Abstract: Disclosed herein are dual cure compositions, methods to cure dual cure compositions, the dual cure compositions comprising at least one filler, at least one curable monomer comprising at least one of an ethylenic unit or cyclic ether unit or mixture thereof; at least one photoinitiator; and at least one thermal initiator. The method comprises the step of photocuring by exposing the compositions to radiation to at least partially photocure the composition, which in turn generates an exotherm which initiates thermal curing. The methods may be used to make cured thick compositions and sandwich structures. Articles made by the methods are also described.

Abstract: A method for constructing a wind turbine blade for installation at a wind farm location is described herein. In accordance with the present method, primary components of the wind turbine blade, such as, for example, the root and the spar caps, are manufactured in a first manufacturing facility. Secondary components such as, for example, the skin, are manufactured at a second manufacturing facility, which is closer to the wind farm location than the first manufacturing facility. The manufactured primary and secondary components may be assembled in an assembly location near the wind farm.

Abstract: A steam turbine blade includes a shank portion and an airfoil portion. The airfoil portion is formed with at least one pocket filled with a polymer filler material chosen as a function of natural frequency impact on the turbine blade or as a function of the damping characteristics of the filler materials. A steam turbine rotor wheel includes a plurality of blades secured about a circumferential periphery of the wheel, each blade having one or more pockets in the airfoil portion, the plurality of blades divided into two groups of blades. The pockets of one group of blades are filled with one or more polymer filler materials, and the pockets of the other group of blades filled with one or more polymer filler materials, wherein the polymer filler materials in the one group of blades creates different natural frequencies or damping characteristics in the blades of the one group than the polymer filler materials in the blades of the other group.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade for assembly on a steam turbine rotor wheel includes forming an airfoil portion with plural pockets and filling the pockets with more than one filler material chosen as a function of required temperature capability.

Abstract: Epoxy polymer precursors and epoxy polymers resulting therefrom are tolerant to bombardment by high-energy radiation. The epoxy polymer precursors comprise at least an epoxy resin free of aromatic units and at least a curing agent selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyamines, cycloaliphatic polyamines, polyamides, aliphatic anhydrides, cycloaliphatic anhydrides, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment of the invention the epoxy resin comprises at least a cycloparaffinic group, and the curing agent comprises a polyamine derived from cyclohexane. Such epoxy polymer compositions are used to form reflectors elements between adjacent scintillator elements in high-energy radiation detector array.

Abstract: Epoxy polymer precursors and epoxy polymers resulting therefrom are tolerant to bombardment by high-energy radiation. The epoxy polymer precursors comprise at least an epoxy resin free of aromatic units and at least a curing agent selected from the group consisting of aliphatic polyamines, cycloaliphatic polyamines, polyamides, aliphatic anhydrides, cycloaliphatic anhydrides, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment of the invention the epoxy resin comprises at least a cycloparaffinic group, and the curing agent comprises a polyamine derived from cyclohexane. Such epoxy polymer compositions are used to form reflectors elements between adjacent scintillator elements in high-energy radiation detector array.

Abstract: An enclosure for a rotor in a generator including the rotor, rotor windings and a stator, the enclosure comprising a plurality of composite rings located adjacent one another along a length dimension of the rotor so as to contain the rotor windings on the rotor, the rings each comprising at least two layers selected from the group consisting essentially of metals, glass fiber laminates and graphite fiber laminates.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for fabricating a high performance reflective material for use on scintillator elements in a computed tomograph (CT) imaging device. Adjacent scintillator elements are separated by gaps filled with a reflective coating layer. In one embodiment, the reflective coating layer consists of a surface level coating layer, an adhesion layer, a metallic reflective layer, and a top layer consisting of either a barrier coating layer or a polymeric encapsulant, or both. In another embodiment, the metallic reflective coating layer is applied to the scintillator element via an electroless metal deposition process utilizing a reducing agent and a metal complex. The CT reflectors formed by either embodiment have improved light output, minimized cross talk, higher geometric efficiency, and decreased performance degradation as compared with current CT reflectors that utilize organic binders and titanium dioxide fillers is achieved.

Abstract: Two pieces of composite material are simultaneously joined together throughout an interface between the two pieces, by induction heating the interface region with an induction coil placed, at least in part, adjacent to the bonding region, and forcing the composite material at the interface together while heating. The approach is particularly useful in joining pieces having "long interfaces" whose longitudinal dimension is substantially larger than its transverse dimension, for example the long interfaces between aircraft wing stiffeners and skins. The induction coil is configured so that, at any one longitudinal location along the interface, the primary current flowing therethrough does not flow in opposite directions in the portions of the coil overlying the interface, and preferably flows in substantially the same direction throughout the interface. Unheated "cold spots" in the interface being bonded, which would not bond properly, are thereby avoided.