A device for separating analytes is disclosed. The device has a sample injector, sample injection needle, sample reservoir container in communication with the sample injector, chromatography column downstream of the sample injector, and fluid conduits connecting the sample injector and the column. The interior surfaces of the fluid conduits, sample injector, sample reservoir container, and column form a flow path having wetted surfaces. A portion of the wetted surfaces of the flow path are coated with an alkylsilyl coating that is inert to at least one of the analytes. The alkylsilyl coating has the Formula I: ##STR00001##
R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 are each independently selected from (C.sub.1-C.sub.6)alkoxy, —NH(C.sub.1-C.sub.6)alkyl, —N((C.sub.1-C.sub.6)alkyl).sub.2, OH, OR.sup.A, and halo. R.sup.A represents a point of attachment to the interior surfaces of the fluidic system. At least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 is OR.sup.A. X is (C.sub.1-C.sub.20)alkyl, —O[(CH.sub.2).sub.2O].sub.1-20—, —(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)[NH(CO)NH(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)].sub.1-20—, or —(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)[alkylphenyl(C.sub.1-C.sub.10)alkyl].sub.1-20-.

A method of fabricating an foam includes providing a foam comprising a base material. The base material is coated with an inorganic material using at least one of an atomic layer deposition (ALD), a molecular layer deposition (MLD), or sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) process. The SIS process includes at least one cycle of exposing the foam to a first metal precursor for a first predetermined time and a first partial pressure. The first metal precursor infiltrates at least a portion of the base material and binds with the base material. The foam is exposed to a second co-reactant precursor for a second predetermined time and a second partial pressure. The second co-reactant precursor reacts with the first metal precursor, thereby forming the inorganic material on the base material. The inorganic material infiltrating at least the portion of the base material. The inorganic material is functionalized with a material.

A method for processing a negative electrode plate, a sodium-metal negative electrode plate and related devices. In a vacuum environment, the metal vapor reacts with oxygen, and the metal oxide formed by the reaction is plated on the surface of the sodium-metal negative electrode plate to form a metal oxide protective layer with high mechanical strength and stable chemical properties. The metal oxide protective layer can greatly reduce the phenomenon of low yield and performance deterioration caused by the reaction of sodium metal with air and water during the processing of the sodium-metal negative electrode plate. Since the metal oxide has a nanoscale thickness, it can form a corresponding sodium salt with sodium metal under electrochemical conditions, thereby improving the sodium ion transport rate on the surface of the sodium-metal negative electrode plate and improving the battery’s kinetic performance.

Thermally insulating materials (TIMs) for use in concentrated solar thermal (CST) technologies comprising a mesoporous oxide including a porous oxide matrix comprising a porous oxide and a metal oxide or metal nitride in the form of a conformal layer of the metal oxide or metal nitride on the surface of the porous oxide matrix, wherein the conformal layer completely covers the surface area of the porous oxide matrix, or in the form of metal oxide or metal nitride nanoparticles dispersed throughout the porous oxide matrix, or in the form of a conformal coating or nanoparticles, methods of preparing same, and solar devices comprising same.

Methods for filling gaps with dielectric material involve deposition using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique to fill a gap followed by deposition of a cap layer on the filled gap by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique. The ALD deposition may be a plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) or thermal ALD (tALD) deposition. The CVD deposition may be plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) or thermal CVD (tCVD) deposition. In some embodiments, the CVD deposition is performed in the same chamber as the ALD deposition without intervening process operations. This in-situ deposition of the cap layer results in a high throughput process with high uniformity. After the process, the wafer is ready for chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) in some embodiments.

An apparatus for use in a chemical vapor infiltration process is disclosed. The apparatus can optionally include any one or combination of a first reaction chamber, a mixing chamber and a second reaction chamber. The mixing chamber can have at least a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet. The first inlet can be in fluid communication with the first reaction chamber and receive a second precursor gas. The second inlet can be in fluid communication to receive a third precursor gas. The second precursor gas and the third precursor gas can mix within the mixing chamber before passing to the outlet and into the second reaction chamber. The second reaction chamber can contain a substrate that can receive a film deposition from reaction of the second precursor gas and the third precursor gas within the second reaction chamber.

Methods for plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon carbonitride films are described. A flowable silicon carbonitride film is formed on a substrate surface by exposing the substrate surface to a precursor and a reactant, the precursor having a structure of general formula (I) or general formula (II) ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, and R.sup.12 are independently selected from hydrogen (H), substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy, substituted or unsubstituted vinyl, silane, substituted or unsubstituted amine, or halide; purging the processing chamber of the silicon precursor, and then exposing the substrate to an ammonia plasma.

Systems for and methods of manufacturing a ceramic matrix composite include introducing a gaseous precursor into an inlet portion of a reaction furnace having a chamber comprising the inlet portion and an outlet portion that is downstream of the inlet portion, and delivering a mitigation agent, such as water vapor or ammonia, into an exhaust conduit in fluid communication with and downstream of the outlet portion of the reaction chamber so as to control chemical reactions occurring with the exhaust chamber. Introducing the gaseous precursor densifies a porous preform, and introducing the mitigation agent shifts the reaction equilibrium to disfavor the formation of harmful and/or pyrophoric byproduct deposits within the exhaust conduit.

A system for coating ceramic fibers for use in manufacturing a ceramic matric composite (CMC) article includes a frame having a plurality of frame members arranged so as to create a void therebetween. At least one of frame members includes a hollow body and at least one perforated hole defined in the hollow body. Thus, the ceramic fibers are securable at respective ends of the frame and extend across the void. The frame also includes an inlet in fluid communication with the perforated hole(s) so as to allow a coating material to flow into and through the hollow body and out of the perforated hole(s) at a location of at least a portion of one of the ceramic fibers. As such, the coating material is configured to cause the portion of one of the ceramic fibers to separate from the frame such that the portion is uniformly coated with the coating material.

A mask includes a protruding portion provided with a deposition hole formed therethrough and including an upper surface, a lower surface facing the upper surface, and a side surface disposed between the upper surface and the lower surface and inclined at an angle with respect to the lower surface, a peripheral portion including a first surface extending from the upper surface, a second surface facing the first surface and having a step difference with respect to the lower surface of the protruding portion, and a coating layer disposed on the protruding portion. The protruding portion includes at least one of a protrusion protruded from the side surface of the protruding portion and a groove formed by removing at least a portion of the protruding portion from the side surface of the protruding portion, and the coating layer covers at least one of the protrusion and the groove.