Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines

Other

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Guigne International, Ltd.

Cuigne International Ltd

John J Moore

Gayatri Vyas

Michael K Budinski

Dalong Zhong

Augusto O Kunrath Neto

Hu Chun Yi

Steven J Simske

Timothy S Moore

Jacques Y Guigne

Jacques Yves Guign&eacute;

Reed A Ayers

Jianliang Lin

Martin Castillo

Guglielmo Gottoli

Shrinivas Govindarajan

An in-situ apparatus is provided for monitoring the state of stress/strain and cracking in a die surface. The apparatus may also be used to facilitate the prudent removal of the die from the surface so that it may be repaired before catastrophic failure occurs. Accordingly, the yield of a process used to generate die cast structures may be greatly increased.

Piezoelectric sensor based smart-die structure for predicting the onset of failure during die casting operations

Methods for producing porous tricalcium phosphate net-shaped material are provide. The methods involve preparing a reactant mixture comprising calcium oxide and phosphorus pentoxide in a mole percent ratio that allows the mixture to form tricalcium phosphate upon combustion thereof, forming this mixture into a desired final shape in a die with compression, and carrying out a combustion synthesis therewith. Net-shaped TCP materials of the combustion synthesis, comprising alpha tricalcium phosphate or mixtures of alpha and beta tricalcium phosphate, are optionally further treated to effect transition of the alpha phase to the beta phase. The net-shaped TCP materials can have a uniform or non-uniform porosity.

Manufacture of porous net-shaped materials comprising alpha or beta tricalcium phosphate or mixtures thereof

An improved mouth guard designed for use with protective equipment such as helmets and other head gear is disclosed. The invention provides a convenient means to temporarily affix the mouth guard to sports equipment, or other object when the mouth guard is removed, rather than using a conventional or traditional tethering strap. The disclosed mouth guard can be quickly removed from a user's mouth and quickly attached to a helmet component, player's finger, or other piece of equipment to allow the mouth guard to remain rigidly affixed to the player without a loose tethering strap such as used in conventional mouth guards. The invention also is applicable to other mouth guard devices which may be used for dental treatment applications to secure a dental appliance temporarily when removed from the user's mouth.

Mouth guard with fixed tether system

The invention provides coatings to achieve the best accommodation of chemical, physical, and mechanical properties desired in high performance and reliable glass molding and forming tools. The substrate material can be any ordinary die or tool material such as cast iron, stainless steel, platinum, tungsten carbide and silicon. A simple coating architecture consisting of a titanium adhesion layer and a Ni&#x2014;Al&#x2014;N or Ti&#x2014;B&#x2014;C&#x2014;N working layer is provided. A NiAl working layer can meet the requirements of wear resistance in which abrasive and/or erosive wear is relatively low, while a Ti&#x2014;B&#x2014;C&#x2014;N working layer is sufficient for processes operating at relatively low temperature or in vacuum or a protective environment. The coating architectures, from the coating/substrate interface to the outer most surface of the coating include an inner adhesion layer, an outer working layer and, optionally, one or more functionally graded material layers. The invention also provides methods of making these coatings.

Coatings for glass molding dies and forming tools

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrochemical conversion assembly comprises a plurality of electrochemical conversion cells and a plurality of electrically conductive bipolar plates. The electrochemical conversion cells are configured to communicate with first and second reactant supplies. Adjacent ones of the electrochemical conversion cells are separated by respective ones of the plurality of bipolar plates. The bipolar plates comprise an alloy comprising Fe and Cr. Respective surface portions of the bipolar plates are provided with electrically conductive, corrosion resistant layers that are placed in contact with portions of the electrochemical conversion cells. The corrosion resistant electrically conductive layers may comprise graphitic layers characterized predominantly by sp2 hybridized carbon-carbon bonding, molybdenum doped indium oxide layers, an electrically conductive Cr+N layer, or an electrically conductive MoSilayer.

