon composites having improved interlaminar tensile strength are disclosed together with a process for making such composites. A metal catalyst is first deposited on a panel comprising a plurality of layers of carbon fiber cloth. The panel is then exposed to a gaseous hydrocarbon in an inert atmosphere at elevated temperature in order to promote the growth of graphite whiskers between the carbon cloth layers.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 1990Date of Patent: January 28, 1997Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: James R. Lennox, Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 5200370Abstract: Monocrystalline ceramic fibers are disclosed together with a process for preparing such fibers. Polycrystalline ceramic fibers in a tow are coated with a coating that is chemically substantially non-reactive with the ceramic (e.g. alumina fibers coated with molybdenum), and the coated fibers are drawn through a heating zone maintained at a temperature high enough to melt the fibers without melting the coating. The coated fibers are withdrawn from the heating zone and cooled rapidly enough to form a substantially monocrystalline ceramic. The protective coating may thereafter be removed to leave a tow of substantially single-crystal ceramic fibers. Monocrystalline ceramic fibers about 8-20 microns in diameter are prepared by the disclosed process.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 1990Date of Patent: April 6, 1993Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: James R. Lennox, Roger T. Pepper, Paul V. Chayka
-
Patent number: 4776995Abstract: A carbonizable body is formed by infusing a plurality of preoxidized, preferably stabilized by known processing to have about 9 to 14 weight percent oxygen, polyacrylonitrile fibers in a polar liquid plasticizer, preferably water, capable of extracting a tarry leachate from the fibers. The infusion of the fibers in the plasticizer is continued for a sufficient time for a substantial amount of leachate to form on the surface of the fibers, and are then consolidated or diffusion-bonded to one another or other fibers, as by orienting the treated fibers in a mold and subjecting them to isostatic pressing at relatively low temperatures and pressure. Further processing of the consolidated fibers with appropriate heat treatment in an inert atmosphere will produce a carbonized bulk product with higher values of Young's modulus for the carbonized material than have been previously achieved at such carbonization temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1986Date of Patent: October 11, 1988Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 4777093Abstract: A carbonizable body is formed by infusing a plurality of preoxidized (preferably stabilized by known processing to have about 9 to 14 weight percent oxygen) polyacrylonitrile fibers in a polar liquid plasticizer, preferably water, capable of extracting a tarry leachate from the fibers. The infusion of the fibers in the plasticizer is continued for a sufficient time for a substantial amount of leachate to form on the surface of the fibers, and are then consolidated or diffusion-bonded to one another or other fibers, as by orienting the treated fibers in a mold and subjecting them to isostatic pressing at relatively low temperatures and pressure. Further processing of the consolidated fibers with appropriate heat treatment in an inert atmosphere will produce a carbonized bulk product with higher values of Young's modulus for the carbonized material than have been previously achieved at such carbonization temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 1987Date of Patent: October 11, 1988Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 4776994Abstract: A carbonizable body is formed by infusing a plurality of preoxidized, preferably stabilized by known processing to have about 17 to 30 weight percent oxygen, fibers prepared from pitch, in a non-polar liquid plasticizer, typically quinoline, capable of extracting a tarry leachate from the fibers. The infusion of the fibers in the plasticizer is continued for a sufficient time for a substantial amount of leachate to form on the surface of the fibers. The treated fibers are then consolidated or diffusion-bonded to one another or other fibers, as by orienting the treated fibers in a mold and subjecting them to isostatic pressing at relatively low temperatures and pressure. Further processing of the consolidated fibers with appropriate heat treatment in an inert atmosphere will produce a carbonized bulk product with higher values of Young's modulus for the carbonized material than have been previously achieved at such carbonization temperatures.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 1986Date of Patent: October 11, 1988Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Daniel C. Nelson, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 4526770Abstract: A novel process is provided for the formation of improved carbonized fibrous materials with increased modulus of elasticity and strength as well as decreased diameter. Preferably, the precursor material is acrylonitrile, typically copolymerized with a minor amount of an acrylic monomer such as methyl acrylate. Drawing of the polymer fiber during oxidation is effected at an elevated temperature in the presence of a carboxylic acid (other than formic acid), or its anhydride, within the fiber. It is believed that the acid and/or its anhydride which is formed at the oxidizing temperature serves as a plasticizer and reduces the fiber yield stress and increases fiber plasticity so that the fibers may be drawn by as much as 300% or more in the presence of the acid and/or its anhydride during oxidation, thereby providing the desired improvement in increased modulus of elasticity and tensile strength of carbon fibers formed subsequently by carbonization of the oxidized fibers.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 1982Date of Patent: July 2, 1985Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Roger T. Pepper, Daniel C. Nelson, Douglas S. Lewing
-
Patent number: 4215764Abstract: An acoustical insulating material comprises a fiber reinforced lead composite sheet or panel. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the fibers are substantially axially parallel aligned with one another. The frequency absorption and transmission characteristics of the material may be varied by mechanically stressing the material, e.g. as by placing the material under tension in the direction of fiber orientation.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 1976Date of Patent: August 5, 1980Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Roy D. Marangoni, Horst Gigerenzer, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 4145471Abstract: A carbon fiber reinforced metal matrix composite is produced by depositing a metal boride coating on the surface of the fibers and subsequently immersing the fibers in a molten bath of the metal matrix material. The boride coating is formed by passing carbon fiber through a gaseous mixture of chlorides of the metal and boron in the presence of zinc vapor at elevated temperatures. The subsequent reaction deposits out a submicron lamina of metal boride on the carbon fibers serving to enhance wetting of the fibers by the molten metal, with the lamina preventing chemical reaction between the fibers and metal matrix materials and also providing a strong mechanical bond therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 1975Date of Patent: March 20, 1979Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ernest G. Kendall, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 4082864Abstract: A carbon fiber reinforced metal matrix composite is produced by depositing a metal boride coating on the surface of the fibers and subsequently immersing the fibers in a molten bath of the metal matrix material. The boride coating is formed by passing carbon fiber through a gaseous mixture of chlorides of the metal and boron in the presence of zinc vapor at elevated temperatures. The subsequent reaction deposits out a submicron lamina of metal boride on the carbon fibers serving to enhance wetting of the fibers by the molten metal, with the lamina preventing chemical reaction between the fibers and metal matrix materials and also providing a strong mechanical bond therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1974Date of Patent: April 4, 1978Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Ernest G. Kendall, Roger T. Pepper
-
Patent number: 4072516Abstract: A novel graphite fiber/metal composite material in which the graphite fibers have an adherent coating of silicon oxide and silicon carbide. The coating protects the graphite surface from attack by carbide forming matrix metals such as aluminum, titanium, magnesium and nickel. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the coating is formed by an intermediate temperature vapor deposition technique involving the reduction of silicon tetrachloride in the presence of hydrogen and an oxygen containing gas.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 1975Date of Patent: February 7, 1978Assignee: Fiber Materials, Inc.Inventors: Roger T. Pepper, Thomas A. Zack