Sandia Corporation

The United States of America As Represented by the United States

Other

The United States of America As Represented by the Department of Energy

National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC

Scott T Reed

Carol S Ashley

C Jeffrey Brinker

Robert J Walko

Tina M Nenoff

Steven G Thoma

Howard L McCollister

John T Gill

Alan R Mahoney

F Edward Martinez

Robert E Ellefson

Ronald G Stone

Timothy J Shepodd

Oscar Negrete

Janda K Panitz

Clifford L Renschler

Edwin A Saada

Roy A Hamil

Patrick Franz Fleig

Daniel E Trudell

Thomas M Harris

Richard A Neiser

Darryl Y Sasaki

Chunangad S Sriram

Leroy E Leonard

Paul R Wengert, Deceased

William C Moffatt

Eric L Qiao

Carol S Ashey

The present invention relates to a construct including a porous core, a cargo, and a spacer disposed between the core and the cargo. In some examples, the construct further includes an outer layer composed of a lipid, a polymer, or a combination thereof. Methods of making and employing such constructs are also described herein.

Expanded pore particles and delivery methods thereof

A method for producing a pattern in an aerogel disposed as a coating on a substrate comprises exposing the aerogel coating to the vapors of a hydrophobic silane compound, masking the aerogel coating with a shadow photomask and irradiating the aerogel coating with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The exposure to UV through the shadow mask creates a pattern of hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions in the aerogel coating. Etching away the hydrophilic regions of the aerogel coating, preferably with a 1 molar solution of sodium hydroxide, leaves the unwetted and unetched hydrophobic regions of the aerogel layer on the substrate, replicating the pattern of the photomask. The hydrophobic aerogel pattern can be further exposed to UV irradiation if desired, to create a hydrophilic aerogel pattern.

Method of patterning an aerogel

A new class of solar selective absorption coatings are disclosed. These coatings comprise a structured metallic overlayer such that the overlayer has a sub-micron structure designed to efficiently absorb solar radiation, while retaining low thermal emissivity for infrared thermal radiation. A sol-gel layer protects the structured metallic overlayer from mechanical, thermal, and environmental degradation. Processes for producing such solar selective absorption coatings are also disclosed.

Solar selective absorption coatings

A process for fabricating a gas impermeable seal on a porous ceramic surface using a thin, glass-based, pinhole free glaze. The process can be used to fabricate gas impermeable end seals on porous alumina tubes used as filter media. The porous alumina tubes can have an inorganic microporous thin film separation membrane on the inner surface, which can be used for high temperature gas separation processes.

Gas impermeable glaze for sealing a porous ceramic surface

A new class of composite zeolite membranes and synthesis techniques therefor has been invented. These membranes are essentially defect-free, and exhibit large levels of transmembrane flux and of chemical and isotopic selectivity.

Composite zeolite membranes

A method of net-shaping using aerogel materials is provided by first forming a sol, aging the sol to form a gel, with the gel having a fluid component and having been formed into a medium selected from the group consisting of a powder, bulk material, or granular aerobeads, derivatizing the surface of the gel to render the surface unreactive toward further condensation, removing a portion of the fluid component of the final shaped gel to form a partially dried medium, placing the medium into a cavity, wherein the volume of said medium is less that the volume of the cavity, and removing a portion of the fluid component of the medium. The removal, such as by heating at a temperature of approximately less than 50&deg; C., applying a vacuum, or both, causes the volume of the medium to increase and to form a solid aerogel. The material can be easily removed by exposing the material to a solvent, thereby reducing the volume of the material. In another embodiment, the gel is derivatized and then formed into a shaped medium, where subsequent drying reduces the volume of the shaped medium, forming a net-shaping material. Upon further drying, the material increases in volume to fill a cavity. The present invention is both a method of net-shaping and the material produced by the method.