Coated steel bipolar plates

Nitrided bipolar plates and a scheme for their fabrication are provided. The present invention also contemplates device incorporating bipolar plates according to the present invention. For example, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an electrochemical conversion assembly is provided. The electrochemical conversion cells of the assembly are separated by respective bipolar plates comprising an alloy of Fe and Cr. A surface portion of the bipolar plates comprises a single phase nitrided structure. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a plasma nitriding process is utilized to create a single phase nitrided structure along a surface portion of respective ones of said bipolar plates.

Nitrided bipolar plates

The present invention provides coating systems that minimize thermal and residual stresses to create a fatigue- and soldering-resistant coating for aluminum die casting dies. The coating systems include at least three layers. The outer layer is an alumina- or boro-carbide-based outer layer that has superior non-wettability characteristics with molten aluminum coupled with oxidation and wear resistance. A functionally-graded intermediate layer or 'interlayer' enhances the erosive wear, toughness, and corrosion resistance of the die. A thin adhesion layer of reactive metal is used between the die substrate and the interlayer to increase adhesion of the coating system to the die surface.

Functionally graded alumina-based thin film systems

The present invention is directed to the preparation of in-situ formation of a series of glass-ceramic composites by the Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis (SHS) technique with advantages of processing simplicity as well as the potential of cost savings. The materials produced by the technique contain crystalline TiB phase and have either a pure glassy matrix or a glass matrix with partial devitrification based on the Al O &mdash;CaO system. The materials can potentially be used for infrared light transmission and for other high temperature applications. These materials can also be produced with relatively high porosity.

Combustion synthesis of glass (Al2O3-CaO-X-Y) ceramic (TiB2) composites

A coating system (,) formed on a molybdenum substrate (,) includes an oxidation resistance layer (,), a CTE matching layer (,) disposed between the oxidation resistance layer (,) and the substrate (,), and a novel barrier layer (,) disposed between the CTE matching layer (,) and the substrate (,). The CTE matching layer reduces stresses due to differential expansion/contraction as between the substrate (,) and the oxidation resistance layer (,), especially for high temperature applications. The barrier layer (,), which remains amorphous at temperatures up to at least 1000&deg; C., inhibits diffusion of carbon and silicon into substrate (,).

Oxidation resistance coating system for refractory metals

In-situ formation of glass-ceramic composites by the Self-propagating High temperature Synthesis (SHS) technique. The reagents used are: TiO.sub.2, B.sub.2 O, Al, Ti, B and MO where MO represents BaO, MgO, CaO and other similar oxides. BaCO.sub.3 may be substituted for BaO. The composition of the reaction products can be adjusted by adjusting the ratios of the reagents. All reagents are in powder form and the reaction can be carried out either in inert atmosphere inside a reaction chamber or in air without a chamber. The materials produced have crystalline TiB.sub.2 particles in a glassy matrix (aluminoborate glass). The TiB.sub.2 particles have a size of about 0.5 .mu.m. Advantages include processing simplicity and cost savings. The glass-ceramic composites produced are electrically conductive and find application where high strength, hardness and electrical conductivity are required.

Method of manufacturing aluminoborate glass-ceramic composite

A rudderless motorboat propelled and steered by twin-turbine wheels also functioning as traction wheels to carry the boat over sandbars and other submerged bodies to prevent it from running aground. The stern section of the boat hull is provided with a pair of longitudinally-extending tunnels which are symmetrically disposed with respect to the keel. Each wheel is rotatably mounted within a respective tunnel on an axis of rotation which is above the bottom line of the hull whereby only the lower segment of the wheel projects below this line to effect propulsion. Disposed within each tunnel on either side of the wheel therein are inlet and outlet baffles which are contoured to admit water to the propelling segment of the wheel and to discharge water therefrom, the baffles otherwise conforming to the periphery of the wheel to prevent recirculation of the water. A horizontally-mounted inboard motor is operatively coupled to the wheels in a manner whereby the wheels are differentially driven to propel and steer the boat.

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Golden, CO, United States of America

John J Moore