Artificial Hair Cells for Sensing Flows

The purpose of this article is to present additional information about the flow-velocity sensors described briefly in the immediately preceding article. As noted therein, these sensors can be...

Optoelectronic Nose Senses Vapors Associated with Hazmat and Security Scenarios

Since 9/11, we are increasingly threatened by terrorist plots — the release of noxious substances into crowded public places or on airplanes, in crowded...

Composite Elastic Skins for Shape-Changing Structures

Composite elastic skins having tailorable mechanical properties have been invented for covering shape-changing ("morphable") structures. These skins are intended especially for use on...

Double-Vacuum-Bag Process for Making Resin-Matrix Composites

A double-vacuum-bag process has been devised as a superior alternative to a single-vacuum-bag process used heretofore in making laminated fiber-reinforced resin-matrix...

Wholly Aromatic Ether-Imides as n-Type Semiconductors

Some wholly aromatic ether-imides consisting of rod-shaped, relatively-low-mass molecules that can form liquid crystals have been investigated for potential utility as electron-donor-type...

Guide Used in Leak-Testing System or Plastic Bottles

Container leaks can range from mildly annoying to potentially dangerous. To avoid faulty containers from ever leaving the production line, producers have installed testing devices as part...

Thermal Spore Exposure Vessels

Thermal spore exposure vessels (TSEVs) are laboratory containers designed for use in measuring rates of death or survival of microbial spores at elevated temperatures. A major consideration in the design of a...

Oxygen-Permeable, Hydrophobic Membranes of Silanized α-Al₂O₃

Membranes made of silanized alumina have been prepared and tested as prototypes of derivatized ceramic membranes that are both highly permeable to oxygen and hydrophobic....

Repairing Fractured Bones by Use of Bioabsorbable Composites

A proposed method of surgical repair of fractured bones would incorporate recent and future advances in the art of composite materials. The composite materials used in this method...

Improving Thermomechanical Properties of SiC/SiC Composites

Today, a major thrust toward improving the thermomechanical properties of engine components lies in the development of fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composite materials,...

Vaporizable Scaffolds for Fabricating Thermoelectric Modules

A process for fabricating thermoelectric modules with vacuum gaps separating the thermoelectric legs has been conceived, and the feasibility of some essential parts of the process...

Stability Enhancement of Polymeric Sensing Films Using Fillers

Experiments have shown the stability enhancement of polymeric sensing films on mixing the polymer with colloidal filler particles (submicron-sized) of carbon black, silver,...

Measuring Vapors To Monitor the State of Cure of a Resin

A proposed noninvasive method of monitoring the cure path and the state of cure of an epoxy or other resin involves measurement of the concentration(s) of one or more compound(s) in...

Templates for Fabricating Nanowire/Nanoconduit-Based Devices

An effort is underway to develop processes for making templates that could be used as deposition molds and etching masks in the fabrication of devices containing arrays of...

FETs Based on Doped Polyaniline/Polyethylene Oxide Fibers

A family of experimental highly miniaturized field-effect transistors (FETs) is based on exploitation of the electrical properties of nanofibers of polyaniline/ polyethylene oxide...

Thermally Stable Piezoelectric and Pyroelectric Polymers

A class of thermally stable piezoelectric and pyroelectric polymers, and an improved method of making them, have been invented. These polymers can be used as substrates for a wide...

Designing Cure Cycles for Matrix/Fiber Composite Parts

A methodology has been devised for designing cure cycles to be used in the fabrication of matrix/fiber composite parts (including laminated parts). As used here, “cure cycles”...

Attaching Thermocouples by Peening or Crimping

Two simple, effective techniques for attaching thermocouples to metal substrates have been devised for high- temperature applications in which attachment by such conventional means as welding,...

Monitoring Temperatures of Tires Using Luminescent Materials

A method of noncontact, optical monitoring of the surface temperature of a tire has been devised to enable the use of local temperature rise as an indication of potential or...

Biomimetic/Optical Sensors for Detecting Bacterial Species

Biomimetic/optical sensors have been proposed as means of real-time detection of bacteria in liquid samples through real-time detection of compounds secreted by the bacteria....