Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Gary Mark Crosbie

Ronald L Predmesky

Chaitanya Kumar Narula

V Durga Rao

John Michael Nicholson

Gerald J Tennenhouse

Halina S Wroblowa

Ragnar P Tischer

Richard L Allor

Arup Kumar Gangopadhyay

Robert A Pett

Russell J Haeberle

Sabine Rita Nakouzi-Phillips

Gregory T Bretz

Douglas George Mcwatt

Alevtina Smirnova

Randall Roy Hume

Methods and systems for reducing overstress of a DPF are provided herein. One example of such a method is based on a radial temperature gradient near the exit face of the diesel particulate filter. In this way, it becomes possible to more closely correlate radial stresses to actual risk of DPF fracture.

Diesel particulate filter overstress mitigation

Methods and systems for reducing overstress of a DPF are provided herein. One example of such a method is based on radial temperature gradient near the exit face of the diesel particulate filter. In this way, it becomes possible to more closely correlate radial stresses to actual risk of DPF fracture.

A method of making a glass composition consisting essentially by mol percent of about 55&#x3c;SiO&#x3c;75; 5&#x3c;BaO&#x3c;30; and 2&#x3c;MgO&#x3c;22 for use as a matrix of composite materials. A method of making a glass matrix-ceramic particulate composition useful for sealing electrochemical structures, such as solid oxide fuel cells is also disclosed. Method steps include the admixture of finely divided MgSiOparticulates with the matrix glass, to reach an overall composition by mol percent of about 55&#x3c;SiO&#x3c;65; 5&#x3c;BaO&#x3c;15; and 25&#x3c;MgO&#x3c;35.

Method of making glass compositions for ceramic electrolyte electrochemical conversion assemblies and assemblies made thereby

A glass composition consisting essentially by mol percent of about 55&#x3c;SiO&#x3c;75; 5&#x3c;BaO&#x3c;30; and 2 &#x3c;MgO&#x3c;22 for use as a matrix of composite materials. A method of making a glass matrix-ceramic particulate composition useful for sealing electrochemical structures, such as solid oxide fuel cells is also disclosed. Method steps include the admixture of finely divided MgSiOparticulates with the matrix glass, to reach an overall composition by mol percent of about 55&#x3c;SiO&#x3c;65; 5&#x3c;BaO&#x3c;15; and 25&#x3c;MgO&#x3c;35.

Glass compositions for ceramic electrolyte electrochemical conversion devices

A polymeric binder system and method of making, and a method for extruding thin-walled articles such as thin-walled tubes is provided. The extrusion method comprises providing a polymeric binder system comprising a substantially homogeneous solution of a polymeric binder and an organic solvent, adding a ceramic or metal powder to form a mixture, and evaporating the solvent from the mixture. The remaining mixture is then extruded from a die and heated to burn-off the binder and sinter the article.

Method of preparing thin-walled articles

A gaseous flow sensor that utilizes non-platinum resistive sensing elements and a method for fabricating such sensor are disclosed. The gaseous flow sensor is constructed by an insulating substrate; a reference resistor formed on the substrate and disposed in the gaseous flow at an ambient temperature without heating; a flow-sensing resistor formed on the substrate disposed in the gaseous flow that is heated to a temperature higher than the ambient temperature; and an electrical circuit in electrical communication with the reference resistor and the flow-sensing resistor for feeding a current into the flow-sensing resistor in order to keep the two resistors at the same temperature during the operation of the gaseous flow sensor.

Flow-sensing device and method for fabrication

The present invention is a method for the manufature of a membrane structure for use in electrochemical conversions. The method includes providing a first mixture at a first temperature and a second mixture at a second temperature, extruding the first mixture to form a plurality of spaced-apart supportable membranes, cooling the extruded membrane from the first temperature to a third temperature, forming sufficient bubble surfaces of the second mixture between the membranes to facilitate the support of the membranes, cooling the extruded membranes and the formed bubble surfaces to a semi-solid from the second temperature to the third temperature less than the first and second temperatures, heating the cooled extruded membranes and the cooled formed bubble surfaces from the semi-solid at the third temperature to a predetermined elevated temperature sufficient to make the extruded membranes and the formed bubble surfaces into a sintered ceramic, and sufficiently cooling the extruded membranes and the formed bubble surfaces in the sintered ceramic to cause the bubbles to support the membranes.

