United Technologies Corporation

Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Carrier Corporation

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation

Willard H Sutton

John E Holowczak

Philip H McCluskey

Sunil Govinda Warrier

Richard S Bailey

Bernarr A Jacob

Wayde R Schmidt

Michael Winter

David A Condit

Timothy N Obee

Sunita Satyapal

Elliot F Olster

Richard R Grzybowski

Antonio Rinaldi

Christopher M Pater

A multi-layer seal arrangement includes a dissolution barrier between a braze alloy and a ceramic component. The inventive seal is useful for joining a ceramic component to another ceramic component or a metal component, for example. In one example, the braze comprises a gold alloy and the dissolution barrier comprises a layer of alumina on the order of 2-3 microns thick. A titanium wetting layer is provided between the alumina layer and the alloy. A metallization layer provided between the dissolution barrier and the ceramic component in one example comprises a layer of gold between two thin layers of titanium. In one particular example, a platinum mesh is included with the gold of the braze alloy to control braze flow during the brazing operation.

High temperature seal for joining ceramic components such as cells in a ceramic oxygen generator

An erosion resistant ceramic component is synthesized from a silicon oxynitride precursor powder with a sintering aide. The sintering aide, preferably aluminum oxide and/or lutetium oxide are added to the silicon oxynitride precursor powder and ball milled. The composition is then decanted, dried and granulated. The composition is then formed into the shape of the desired component by hot pressing in a graphite die. A heat treatment process may also be applied after hot pressing to further improve erosion resistance by crystallizing amorphous grain boundary phases to provide a ceramic component having sand erosion characteristics superior to electro-formed nickel. The component provides a dielectric constant which is much lower than the dielectric constant of an electro-formed nickel component. The erosion resistant ceramic components are particularly applicable to leading edge components of main rotor blades, however, erosion protection of tail rotor blades, engine propellers, turbine blades, and other such components where high levels of erosion protection, and a low dielectric constant are desired will also benefit.

Low dieletric constant erosion resistant material

Air cleansing apparatus includes an electrostatic precipitator in which the collector plates are made of, for instance, reticulated chemical vapor deposited silicon carbide, or reticulated silicon carbide ceramic coated with titanium nitride, zirconium diboride, or chemical vapor deposited silicon carbide. Microorganisms entrained on the collector plates are thermally degraded or vaporized by microwave radiation directed against the plates during a sterilization period which follows a collection period.

Integrated electrostatic collection and microwave sterilization for

A method of joining adjacent, non-coplanar, fiber reinforced composite structures includes machining a plurality of serrations (4) into an edge (6) of a consolidated first fiber reinforced composite structure (2) such that reinforcing fibers continue from a main body (14) of the first fiber reinforced composite structure (2) into the serrations (4). One or more reinforcing fiber plies (16) are then laid up around the serrations (4) to form an unconsolidated second structure such that the serrations (4) protrude through at least one reinforcing fiber ply (16). In addition to the one or more reinforcing fiber plies (16), the unconsolidated second structure also includes a matrix precursor. Sufficient heat and pressure are applied to the unconsolidated second structure and the serrations (4) to consolidate the second structure into a fiber reinforced composite structure (8). The heat and pressure also cause the fibers in the serrations (4) to intermingle with the fibers in the second structure (8) to securely join the second structure (8) to the first fiber reinforced composite structure (2). The invention also includes a fiber reinforced composite article made with this method.

Joining non-coplanar panels and structures of fiber reinforced composites

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Glastonbury, CT, United States of America

Willard H Sutton