Board of Governors for Higher Education, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

University of Rhode Island

Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education

Surgilase, Inc.

Pilgrim Screw Corporation

Pgr Holdings, LLC

Wireless Sensor Technologies, LLC

Trace Sensing Technologies Inc.

Other

United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of Nasa

Greene, Tweed Technologies, Inc.

Council on Postsecondary Education

Argon St Incorporated

Rtx Corporation

Otto J Gregory

Paul F Croteau

Tao Wei

Peter P Ricci

Kevin Rivera

Thomas J Birnbaum

Clifford E Morrow

Gong-En Gu

John R Conkle

Geoffrey Grove

Mookkan Periyasamy

William B Euler

Godi Fischer

Gustave C Fralick

Brett L Lucht

Andrew A Consiglio

Mary B Bauman

Noah A Burke

Elizabeth Sassano

Carmen J Quartapella

Poonam Bhardwaj

Tao You

Zakary Kinzel

John Rhoat

John D Wrbanek

Jeffrey Clinton Shaw

Panagiotis Panoutsopoulos

Poonam Bhardwag

Zachary Ahlquist

Andrew Rossi

Peter Ricci, Iii

Gregg S Huston

Markus A Downey

Ximing Chen

Mitch Champlin

Zach Caron

Daniel Mallin

Tommy Muth

Matthew Thomas Ricci

Temperature measurements are critical in gas turbine engine design but difficult to obtain due to the extreme environment. Temperature indicating paints (thermal paints) have been used for decades to map maximum temperature fields on superalloy components but have numerous weaknesses. Disclosed herein are novel glass ceramic thermal paints that undergo viscous flow sintering to indicate temperatures up to 1000° C., with high resolution (±5° C.), by an optical transition. Disclosed paint formulations are designed to adhere to Nickel-based superalloys or SiC—SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMC) by closely matching coefficients of thermal expansion and may function for times above 60 hours. By utilizing automation and a UV:VIS spectrometer, quantitative temperature maps can be generated for easy comparison to theoretical models. A transient sintering energy model is disclosed to recover full thermal history information.

Glass-ceramic thermal paint system and method using UV:VIS spectroscopy

Ultrasensitive, ultrathin thermodynamic sensing platforms for the detection of chemical compounds at trace levels are disclosed. Embodiments of the ultrathin sensor comprise substrate, adhesion, microheater, and catalyst layers. A sensor array may include a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst. When a sensor array exposed to an analyte, each of the various sensors of the array may experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously-obtained reaction results may be used to determine information on the analyte. Advantageously, these ultrathin vapor sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity, and may be used to detect and identify analytes at the PPT level. Specialized sensors configured to detect analytes falling into a certain category (e.g., explosives, drugs and narcotics, biomarkers, etc.) are disclosed, as well as general purpose sensors capable of detecting analytes from a plurality of categories.

Ultrasensitive, ultrathin vapor sensors and arrays

Methods, systems and a self-sensing valve assembly are described for monitoring seal life. The method includes providing a valve assembly movable from an open position to a closed position and including a seal seated within the valve and in contact with a surface of the valve assembly, wherein when the seal is in operation it is subject to degradation. At least one sensor is placed for measuring micro strain on a surface of the valve assembly or within the valve assembly. The valve assembly is placed in an operation wherein the seal is subject to degradation and the operation of the valve assembly is initiated. At a time after the operation is initiated, micro strain data is recorded and at least one other property related to a condition selected from an ambient condition of operation and a condition related to degradation of the seal is recorded; and the recorded data is analyzed against baseline data associated with 100% seal life to evaluate seal life at the time after the operation is initiated as a percentage of seal life less than 100%.

Smart seals for monitoring and analysis of seal properties useful in semiconductor valves

Temperature sensors particularly suitable for high temperature heat flux measurements across the thickness of a component, for example a turbine blade. The sensors comprise one or more conductive traces that wrap around an edge of the component, thereby connecting one or more hot junctions on the hot side of the component to the cold junction contacts on the colder side of the component. In some embodiments the traces comprise two dissimilar materials, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) and platinum. Alternatively, if the component is electrically conductive, the component itself can form one thermoelement of the sensor.

High temperature heat flux sensors

Ultrasensitive, decoupled thermodynamic sensing platforms for the molecular-level detection of target analytes are disclosed, wherein the sensors have a heating resistor decoupled from a sensing resistor. Embodiments of the decoupled sensor comprise a metallic microheater resistor on one side of substrate, and a sensor resistor coupled to a catalyst on the other side of the substrate. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst that, when exposed to an analyte, each experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, the decoupled sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than other-known systems, and may be used to detect and identify a single molecule of an analyte.

