Abstract: A method of continuously fabricating a cushiony recycled plastic floor tile or wall cover wherein a single-ply sheet, made up substantially of recycled membrane and a proportion of discrete fibers sufficient to create a cushion effect in the tile, is extruded. The fibers are reduced in length by cooling the sheet extrudate produced, chopping the sheet extrudate into particles in which the fibers are reduced in length and then passing the chopped extrudate into the extruder to reextrude it. When size reduction is achieved, the hot substrate proceeds immediately into the nip between laminating rolls and a preheated cover film selected from the group comprising transparent sheet, colored sheet, and sheet with decorative imprinting is passed on into the nip with the substrate. Compressive pressure is applied by the laminating rolls to autogeneously heat weld the substrate and cover film in surface to surface sealed contact without the imposition of air bubbles or wrinkles between them.

Abstract: An elongated, rigid, porous, ceramic separator for a rechargeable battery assembly, the separator having a honeycomb structure in which open cells are separated from adjacent cells by thin, porous, ceramic walls, the open cells and separating walls running lengthwise of the honeycomb, the cell walls being porous and the open cells and wall pores being adapted to be filled with an electrolyte to permit ion flow between electrodes in a battery.

Abstract: A battery assembly comprising a separator, spaced metal/metal oxide electrodes and a liquid electrolyte, the improvement comprising a rigid, porous, ceramic separator that is wettable by the liquid electrolyte, that has a porosity of 40-90 volume %, an average pore size in the range of 0.1-25 microns, a thickness of 1-12 mm, and a weight loss of not more than about 5% when exposed to H.sub.2 SO.sub.4 having a specific gravity of 1.28 for 72 hours at 70.degree.C.

Abstract: A method of continuously fabricating a cushiony recycled plastic floor tile or wall cover incorporating a decorative printed design wherein a single-ply sheet, made up substantially of recycled membrane and a proportion of discrete fibres sufficient to create a cushion effect in the tile is extruded at an extruding temperature in the range of 300.degree. F.-350.degree. F. in a hot state of semi-solidity in which it can be drawn under tensile load without reducing in thickness. The hot substrate proceeds immediately into the nip between laminating rolls and a transparent cover film, having decorative imprinting on one surface is passed closely alongside one of the laminating rolls to apply radiant preheat to it, before passing on into the nip with the substrate.

Abstract: Highly uniform prepreg mats comprising inorganic fibers and powered ceramic matrix materials, useful for the manufacture of ceramic matrix composite articles, are provided by a process wherein continuous fiber tows infiltrated with a thermoplastic suspension of the matrix powder are preheated, uniformly collected on a heated drum or other support, and then cooled and compacted with a pressure roller or the like to achieve a prepreg mat structure characterized by a homogeneous distribution of fibers and ceramic matrix material.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the production of SiC whisker- and/or fiber-reinforced, internally-nucleated glass-ceramic matrix composite articles consisting essentially of 0.5-60% by weight SiC whiskers and/or 15-70% by volume ceramic fibers substantially uniformly distributed in a glass-ceramic matrix consisting essentially, in weight percent on the oxide basis, of 16-20%, CaO, 38.5-46% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 35-42% SiO.sub.2, and up to 10% total of at least one nucleating agent in the indicated proportion selected from the group consisting of 0.1-3% Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, 0.25-3% HfO.sub.2, 2-5% MoO.sub.3, 0.25-3% Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5, 0.25-3% Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5, 0.25-3% WO.sub.3, and 1-10% ZrO.sub.2, wherein Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 is present in an amount which is at least 5 mole percent and up to 50 mole percent in excess of that present in stoichiometric triclinic anorthite, and wherein the predominant crystal phases in the glass-ceramic are triclinic anorthite and mullite and/or .alpha.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. Up to 1.

Abstract: There is disclosed a laminated ceramic structure including a facing member and a backing member, the two members being bonded together either directly or through an intermediate layer, the facing member being formed from a very hard ceramic such as a carbide having a KHN.sub.100 value in excess of 1000 kg/mm.sup.2, the backing member being a glass or glass-ceramic matrix having an enhanced capability or absorbing impact energy, preferably being fiber reinforced and having an energy absorbing capacity in excess of 10 KJ/m.sup.2.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to SiC whisker and/or fiber reinforced glass-ceramic matrix composite articles wherein an alkaline earth aluminosilicate constitutes the predominant crystal phase. More particularly the composite articles will consist essentially of 10-60% by weight SiC whiskers and/or 15-70% by volume ceramic fibers and the glass-ceramic matrix will consist essentially, by weight on the oxide basis, of______________________________________ CaO 0-25 MgO 0-15 SrO 0-30 Na.sub.2 O 0-4 CaO + SrO 10-30 K.sub.2 O 0-6 Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 25-38 TiO.sub.2 0-12 SiO.sub.2 35-60 ZrO.sub.2 0-15 BaO 0-25 As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-3 BaO + MgO + Na.sub.2 O + K.sub.2 O + TiO.sub.2 ZrO.sub.2 + As.sub.2 O.sub.3 0-30 ______________________________________The preferred predominant crystal phase is selected from the group of anorthite and its pseudo-binaries, with mullite, cordierite, barium osumilite, and albite solid solution.

Abstract: Glass or ceramic products including glass optical waveguides are produced by a vapor phase oxidation process wherein .beta.-diketonate complexes of selected metals having significant vapor pressures at some temperature below their decomposition temperatures are vaporized, transported to an oxidation site in the vapor phase, and reacted in the vapor phase to form particulate metal oxide soot. After capture, this soot can be consolidated by sintering to form e.g. clear glass of a purity suitable for drawing into glass optical waveguide fiber.