Dow Corning Corporation

Itn Energy Systems, Inc.

Dow Corning Coroporation

Thomas Duncan Barnard

Gregg A Zank

Duane R Bujalski

Kimmai Thi Nguyen

Bizhong Zhu

Dimitris Katsoulis

Jonathan Lipowitz

Maki Itoh

Michitaka Suto

James A Rabe

Joseph H Armstrong

Lawrence M Woods

Herschel Henry Reese

Hidekatsu Hatanaka

Yukinari Harimoto

Nicole Anderson

Rosine M Ribelin

Gregg Alan Zank

An article of manufacture comprising (i) at least one metal foil substrate; (ii) a coating layer on at least a portion of at least one side of the metal foil substrate wherein the coating layer comprises (a) a condensation cured silicone resin composition and (b) silica nanoparticles.

Metal foil substrates coated with condensation cured silicone resin compositions

In an embodiment, one reinforced substrate for use in a photovoltaic device includes a polymer base material and a reinforcing structure bonded with the base material. The reinforced substrate presents a surface in a condition that is made-ready for deposition of thin film layers of the photovoltaic device. A thin film photovoltaic device includes the reinforced substrate, a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate, and a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer. A plurality of thin film photovoltaic devices may be formed on a common reinforced substrate. A process of producing a reinforced substrate includes combining a fluid base material and a fiber reinforcing structure to form an impregnated fiber reinforcement. The impregnated fiber reinforcement is cured to form the reinforced substrate, and the reinforced substrate is annealed.

Reinforcing structures for thin-film photovoltaic device substrates, and associated methods

A process for producing polycrystalline silicon carbide by heating an amorphous ceramic fiber that contains silicon and carbon in an environment containing boron oxide vapor. The boron oxide vapor is produced in situ by the reaction of a boron containing material such as boron carbide and an oxidizing agent such as carbon dioxide, and the amount of boron oxide vapor can be controlled by varying the amount and rate of addition of the oxidizing agent.

Process to produce silicon carbide fibers using a controlled concentration of boron oxide vapor

A process for producing polycrystalline silicon carbide includes heating an amorphous ceramic fiber that contains silicon and carbon in an environment containing boron oxide vapor. The boron oxide vapor is produced in situ by the reaction of a boron containing material such as boron carbide and an oxidizing agent such as carbon dioxide, and the amount of boron oxide vapor can be controlled by varying the amount and rate of addition of the oxidizing agent.

Process to produce silicon carbide fibers using a controlled

This invention pertains to a method for production of polycrystalline ceramic fibers from silicon oxycarbide (SiCO) ceramic fibers wherein the method comprises heating an amorphous ceramic fiber containing silicon and carbon in an inert environment comprising a boron oxide and carbon monoxide at a temperature sufficient to convert the amorphous ceramic fiber to a polycrystalline ceramic fiber. By having carbon monoxide present during the heating of the ceramic fiber, it is possible to achieve higher production rates on a continuous process.

Continuous method of producing silicon carbide fibers

This invention relates to the preparation of thermally stable, substantially polycrystalline silicon carbide ceramic fibers using borosilazane resins. The method comprises spinning fibers from the resin, infusibilizing the spun fibers and pyrolyzing the spun fibers at a temperature greater than about 1700.degree. C.

Preparation of substantially crystalline silicon carbide fibers from

This invention pertains to polycarbosilane hydroxides which contain units of the formula ##STR1## where R is a hydrocarbon having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and to methods for their manufacture. The polycarbosilane hydroxides may be prepared by the oxidation of a polycarbosilane.

Polycarbosilane hydroxides and methods for their preparation

A method of crosslinking a silazane polymer having Si--H bonds in which the polymer is mixed with a crosslinker selected from alkenyl functional cyclosiloxanes and alkenyl functional cyclosilazanes and a crosslinking promoter and then heated to a temperature sufficient to crosslink the silazane polymer. The mixture of the silazane polymer, crosslinker and promoter is useful in the formation of ceramic matrix composites.

Crosslinkers for silazane polymers

A resinous organosilicon preceramic polymer is melt spun into filaments which are rapidly cured, continuously gathered into a thread, and pyrolyzed in a continuous process to form ceramic fibers which may be either solid or hollow. The preferred preceramic polymer is hydridopolysilazane and the preferred curing agents are Cl.sub.2, HCl, HBr, thionyl chloride and trichlorosilane, followed by treatment with an atmosphere containing water vapor.

Method for continuous spinning and pyrolysis of ceramic filaments from a

The present invention describes a novel method for crosslinking polysilazane polymers having Si--H or N--H bonds. The method comprises mixing the polysilazane with a silazane crosslinker having at least 2 boron functional groups which can react with the Si--H or N--H bonds of the polysilazane and then facilitating crosslinking.

Method of crosslinking polysilazane polymers

A solution of resinous organosilicon polymer dissolved in an inert solvent is moved downstream as a film through a heated, film-forming zone having an inert atmosphere and a temperature above the polymer's melting point. The solvent is vaporized from the film and withdrawn from the film-forming zone. Molten resinous organosilicon polymer in the solvent-depleted film is withdrawn from the zone. The molten polymer is then directly melt spun into filaments which are gathered into a fiber. Various processing parameters are controlled.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Thomas Duncan Barnard