Decoupled thermodynamic sensing system

Methods and apparatuses for highly sensitive detection of analytes using redox reactions. A library of heat reactions of analytes of interest with a variety of catalysts at a variety of temperatures is prepared. An array of sensors with low thermal mass heating elements is prepared, depositing the same or different catalysts, such as metal oxide catalysts that have multiple oxidation states, on each heating element. The low thermal mass heating elements are preferably not in thermal contact with a substrate, or a low mass substrate is used. The array is exposed to a sample at various temperatures. The sign and magnitude of the heat effect of the redox reaction of compounds in the sample or their decomposition products with each catalyst is measured and compared with the library. The catalysts and temperatures are chosen so that the desired analytes have a unique pattern of heat effect signs and magnitudes when reacted with those catalysts at those temperatures. The resulting detector is highly selective and sensitive to the analytes of interest.

Trace detection of chemical compounds via catalytic decomposition and redox reactions

The present disclosure is generally directed to an RFID tag for use with a metal fastener where the fastener operates as the antenna of the RFID tag. The RFID tag includes a microchip for storing data. The chip is electrically coupled to the metal fastener in order to receive and transmit the RF signal, the metal fastener thereby operating as the antenna for the RFID tag.

Metal fastener with embedded RFID tag and method of production

Ultrasensitive, ultrathin thermodynamic sensing platforms for the detection of chemical compounds in the vapor phase at trace levels are disclosed. Embodiments of the ultrathin vapor sensor comprise a substrate layer, an adhesion layer, a metallic microheater layer, and a catalyst layer. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst. When a sensor array exposed to an analyte, each of the various ultrathin vapor sensors of the array may experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously-obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, these ultrathin vapor sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than known systems, and may be used to detect and identify analytes at the parts per trillion level. Specialized sensors configured to detect analytes falling into a certain category (e.g., explosives, drugs and narcotics, biomarkers, etc.) as disclosed, as well as general purpose sensors capable of detecting analytes from a plurality of categories.

Ultrasensitive, decoupled thermodynamic sensing platforms for the detection of chemical compounds in the vapor phase at trace levels are disclosed, wherein the sensors have a heating resistor decoupled from a sensing resistor. Embodiments of the decoupled sensor comprise a metallic microheater resistor on one side of substrate, and a sensor resistor coupled to a catalyst on the other side of the substrate. A sensor array may be provided including a plurality of sensors each having a different catalyst that, when exposed to an analyte, each experience an endothermic reaction, an exothermic reaction, or no reaction. A comparison of the reaction results to data comprising previously obtained reaction results may be used to determine the presence and the identity of the analyte. Advantageously, the decoupled sensors utilize less power and provide greater sensitivity than other known systems, and may be used to detect and identify a single molecule of an analyte.

A resistance temperature detector (RTD) that uses a ceramic matrix composite (CMC), such as a silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix, as an active temperature sensing element, which can operate at temperatures greater than 1000&#xb0; C. or even 1600&#xb0; C. Conductive indium tin oxide or a single elemental metal such as platinum is deposited on a dielectric or insulating layer such as mullite or an environmental barrier coating (EBC) on the substrate. Openings in the layer allow etching of the CMC surface in order to make high quality ohmic contacts with the conductive material, either directly or through a silicide diffusion barrier such as ITO. The RTD can measure both temperature and strain of the CMC. The use of an EBC, which typically is deposited on the CMC by the manufacturer, as the insulating or dielectric layer can be extended to other devices such as strain gages and thermocouples that use the CMC as a sensing element. The EBC can be masked and etched to form the openings. A conductive EBC can be used as the silicide diffusion barrier.

Resistance temperature detector (RTD) for ceramic matrix composites

The subject of the present invention relates to a device that can be applied to the surface of a ceramic matrix composites (CMC) in such a way that the CMC itself will contribute to the extraordinarily large thermoelectric power. The present invention obtains greater resolution of temperature measurements, which can be obtained at exceedingly high temperatures.

Temperature and thermal gradient sensor for ceramic matrix composites and methods of preparation thereof

Strain gages for use with ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), and methods of manufacture therefore. The strain gages use the CMC as a strain element. For semiconductor CMCs, for example SiC fiber-reinforced SiC CMC, their large gage factor enables high sensitivity, high accuracy strain measurements at high temperatures. By using a single elemental metal such as platinum, or another high temperature conductive material, the strain gages can operate at temperatures over 1600&#xb0; C. The conductive material is preferably deposited on a dielectric or insulating layer, and contacts the CMC substrate through openings in that layer. The materials can be deposited using thin film vacuum techniques or thick film techniques such as pastes or inks. The strain gages can be configured to measure only the mechanical strain independent of the apparent or thermal strain. The strain gages can be incorporated into a bulk CMC structure during layup, and can optionally measure the strain of only desired fiber weave orientations.

High resolution strain gages for ceramic matrix composites and methods of manufacture thereof

Growing community of inventors

Narragansett, RI, United States of America

Otto J Gregory