University of Florida Research Foundation Inc

Ronald Howard Baney

Anthony B Brennan

James S Tulenko

Adam Walter Feinberg

Thomas Gregory Estes

James Frederick Schumacher

Ghatu Subhash

Leslie H Wilson

Lihao Ge

Sunghwan Yeo

Edward McKenna, Iii

Kevin William Powers

Michelle L Carman

Michelle Carman Turnage

Dong-Won Lee

Yun Mi Kim

Clayton C Bohn, Jr

Clayton C Bohn

Clayton Bohn

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for production of a nuclear fuel pellet by spark plasma sintering (SPS), wherein a fuel pellet with more than 80% TD or more than 90% TD is formed. The SPS can be performed with the imposition of a controlled uniaxial pressure applied at the maximum temperature of the processing to achieve a very high density, in excess of 95% TD, at temperatures of 850 to 1600° C. The formation of a fuel pellet can be carried out in one hour or less. In an embodiment of the invention, a nuclear fuel pellet comprises UOand a highly thermally conductive material, such as SiC or diamond.

High density UOand high thermal conductivity UOcomposites by spark plasma sintering (SPS)

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for production of a nuclear fuel pellet by spark plasma sintering (SPS), wherein a fuel pellet with more than 80% TD or more than 90% TD is formed. The SPS can be performed with the imposition of a controlled uniaxial pressure applied at the maximum temperature of the processing to achieve a very high density, in excess of 95% TD, at temperatures of 850 to 1600&#xb0; C. The formation of a fuel pellet can be carried out in one hour or less. In an embodiment of the invention, a nuclear fuel pellet comprises UOand a highly thermally conductive material, such as SiC or diamond.

High density UO2 and high thermal conductivity UO2 composites by spark plasma sintering (SPS)

A pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWNR) includes a core having a containment shield surrounding a reactor vessel having fuel assemblies that contain fuel rods filled with fuel pellets, and control rods, and a steam generator thermally coupled to the reactor vessel. A flow loop includes the steam generator, a turbine, and a condenser, and a pump for circulating a water-based heat transfer fluid in the loop. The heat transfer fluid includes a plurality of nanoparticles having at least one carbon allotrope or related carbon material dispersed therein, such as diamond nanoparticles.

Nuclear reactor having efficient and highly stable carbon-based thermal transfer fluid

An article has a surface topography for resisting bioadhesion of organisms and includes a base article having a surface. A composition of the surface includes a polymer. The surface has a topography comprising a pattern defined by a plurality of spaced apart features attached to or projected into the base article. The plurality of features each have at least one microscale dimension and at least one neighboring feature having a substantially different geometry. An average feature spacing between adjacent ones of the features is between 10 &#x3bc;m and 100 &#x3bc;m in at least a portion of the surface. The surface topography can be numerically represented using at least one sinusoidal function. In one embodiment, the surface can comprise a coating layer disposed on the base article.

Surface topographies for non-toxic bioadhesion control

Nuclear reactor having efficient and highly stable thermal transfer fluid

A method of homogeneously forming functionalized biocompatible oligomers includes the steps of dissolving a biocompatible oligomer in a solvent to form a solution, and admixing at least one &#x3c0; complex forming group to the solution, wherein the &#x3c0; complex forming group grafts to at least one location on the backbone of the oligomer to form a grafted oligomer. The oligomer is preferably oligochitosan and the solvent is preferably dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The degree of graft substitution can be at least 50%. The functionalized biocompatible oligomer can be used for drug detoxification through binding to a variety of target drugs.

Functionalized organic oligomers using homogeneous modification method for molecular binding

A method of destroying target microorganisms comprises the step of contacting at least one target microorganism with at least one low molecular weight silanol end group containing molecule. The silanol containing molecule is selected from silanols (RRRSiOH), siloxanediols HO(RRSiO)nH or siloxanols HO(RRSiO)nSiRRR, where R, Rand Rare selected from 1 to 4 carbon alkyl or fluoroalkyl moieties, or vinyl, or aryl groups and n is &#x3c;6 . The silanol end group containing molecule can be triethylsilanol, diphenylmethylsilanol, t-butyldimethylsilanol, n-butyldimethylsilanol, n-propyldimethylsilanol, ethyldimethylsilanol, vinylphenylmethylsilanol, phenyldimethylsilanol, 3,3,3 trifluoro propyldimethylsilanol, benzyldimethylsilanol and phenethyldimethylsilanol, or mixtures thereof. A composition of matter includes a silanol end group containing molecule according to the invention blended with a polymer or dissolved in aqueous solution along with an ether-based cosolvent.

Biocides based on silanol terminated silanes and siloxanes

A coated surface for resisting or enhancing bioadhesion includes at least one patterned polymer including coating layer having a plurality of features attached to or projected into a base surface. The features each have at least one microscale (&#x3c;1 mm) dimension and have at least one neighboring feature having a substantially different geometry. The patterned coating layer preferably provides an average roughness factor (R) of from 4 to 50. The coating layer resists or enhances bioadhesion as compared to the base surface.

Surface topography for non-toxic bioadhesion control

A dynamic coating includes at least one polymeric layer for attachment to a surface. The polymeric layer includes at least one electrically conducting polymer including layer, wherein under influence of a dynamic signal applied to the polymeric layer, a contact angle of the polymeric layer dynamically and substantially increases or decreases upon oxidation or reduction of the polymer. The polymeric layer can also expand or contract upon oxidation or reduction. The coating can be used for a variety of applications including a non-toxic biofouling preventative system and for forming low voltage electrowetting pumps.

Growing community of inventors

Gainesville, FL, United States of America

Ronald Howard Baney