Abstract: A boat used in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) furnace is configured to hold one or more complex three-dimensional (3D) structures when performing a coating. A platform wafer is placed horizontally in the boat to support the complex 3D structures and a mount is positioned to secure the complex 3D structures on the platform wafer during the CVD process. One or more “witness” wafers may also be placed in the boat for analyzing the thin-film coating. The platform wafer may be positioned between or bracketed by the vertical wafers. Parts with coatings manufactured using LPCVD are further disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thermoelectric device. The thermoelectric device includes an interconnect layer, a skutterudite layer, and a metallization stack. The metallization stack, having a diffusion layer, is disposed between and in electrical contact with the interconnect layer and the skutterudite layer of the thermoelectric device. The present invention also provides a method of preparing an SKD thermocouple. The present invention also provides a method of preparing a braze joint.

Abstract: The disclosure herein includes methods of preparing ceramic beads, useful as proppant materials, by mixing ceramic precursors, such as slag, fly ash, or aluminum dross, forming bead precursors from the mixture, and heating the bead precursors to drive a chemical reaction between the ceramic precursors to form the ceramic beads. The resultant ceramic beads may be generally spherical particles that are characterized by diameters of about 0.1 to 2 mm, a diametral strength of at least about 100 MPa, and a specific gravity of about 1.0 to 3.0. A coating process may optionally be used to increase a diametral strength of a proppant material. A sieving process may optionally be used to obtain a smaller range of sizes of proppant materials.