Method for net-shaping using aerogels

Electrophoretically active sol-gel processes to fill, seal, and/or density porous, flawed, and/or cracked coatings on electrically conductive substrates. Such coatings may be dielectrics, ceramics, or semiconductors and, by the present invention, may have deposited onto and into them sol-gel ceramic precursor compounds which are subsequently converted to sol-gel ceramics to yield composite materials with various tailored properties.

Electrophoretically active sol-gel processes to backfill, seal, and/or

A glass ceramic composition, a glass ceramic-to-metal seal, and more specifically a hermetic glass ceramic-to-metal seal prepared by subjecting a glass composition comprising, by weight percent, SiO.sub.2 (65-80%), LiO.sub.2 (8-16%), Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 (2-8%), K.sub.2 O (1-8%), P.sub.2 O.sub.5 (1-5%), B.sub.2 O.sub.3 (0.5-7%), and ZnO (0-5%) to the following processing steps: 1) heating the glass composition in a belt furnace to a temperature sufficient to melt the glass and crystallize lithium phosphate, 2) holding at a temperature and for a time sufficient to create cristobalite nuclei, 3) cooling at a controlled rate and to a temperature to cause crystallization of lithium silicates and growth of cristobalite, and 4) still further cooling in stages to ambient temperature. This process produces a glass ceramic whose high coefficient of thermal expansion (up to 200.times.10.sup.-7 in/in/.degree.C.) permits the fabrication of glass ceramic-to-metal seals, and particularly hermetic glass ceramic seals to nickel-based and stainless steel alloys and copper.

Method of processing 'BPS' glass ceramic and seals made therewith

The invention relates to a pumping lamp for use with lasers comprising a porous substrate loaded with a component capable of emitting light upon interaction of the component with exciting radiation and a source of exciting radiation. Preferably, the pumping lamp comprises a source of exciting radiation, such as an electron beam, and an aerogel or xerogel substrate loaded with a component capable of interacting with the exciting radiation, e.g., a phosphor, to produce light, e.g., visible light, of a suitable band width and of a sufficient intensity to generate a laser beam from a laser material.

Luminescent light source for laser pumping and laser system containing

The invention relates to a composition for the volumetric generation of radiation. The composition comprises a porous substrate loaded with a component capable of emitting radiation upon interaction with an exciting radiation. Preferably, the composition is an aerogel substrate loaded with a component, e.g., a phosphor, capable of interacting with exciting radiation of a first energy, e.g., ultraviolet light, to produce radiation of a second energy, e.g., visible light.

Inorganic volumetric light source excited by ultraviolet light

The invention provides a process for loading an aerogel substrate with tritium and the resultant compositions. According to the process, an aerogel substrate is hydrolyzed so that surface OH groups are formed. The hydrolyzed aerogel is then subjected to tritium exchange employing, for example, a tritium-containing gas, whereby tritium atoms replace H atoms of surface OH groups. OH and/or CH groups of residual alcohol present in the aerogel may also undergo tritium exchange.

Process for making solid-state radiation-emitting composition

The invention relates to a composition for the volumetric generation of radiation, wherein a first substance functions as a source of exciting radiation, and a second substance interacts with the exciting radiation to provide a second radiation. The compositions comprise a porous substrate which is loaded with: a source of exciting radiation, a component capable of emitting radiation upon interaction with the exciting radiation, or both. Preferably, the composition is an aerogel substrate loaded with both a source of exciting radiation, such as tritium, and a component capable of interacting with the exciting radiation, e.g., a phosphor, to produce radiation of a second energy.

Solid-state radiation-emitting compositions and devices

The invention relates to a composition for the volumetric generation of radiation, wherein a first substance functions as a source of exciting radiation, and a second substance interacts with the exciting radiation to provide a second radiation. The compositions comprise a porous substrate which is loaded with: a source of exciting radiation, a component capable of emitting radiation upon interaction with the exciting radiation, or both. In the composition, a composite is formed from a carrier material and at least one of the source of the exciting radiation or the component which is capable of interacting with the exciting radiation. The composite is then employed for loading a porous substrate, preferably an aerogel substrate.

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Albuquerque, NM, United States of America

Scott T Reed