Method of making a supported plurality of electrochemical extruded membranes

This invention is directed to metal-matrix composites which include a substantially continuous phase of metal and reinforcing ceramic particulate substantially uniformly dispersed therein and comprising at least two of barium titanium, titanium dioxide, and titanium nitride. The composite may include other reinforcing ceramic particulate materials like metal carbides such as titanium carbide and other titanates like calcium titanate. The reinforcing particulate can comprise up to about 70 volume percent of the composite and have an average particle diameter of between about 0.1 micron and 100 microns. In forming the composite, the metal powder employed has an average particle diameter between about 1 and 20 microns. The composite is useful to manufacture, e.g., automotive parts such as brake rotors and structural components.

Metal-matrix composites

Method of surface finishing covalent-ionic ceramics comprising: (a) repeatedly rubbing a finishing medium against an exposed surface of the ceramic, the medium being constituted of an ionic bonded oxide having grains harder than the grains of the covalent-ionic bonded ceramic; (b) interrupting the rubbing at frequent intervals to dress the medium by a single point diamond tool; and (c) continuing the repeated rubbing and dressing interruptions of steps (a) and (b) until a surface roughness of about 0.04 micrometer Ra has been achieved on the ceramic and the exposed surface of the ceramic retains an ionic residue of the finishing medium. Also, a method of effecting reduced friction between lubricated rubbing surfaces, comprising: (a) forming one of the rubbing surfaces of silicon nitride based ceramics having a polished surface roughness about 0.04 micrometer Ra with an ionic residue thereon resulting from finishing with an ionic-bonded oxide having grains harder than the grains of the silicon nitride ceramic; and (b) operating the silicon nitride rubbing surface against the other rubbing surface while lubricating the interface between such rubbing surfaces with oil in a mixed hydrodynamic regime, whereby the ionic residue is effective to react with additives in said lubricant oil to form a transfer film on said silicon nitride ceramic that reduces contact friction.

Surface finishing covalent-ionic ceramics

A valve assembly (10) for use in an engine (12), comprising a valve stem guide (14) and a valve seat insert (40) mounted within the engine (12), the valve stem guide (14) and the valve seat insert (40) being provided with a solid film lubricant (30) impregnated therewithin. A valve (20) is reciprocatingly received within the internal bore (16) of the tubular valve stem guide (14). The valve (20) includes an axially extending valve stem (22) which is received by the solid film lubricant (30) within the valve stem guide (14), thereby reducing friction therebetween. The valve stem (22) and the valve stem guide (14) are formed so as to cooperate with associated components within narrowly defined dimensional tolerances in a manner which has the characteristics of reduced friction and lessened passage of oil to the exhaust system of the engine (12). The valve guide assembly (10) thus has the characteristic of being operable in an oil-starved state. The invention comprises the valve assembly (10) itself, the method of preparing it, and the composition of matter of which it is made.

Oil-starved valve assembly

Method and apparatus are provided for collecting reaction product solids entrained in a gaseous outflow from a reaction situs, wherein the gaseous outflow includes a condensable vapor. A condensate is formed of the condensable vapor on static mixer surfaces within a static mixer heat exchanger. The entrained reaction product solids are captured in the condensate which can be collected for further processing, such as return to the reaction situs. In production of silicon imide, optionally integrated into a production process for making silicon nitride caramic, wherein reactant feed gas comprising silicon halide and substantially inert carrier gas is reacted with liquid ammonia in a reaction vessel, silicon imide reaction product solids entrained in a gaseous outflow comprising residual carrier gas and vaporized ammonia can be captured by forming a condensate of the ammonia vapor on static mixer surfaces of a static mixer heat exchanger.

Apparatus for silicon nitride precursor solids recovery

A titanium tetrahalide is reacted with a disilazane to prepare a titanium containing organometallic precursor, which is thereafter mixed with a refractory material powder and pyrolyzed to form a titanium nitride-containing refractory material composite containing crystalline titanium nitride.

Preparation of titanium nitride-containing refractory material composites

Method for silicon nitride precursor solids recovery

A method of economically making silicon nitride precursor, comprising: (a) reacting silicon halide vapor with liquid ammonia at a situs (i.e., at a temperature of -20.degree. to +40.degree. C.) in an inert environment having a pressure equal to or greater than 35 psig, which environment is effectively devoid of organic contaminants, said reaction producing a mixture of precipitated silicon imide in liquid ammonia having dissolved ammonium halide; (b) extracting a portion of the mixture from the situs; and (c) separating the precipitate from the liquid of the portion. Preferably the silicon halide is SiCl.sub.4 and its vapor is brought into reaction with the liquid ammonia by way of a nonreactive carrier gas (N.sub.2 or argon). The proportioning of the SiCl.sub.4 and liquid ammonia is effective so that the exothermic heat of chloride-ammonia reaction substantially offsets the latent heat of vaporization of the ammonia into the residual carrier gas to provide a neutral heat balance or slight overall endothermic heat transfer.

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Dearborn, MI, United States of America

Gary Mark Crosbie