Abstract: A method of preparing a substrate having a wetting surface, including confirming the presence of an open, interconnected pore network in a ceramic substrate to be wetted with a first metal, filling the open, interconnected pore network with a second metal, exuding the second metal to coat the surface of the substrate, and wetting the substrate with the first metal. The ceramic substrate is not decomposed by the first metal and the ceramic substrate is not decomposed by the second metal.

Abstract: A method of preparing a substrate having a wetting surface, including confirming the presence of an open, interconnected pore network in a ceramic substrate to be wetted with a first metal, filling the open, interconnected pore network with a second metal, exuding the second metal to coat the surface of the substrate, and wetting the substrate with the first metal. The ceramic substrate is not decomposed by the first metal and the ceramic substrate is not decomposed by the second metal.

Abstract: A method of making a particulate infiltrated porous body, including the steps of preparing a suspension of particles of a first composition in a liquid medium, immersing a porous body of a second composition in the suspension, infiltrating the porous body with particles of the first composition with the suspension to yield an infiltrated body, and selectively removing the liquid medium from the infiltrated body while leaving behind the particles of the first composition to yield a particulate-infused body. The porous body of the second composition is not wet by the liquid medium.

Abstract: A method of the controlling the chemical and physical characteristics of a body formed from powder precursors, including measuring a predetermined amount of a first generally spherical particles, adhering smaller second particles to the respective first particles to define composite particles, forming the composite particles into a green body, and sintering the green body to yield a densified body. The second particles adhered to the first phase particles are substantially uniformly distributed and a respective first particle defines a first particle diameter that is typically at least about 10 times larger than the smaller diameter defined by a respective second particle. The composite particles define a predetermined composition.

Abstract: A method of forming a glass melt, including measuring predetermined amounts of raw materials to define a glass batch, combining predetermined amounts of sources of silica, calcia and boron from the glass batch to yield a first pre-batch, substantially consolidating the first pre-batch into first pre-batch granules, combining predetermined amounts of sources of silica, calcia, and alumina from the glass batch to yield a second pre-batch, mixing the first and second pre-batches and any remaining portion of the glass batch to yield a batch mixture, and heating the batch mixture to yield a glass melt. Typically, the raw materials at least include sources of silica, alumina, calcia and boron and each respective first pre-batch granule defines a cohesive agglomerate.

Abstract: A method of controlling reaction paths of glass batch components added to a resident glass melt is provided, including the steps of providing a plurality of raw material batch components according to a batch recipe, selectively combining a portion of the batch components into a first combination material having a melting temperature in a range of 60 to 90% of a resident melt temperature (K) and a viscosity.sup.3 a melt viscosity/100, and selectively combining another portion of the batch components into a second combination material having a reaction temperature in a range of 60 to 100% of the resident melt temperature, the second combination material being capable of forming an intermediate compound via a solid state reaction before reacting with the glass melt. The first and second combination materials and any remaining batch components are mixed and introduced into a glass melter.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a highly porous substrate. More particularly, the present invention enables fibers, such as organic, inorganic, glass, ceramic, polymer, or metal fibers, to be combined with binders and additives, and extruded, to form a porous substrate. Depending on the selection of the constituents used to form an extrudable mixture, the present invention enables substrate porosities of about 60% to about 90%, and enables process advantages at other porosities, as well. The extrudable mixture may use a wide variety of fibers and additives, and is adaptable to a wide variety of operating environments and applications. Additives can be selected that form inorganic bonds between overlapping fibers in the extruded substrate that provide enhanced strength and performance of the porous substrate in a variety of applications, such as, for example, filtration and as a host for catalytic processes, such as catalytic converters.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a highly porous substrate. More particularly, the present invention enables fibers, such as organic, inorganic, glass, ceramic, polymer, or metal fibers, to be combined with binders and additives, and extruded, to form a porous substrate. Depending on the selection of the constituents used to form an extrudable mixture, the present invention enables substrate porosities of about 60% to about 90%, and enables process advantages at other porosities, as well. The extrudable mixture may use a wide variety of fibers and additives, and is adaptable to a wide variety of operating environments and applications. Additives can be selected that form inorganic bonds between overlapping fibers in the extruded substrate that provide enhanced strength and performance of the porous substrate in a variety of applications, such as, for example, filtration and as a host for catalytic processes, such as catalytic converters.

Abstract: A cement composition comprises free-flowing spray-dried unreacted cement particles and a liquid binder. The spray-dried particles may include a poly acid. A method for making a cement composition using spray dried cement particles comprises a) providing cement particles, b) milling or sieving said cement particles so as to produce cement particles having a desired average size, c) adding a liquid carrier to said particles before or after milling so as to form a slurry, d) adding a poly acid to said particles while maintaining the pH of the slurry above about 6, and e) spray-drying the slurry. The resulting particles can be used in conjunction with a liquid binder to form a monolith having a desired shape.

Abstract: A spray-dryable cement composition comprises unreacted cement particles and a salt of a poly-acid. The composition can be used in a method for solid free-form fabrication of a three-dimensional object, in which a slurry comprising unreacted cement particles and a poly acid in a liquid carrier is spray-dried so as to substantially remove the carrier and form dry cement particles, the cement particles are deposited in a defined region and a liquid binder is applied to a predetermined area within the defined region such that upon contact of the liquid binder with the cement particles a hydrated cement forms in the predetermined area, and the steps of depositing the cement and applying the binder are repeated so as to form a three dimensional object.

Abstract: Mechanisms for preventing sway and distributing uneven forces applied on an axle in a moving vehicle are described. An axle tube is segmented into three components: two end segments and a middle segment. Spindle shafts extend from the end segments into the middle segment but do not come into direct contact with one another. Portions of the spindle shaft that are in the middle segment are press-fitted in the middle segment using inserts. The middle segment of the axle tube free to rotate. The inserts allow for interaction between both ends of the spindle shafts such that a rotational force applied to one spindle shaft is communicated to another spindle shaft. The amount of anti-sway capability desired can be calibrated by adjusting the length of the inserts and shafts in the axle tube and the materials and density of the various components.

Abstract: A method of controlling reaction paths of glass batch components added to a resident glass melt is provided, including the steps of providing a plurality of raw material batch components according to a batch recipe, selectively combining a portion of the batch components into a first combination material having a melting temperature in a range of 60 to 90% of a resident melt temperature (K) and a viscosity3 a melt viscosity/100, and selectively combining another portion of the batch components into a second combination material having a reaction temperature in a range of 60 to 100% of the resident melt temperature, the second combination material being capable of forming an intermediate compound via a solid state reaction before reacting with the glass melt. The first and second combination materials and any remaining batch components are mixed and introduced into a glass melter.