Abstract: A method for making a doped magnesium diboride powder is provided. The method includes coating a polymeric precursor on at least one of a plurality of particles of a first phase, where the first phase includes a magnesium diboride powder, where the polymeric precursor includes chemical elements yielding a second phase. The second phase includes one or more of a boride, a nitride, a carbide, an oxide, an oxy-boride, an oxy-nitride, an oxy-carbide, or combinations thereof. The method further includes forming a second phase coating onto at least one of the plurality of particles of the magnesium diboride powder.

Abstract: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system having a vacuum vessel positioned about an imaging volume, one or more high temperature superconducting coils positioned within the vacuum vessel, and a cryocooler coupled to the vacuum vessel to operate the superconducting coil at a temperature above 10 K. At least one gradient coil is positioned between an imaging volume and the superconducting coil without any thermal shielding interposed between the gradient coil and the superconducting coil. A method of forming an MRI system includes forming at least one winding of the main field generating coils with high temperature superconducting material, positioning the winding in a vessel for receiving cryogenic fluid, and positioning a gradient coil between the imaging volume and the winding without placing a thermal radiation shield between the gradient coil and the winding.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are scintillating materials, methods for their manufacture, and method for their use. In one embodiment, a scintillator comprises the formula A2LnBX6, wherein A comprises thallium (Tl), a Group IA element, and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing, Ln comprises cerium, B comprises a Group IA element, and X comprises iodine (I) or an iodine compound, wherein the iodine compound comprises iodine (I) and an element selected from the group consisting of fluoride (F), chloride (Cl), bromide (Br), and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. Also disclosed are radiation detectors and methods for their use.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention are directed toward nanocrystalline oxide-based phosphor materials, and methods for making same. Typically, such methods comprise a steric entrapment route for converting precursors into such phosphor material. In some embodiments, the nanocrystalline oxide-based phosphor materials are quantum splitting phosphors. In some or other embodiments, such nanocrystalline oxide based phosphor materials provide reduced scattering, leading to greater efficiency, when used in lighting applications.

Abstract: A ceramic structure having a scaffold with at least one opening and at least one porous filler material at least partially filling the at least one opening is described. The porous ceramic filler includes a plurality of pores. The pores have an average size in a range from about 2 nm to about 100 nm. The plurality of pores includes at least one pore architecture. For each pore architecture, the average pore size does not vary by more than about 100% when the average pore size is in a range from about 2 nm to about 50 nm, and the average pore size does not vary by more than about 50% when the average pore size is greater than about 50 nm. The plurality of pores includes at least two pore architectures when the porous filler material is silica. Also described is a method of making the ceramic structure.

Abstract: A method of making nanoscale ordered composites of covalent ceramics through block copolymer-assisted assembly. At least one polymeric precursor is mixed with a block copolymer, and self-assembly of the mixture proceeds through an annealing process. During the annealing step, the polymeric precursor cross-links to form a structure robust enough to survive both the order-disorder transition temperature the block copolymer and the pyrolysis process, yielding ordered nanocomposites of high temperature ceramic materials. The method yields a variety of structures and morphologies. A ceramic material having at least one ceramic phase that has an ordered structure on a nanoscale and thermally stable up to a temperature of at least about 800° C. is also disclosed. The ceramic material is suitable for use in hot gas path assemblies, such as turbine assemblies, boilers, combustors, and the like.

Abstract: A light source comprises: (a) a source of plasma discharge that emits electromagnetic radiation, a portion of which has wavelengths shorter than about 200 nm; and (b) a phosphor composition that comprises particles, each of the particles comprising at least a first phosphor and at least a second phosphor, the phosphor composition is disposed such that the first phosphor absorbs substantially the portion of EM radiation having wavelengths shorter than about 200 nm, and the first phosphor emits EM radiation having wavelengths longer than about 200 nm.

Abstract: A method of making a luminescent nanomaterial having a plurality of nanoparticles. The luminescent nanomaterial includes at least one lanthanide group metal phosphate and at least one lanthanide series dopant, wherein each of the plurality of nanoparticles has a predetermined morphology. The luminescent nanomaterial has a high quantum efficiency and a high absorption value. The method yields a variety of morphologies and sizes of the plurality of nanoparticles. The particles size of the luminescent material varies from tens of nanometers to a few hundred of nanometers.

Abstract: A mesoporous material is described. It includes a network of interconnected pores within an L3 phase structure. The pores include pore walls of a silicate material functionalized with at least one metal cation—usually a transition metal. Articles which include the mesoporous material are also disclosed, along with methods for making the mesoporous material.