Battelle Memorial Institute

Battelle Development Corporation

Robert E Schwerzel

Harold M Epstein

Richard A Nathan

Vincent Daniel McGinniss

Kevin B Spahr

Paul G Andrus

Philip J Mallozzi

Robert E Wyant

Bernerd E Campbell

Albert H Adelman

A photochromic composition for incorporation into a light-transmitting polymer is described. Silver halide crystallites are capped with an organic capping group using multivalent metal ions integrated into the surface of the silver halide crystallite to provide crystallite surface sites that provide a handle between the organic capping group and the silver halide crystallites. The size of the capped silver halide crystallites are less than about 1000 .ANG.. A reverse micelle technique is used to control the size of the silver halide crystallite while integrating the multivalent ions and bonding the organic capping group. The capped crystallites are soluble in organic solvents and, as such, are readily incorporated into a polymer matrix.

Capped photochromic silver halides for incorporation into a plastic

Disclosed is a photopolymerizable vehicle and method for the selective photopolymerization of said vehicle by the application of a plurality of different selected wavelengths of energy wherein any single wavelength of energy is inadequate for effecting said photopolymerization. The method comprises sequentially applying a plurality of different selected wavelengths of energy to said vehicle whereby polymerization is effected at the intersection of said wavelengths of energy. The photopolymerizable vehicle comprises:

Photopolymerizable composition containing a photosensitive donor and

Apparatus (10) for obtaining fluorescence laser EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure). A lens (12) directs a pulse of radiant energy (13) onto a metal target (15) to produce X-rays (16). A baffle (17) directs the X-rays (16) onto a spectral-dispersive monochromator (18) which directs the spectrally-resolved X-rays (16R) therefrom onto a sample (11). Fluorescence X-rays (27) from the sample (11) strike a phosphor (26) on a grid (19). Emitted light (21) from the phosphor (26) corresponds spatially to the spectral resolution of the X-rays (16R). Emitted light intensity at a point along the spatial distribution corresponds to the absorption characteristics of the sample (11) at a particular wavelength of the incoming X-rays (16R). An imaging lens (20) directs the emitted light (21) onto photographic film or an array detector (22). A reference spectrum of the spectrally-resolved X-rays (16R) is obtained by placing photographic film or an array detector (29) in the path of the spectrally-resolved X-rays (16R) so that only a portion of the X-rays (16R) throughout the spectrum strikes the film or array detector with the remaining portion throughout the spectrum allowed to pass to the sample (11).

Fluorescence laser EXAFS

Apparatus (10) for obtaining EXAFS data of a material (11). A lens (12) directs a pulse of radiant energy (13) from a laser (14) onto a metal target (15) to produce X-rays (16) of a selected spectrum and intensity at the target (15). A baffle (17) directs X-rays (16) from the target (15) onto a spectral dispersive monochromator (18) which directs the spectrally resolved X-rays (16R) therefrom onto a photographic film 20. A film of material (11) is located in the path (22) of only a portion (16L) of the X-rays (16) throughout a selected spectral band, and the resolved X-rays (16R) directed onto the photographic film (20) form two separate images thereon comprising a reference spectrum (26R) representative of a portion of the X-rays (16U) throughout the selected band that was not affected by the film of material (11) and an absorption spectrum (26A) representative of a portion of the X-rays (16L) throughout the selected band that was modified by transmission through the film of material (11). The laser pulse (13) typically has a width of less than about 10 nanoseconds, and the material (11) may be in a highly transient state.

Laser EXAFS

An invention relating to photochemical collection, storage, and retrieval of solar energy through exposing to solar energy in the visible light spectrum of a photochemical valence isomerizable composition for a time converting a significant portion thereof to an intramolecular strained ring structure of higher energy content, retaining the higher energy content intramolecular strained ring structure until energy release is desired therefrom, and subsequently initiating conversion of the higher energy content intramolecular strained ring structure to its initial molecular structure through application of heat and/or catalyst thereto with a resultant exothermic conversion releasing heat in excess of that requisite for initiating and continuing the conversion and with the heat in excess thereof available for useful thermal applications; in the preferred method embodiment employing an organic valence isomerizable compound of a structure which includes two reactive carbon-to-carbon double bonds oriented in relation to each other such as to cyclize intramolecularly to the intramolecular strained ring structure upon exposure to solar radiation of a wavelength between 350 and 800 nm through the employed valence isomerizable compound including in its structure at least one chromophoric moiety from the group consisting of dihydroparaquinone moieties, orthoquinone moiety, trans- and cis-.beta.-aminoenone moieties, and moiety mixtures thereof with inclusion of said moieties in an amount providing maximum light absorbance between 350 and 800 nm for said valence isomerizable compound; and various novel compounds employed in the preferred method.

Isomerization for photochemical solar energy storage

A process for photochemical collection, storage, and retrieval of solar energy, including solar energy in the visible and near-infrared light spectrum, comprising: exposing to solar radiation of a trans-isomer of particular geometrically isomerizable compounds, while dissolved in a predominantly (greater than 50 percent by volume) aqueous liquid medium, to isomerize the trans-isomer to a thermodynamically less stable, but kinetically stable, cis-isomer of higher energy content, heating the produced cis-isomer to an activation temperature triggering exothermal conversion (or return) of the cis-isomer to the trans-isomer with release of thermal energy; and continuing exothermal conversion of cis-isomer to trans-isomer through use of a portion of the exothermically released thermal energy and transferring of another portion of the released thermal energy from the region of exothermal conversion for availability of this other portion for useful thermal energy applications; with the therein employed geometrical isomerizable compound being possessed of defined properties including the properties of both the trans-isomer and cis-isomer having light absorbance maxima lying between the wavelengths of 350 and 800 nm with the absorbance maxima of the cis-isomer occuring at a shorter wavelength than the absorbance maxima of the trans-isomer, and being selected from compounds having these defined properties and certain structural formulae.

Growing community of inventors

Columbus, OH, United States of America

Robert E Schwerzel