Low temperature lithium production

    公开(公告)号:US11466376B1

    公开(公告)日:2022-10-11

    申请号:US16908916

    申请日:2020-06-23

    IPC分类号: C25C3/02 C25C1/02

    摘要: A method and electrolysis cell for producing lithium metal at a low temperature. The method includes combining (i) acetonitrile and (ii) a cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)imide, cation bis(trihalosulfonyl)imidic acid, a cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)amide, or cation bis(trihaloalkylsulfonyl)amidic acid in a weight ratio of (i) to (ii) about 100:1 to about 5:1 to provide a non-aqueous electrolyte composition. A lithium compound selected from the group consisting of LiOH, Li2O and Li2CO3 is dissolved in the electrolyte composition to provide a lithium doped electrolyte composition. Power is applied to the electrolyte composition to form lithium metal on a cathode of an electrolysis cell. The lithium metal separated from the cathode has a purity of at least about 95 wt. %.

    Coated fiber optic chemical and radiation sensors

    公开(公告)号:US11371943B2

    公开(公告)日:2022-06-28

    申请号:US17060253

    申请日:2020-10-01

    摘要: Distributed fiber optic chemical and radiation sensors formed by coating the fibers with certain types of response materials are provided. For distributed chemical sensors, the coatings are reactive with the targets; the heat absorbed or released during a reaction will cause a local temperature change on the fiber. For distributed radiation sensors, coating a fiber with a scintillator enhances sensitivity toward thermal neutrons, for example, by injecting light into the fiber. The luminescent components in these materials are taken from conjugated polymeric and oligomeric dyes, metal organic frameworks with sorbed dyes, and two-photon-absorbing semiconductors. The compositions may exhibit strong gamma rejection. Other scintillators combining luminescent materials with neutron converters are available. With a multiple-layer coating, it may be possible to identify the presence of both neutrons and gamma rays, for example. Coatings may be applied during manufacture or in the field.

    PASSIVE CHRONOMETRIC TAMPER-INDICATING DEVICE AND METHOD

    公开(公告)号:US20210033580A1

    公开(公告)日:2021-02-04

    申请号:US16525644

    申请日:2019-07-30

    IPC分类号: G01N31/22

    摘要: A tamper-indicating device, the tamper-indicating device including: an elongate structure; a penetrant chamber coupled to the elongate structure; and a physical barrier (or other release mechanism) disposed between the elongate structure and the penetrant chamber; wherein the penetrant chamber is adapted to contain a penetrant material that selectively diffuses into the elongate structure at a predetermined rate when the physical barrier is ruptured (or the other release mechanism is actuated) by a tamper or environmental event; and wherein the penetrant material creates an overt or covert indication of the degree of diffusion into the elongate structure, the degree of diffusion indicating an amount of time since the tamper or environmental event. The tamper-indicating device further includes a substrate coupled to the elongate structure. Optionally, the tamper-indicating device further includes a visible time scale disposed on the substrate substantially adjacent to the elongate structure.

    Passive thermal control of microwave furnace components

    公开(公告)号:US10371445B1

    公开(公告)日:2019-08-06

    申请号:US15351710

    申请日:2016-11-15

    发明人: Edward B. Ripley

    摘要: A microwave furnace includes a microwave casket having an inner surface forming an internal cavity. A heatable body, formed at least in part of a microwave susceptor material, is located in the internal cavity of the casket and heats in response to a microwave field. A thermal control system is provided, which includes a fluid flow path extending through the casket and has an inlet and an outlet formed in the microwave casket. A portion of the fluid flow path is adjacent the heatable body. The thermal control system flows a thermal transfer fluid through the fluid flow path via the inlet to absorb heat from the heatable body and to transfer the absorbed heat along the fluid flow path until the thermal transfer fluid exits the fluid flow path via the outlet.

    Gas-sealed stub tuner for microwave systems

    公开(公告)号:US10079135B1

    公开(公告)日:2018-09-18

    申请号:US15955951

    申请日:2018-04-18

    发明人: Edward B. Ripley

    IPC分类号: H01J37/32 H01P5/04

    CPC分类号: H01J37/32192 H01P5/04

    摘要: A stub tuner apparatus includes a body portion having a first end and a second end and defining an internal space configured to carry electromagnetic energy. A gas-sealed pocket extends from the body portion such that, when the body portion forms a portion of a gas-sealed environment, the stub tuner apparatus is gas sealed. A stub is disposed in the gas-sealed pocket and the apparatus includes a linear translation means for moving the stub at least partially out from and into the pocket and at least partially into and out from the internal space without breaching the gas-sealed environment of the stub tuner apparatus.

    Stabilizing chock assembly for caster wheel and associated method of use

    公开(公告)号:US10035499B2

    公开(公告)日:2018-07-31

    申请号:US15253211

    申请日:2016-08-31

    IPC分类号: B60T3/00

    CPC分类号: B60T3/00

    摘要: A stabilizing chock assembly for a caster wheel or the like, including: a first stabilizing member or piece and a second stabilizing member or piece; and a clamping mechanism coupling the first stabilizing member to the second stabilizing member, the clamping mechanism operable for selectively biasing the first stabilizing member and the second stabilizing member together about a wheel; wherein the first stabilizing member and the second stabilizing member collectively define a conformal recess that is configured to selectively receive and retain a lower portion of the wheel. Optionally, the first stabilizing member and the second stabilizing member each define an arcuate ramp structure that forms a portion of the conformal recess. Optionally, the chock assembly also includes a friction surface disposed on a bottom surface of each of the first stabilizing member and the second stabilizing member.