Abstract:
A process for manufacturing a thermoelectric material having a plurality of grains and grain boundaries. The process includes determining a material composition to be investigated for the thermoelectric material and then determining a range of values of grain size and/or grain boundary barrier height obtainable for the material composition using current state of the art manufacturing techniques. Thereafter, a range of figure of merit values for the material composition is determined as a function of the range of values of grain size and/or grain boundary barrier height. And finally, a thermoelectric material having the determined material composition and an average grain size and grain boundary barrier height corresponding to the maximum range of figure of merit values is manufactured.
Abstract:
The magnetic force between the electromagnet and plunger of a magnetic actuator, the electromagnet including a coil generating magnetic flux when the coil is energized, can be increased by locating a near field plate on the electromagnet. The near field plate has a spatially modulated surface reactance configured to focus the magnetic flux within a region of the plunger, such as the central portion of an end portion of the plunger proximate the electromagnet, so as to increase the magnetic force between the electromagnet and plunger. Examples also include permanent magnet based actuators and the use of other magnetic field focusing devices.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a multilayer structure wherein a first layer of a first material having an outer surface and a refracted index between 2 and 4 extends across an outer surface of a second layer having a refractive index between 1 and 3. The multilayer stack has a reflective band of less than 200 nanometers when viewed from angles between 0° and 80° and can be used to reflect a narrow range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectrum ranges. In some instances, the reflection band of the multilayer structure is less than 100 nanometers. In addition, the multilayer structure can have a quantity defined as a range to mid-range ratio percentage of less than 2%.
Abstract:
A method for producing a multi-layer photonic structure having at least one group of alternating layers of high index material and low index material may include, determining a characteristic property function for the multi-layer photonic structure, determining a thickness multiplier for the at least one group of alternating layers based on a comparison of the characteristic property function to a target profile, adjusting the characteristic property function with the determined thickness multiplier, and comparing an adjusted characteristic property function to the target profile, wherein, when the adjusted characteristic property function does not approximate the target profile, at least one additional group of layers is added to the multi-layer photonic structure.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a multilayer structure wherein a first layer of a first material having an outer surface and a refracted index between 2 and 4 extends across an outer surface of a second layer having a refractive index between 1 and 3. The multilayer stack has a reflective band of less than 200 nanometers when viewed from angles between 0° and 80° and can be used to reflect a narrow range of electromagnetic radiation in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared spectrum ranges. In some instances, the reflection band of the multilayer structure is less than 100 nanometers. In addition, the multilayer structure can have a quantity defined as a range to mid-range ratio percentage of less than 2%.
Abstract:
A multi-layer photonic structure may include alternating layers of high index material and low index material having a form [H(LH)N] where, H is a layer of high index material, L is a layer of low index material and N is a number of pairs of layers of high index material and layers of low index material. N may be an integer ≧1. The low index dielectric material may have an index of refraction nL from about 1.3 to about 2.5. The high index dielectric material may have an index of refraction nH from about 1.8 to about 3.5, wherein nH>nL and the multi-layer photonic structure comprises a reflectivity band of greater than about 200 nm for light having angles of incidence from about 0 degrees to about 80 degrees relative to the multi-layer photonic structure. The multi-layer photonic structure may be incorporated into a paint or coating system thereby forming an omni-directional reflective paint or coating.
Abstract:
A process for determining an optimum range of compositions for a nanocomposite thermoelectric material system, within which the material may exhibit generally high figure of merit values, is provided. The process is performed for a nanocomposite thermoelectric material system having a first component and a second component made from nanoparticles. The process includes selecting a plurality of material compositions for a nanocomposite thermoelectric material system to be investigated and calculating a thermal conductivity value and calculating an electrical resistance value for each material composition selected. In addition, at least one Seebeck coefficient is determined for the material compositions selected. Then, a plurality of figure of merit values are calculated using the calculated plurality of thermal conductivity values, the calculated plurality of electrical resistivity values and the determined at least one Seebeck coefficient. After the plurality of figure of merit values are calculated, an optimum compositional range can be determined within which the largest ZT values may be exhibited.
Abstract:
A method and system for processing a Web service request in a distributed computing environment. In one embodiment, the Web service request is processed in a Web service requester. A packet having a header containing an internationalization context of the Web service requester is generated. The packet is then attached to the Web service request. The packet is then sent with the Web service request to the distributed computing environment.
Abstract:
Processes for the liberation of oxygen and hydrogen from water are provided allowing for mass scale production using abundant sources of catalyst materials. A metal oxide based anode is formed by the simple oxidation of metal in air by heating the metal for a specified time period. The resultant anode is then contacted with water and subjected to a voltage from an external source or driven by electromagnetic energy to produce oxygen at the surface of the anode by oxidation of water. These processes provide efficient and stable oxygen or hydrogen production.
Abstract:
An omnidirectional structural color (OSC) having a non-periodic layered structure. The OSC can include a multilayer stack that has an outer surface and at least two layers. The at least two layers can include at least one first index of refraction material layer A1 and at least one second index of refraction material layer B1. The at least A1 and B1 can be alternately stacked on top of each other with each layer having a predefined thickness dA1 and dB1, respectively. The dA1 is not generally equal to the dB1 such that the multilayer stack has a non-periodic layered structure.