United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Jonathan E Spowart

Herbert M Mullens

Daniel B Miracle

Benji Maruyama

Christopher Crouse

Colin Rowbottom

Carly S Hauser

Christian J Pierce

Eric A Lindgren

Breanna K Hardenstein

Raghavan Srinivasan

Wynn S Sanders

Garth B Wilks

Nicholas Gothard

Kevin L Kendig

The present invention relates to devices for measuring property changes via in-situ micro-viscometry and methods of using same. The aforementioned device is inexpensive and can be used to quickly and accurately measure numerous physical and chemical property changes, including but not limited to the rate of chemical cure, change in tack, and rate of mass loss, for example, rate of moisture, solvent and/or plasticizer change.

Device for measuring property changes via in-situ micro-viscometry

In-situ micro-viscometry for low-cost cure monitoring and control

Reactive nanocomposites, foams, and structures comprising functionalized metal nanoparticles that are incorporated into a fluorinated polymer matrix using an in-situ polymerization process and methods of making and using the same. The reactive nanocomposites, foams, and structures according to the present invention demonstrate enhanced mechanical properties due to the direct chemical integration of the nano-metal fuel particles into the fluoropolymer matrix. In addition, the reactive nanocomposites, foams, and structures may be processed using conventional polymer processing and may be used to fabricate materials such as reactive liners, casings, and other components and inserts. The intense heat produced during reaction may further be used in a variety of applications such as disinfection, decontamination, and/or destruction.

Particulate-based reactive nanocomposites and methods of making and using the same

A new multifunctional, thermoelastic cellular structure is described. The new structure provides tunable thermal transport behaviors particularly important for thermal switching. In its simplest example embodiment of a single or unit cell, opposing bimetallic elements bend in response to temperature changes and, below a tunable switching temperature, are separated in an open or insulating position and, at and above the switching temperature, bend to come into contact in a closed or conducting position. Multiple cells are combined in different lattice arrays to create structures that are both switchable and load bearing. The cells can be switched by both temperature and other external fields.

Tunable thermal switch

New methods for improving thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride based materials are described. Constrained deformation, such as by canned/sandwich, or encapsulated, rolling and plane strain channel die compression, particularly at temperatures above 80% of the melting point of the material on an absolute temperature scale, changes the crystallographic texture and grain size to desirably increase the values of both the thermoelectric power factor and the thermoelectric figure of merit ZT for the material.

Control of crystallographic texture and grain size in bulk thermoelectric materials through constrained deformation

Metal-matrix composites with combinations of physical and mechanical properties desirable for specific applications can be obtained by varying and controlling selected parameters in the material formation processes, particularly by increasing the microstructural homogeneity of the composite, while maintaining a constant mixture ratio or volume fraction. In one embodiment of the invention, a CuSiC composite having increased thermal conductivity is obtained by closely controlling the size of the SiC particles. In another embodiment of the invention, AlSiC composites which exhibit increased ultimate tensile and yield strengths are made by closely controlling the size of SiC and Al particles.

Metal matrix composite material with high thermal conductivity and low coefficient of thermal expansion

A high speed, high precision, high repeatability serial sectioning device and method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructure specimens. The invention employs a high-precision motorized metallographic polishing unit, a microscope for viewing and computer controlled digital imaging of 2-D microstructure sections of a pre-selected pattern for 3-D microstructure reconstruction. The microstructure specimens are transferred throughout by a robotic manipulator arm providing greater precision and speed and serial-sectioning process control software provides control. The 3-D reconstruction of the invention can be analyzed in real time and can be accomplished in a matter of hours.

High speed and repeatability serial sectioning device for 3-D reconstruction of microstructures

A high speed, high precision, high repeatability serial sectioning method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructure specimen is disclosed. The invention employs high-precision motorized metallographic polishing, viewing and computer controlled digital imaging of microstructure sections of a pre-selected pattern for 3-D microstructure reconstruction. The microstructure specimens are transferred throughout by a robotic manipulator arm, which provides greater precision and speed and serial-sectioning process control software provides control. The 3-D reconstruction of the invention can be analyzed in real time and can be accomplished in a matter of hours.

High speed and repeatability serial sectioning method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructures using optical microscopy

A high speed, high precision, high repeatability serial sectioning method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructure specimens is disclosed. The invention employs high-precision motorized metallographic polishing, viewing and computer controlled digital imaging of microstructure sections of a pre-selected pattern for 3-D microstructure reconstruction. The microstructure specimens are transferred throughout by a robotic manipulator arm, which provides greater precision and speed, and serial-sectioning process control software provides control. The 3-D reconstruction of the invention can be analyzed in real time and can be accomplished in a matter of hours.

High speed and repeatability serial sectioning method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructures using scanning electron microscope

A high speed, high precision, high repeatability serial sectioning method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructure specimens is disclosed. The invention employs high-precision motorized metallographic polishing, viewing and computer controlled digital imaging of microstructure sections of a pre-selected pattern for 3-D microstructure reconstruction. The microstructure specimens are transferred throughout by a robotic manipulator arm providing greater precision and speed and serial-sectioning process control software provides control. The 3-D reconstruction of the invention can be analyzed in real time and can be accomplished in a matter of hours.

High speed and repeatability serial sectioning method for 3-D reconstruction of microstructures

Method for improving tensile properties of AlSiC composites

The method of the present invention incorporates an amorphous metal powder coated with a ductile crystalline metal or alloy. The coated powder is consolidated to form a dense compact of isolated or continuous amorphous metal particles within a continuous ductile metal network. This provides a material in bulk product form exhibiting improved fracture properties including ductility and fracture toughness.

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Dayton, OH, United States of America

Jonathan E Spowart