Optical preforms and methods for forming optical preforms are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method for producing an optical preform includes compressing silica-based glass soot to form a porous optical preform comprising a soot compact. The porous optical preform is heated to a dwell temperature greater than or equal to 100 C. Thereafter, the porous optical preform is humidified at the dwell temperature in a water-containing atmosphere having a dew point greater than or equal to 30 C. to form a humidified porous optical preform. The soot compact portion of the humidified porous optical preform generally comprises greater than or equal to 0.5 wt. % water.

A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a matrix of a first base polymer and particles dispersed within the matrix, and a shell portion comprising a same or a different base polymer. The consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional part, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament and retain the particles within the roads of the printed part and do not penetrate the outer surface of the shell portion.

A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a matrix of a first base polymer and particles dispersed within the matrix, and a shell portion comprising a same or a different base polymer. The consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional part, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament and retain the particles within the roads of the printed part and do not penetrate the outer surface of the shell portion.

The present invention relates to carbon materials comprising carbon nanotubes, powders comprising carbon nanotubes and methods of making carbon nanotubes. In the methods of the present invention, the size and/or formation of floating catalyst particles is closely controlled. The resulting carbon nanotubes typically exhibit armchair chirality and typically have metallic properties. The carbon nanotubes produced by this method readily form bulk materials, which typically have a conductivity of at least 0.7?106 Sm1 in at least one direction. The invention has particular application to the manufacture of components such as electrical conductors. Suitable electrical conductors include wires (e.g. for electrical motors) and cables (e.g. for transmitting electrical power).

A filament for cosmetic brush is constituted by a polyester resin filament having many projections over its entire surface, wherein the polyester resin is polytrimethylene terephthalate and/or polybutylene terephthalate, the polyester resin contains glass particles of 1 to 2 m in average particle size by 0.3 to 1.0 percent by weight as the inorganic particles, the thermal conductivity of the glass particle is in a range of 5 to 7 times that of the resin, and the projections are formed over the entire surface of the cosmetic filament by the glass particles covered with the resin.

A cellulosic fiber includes a fiber body including a cellulosic material and non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed within the cellulosic material. The non-encapsulated phase change material forms a plurality of distinct domains dispersed within the cellulosic material. The non-encapsulated phase change material has a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and the cellulosic fiber has a latent heat between 9.8 Joules per gram and 132 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0 C. to 100 C., and cellulosic fiber provides thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.

An aluminum alloy wire rod having a composition comprising Mg: 0.10-1.00 mass %, Si: 0.10-1.00 mass %, Fe: 0.01-1.40 mass %, Ti: 0.000-0.100 mass %, B: 0.000-0.030 mass %, Cu: 0.00-1.00 mass %, Ag: 0.00-0.50 mass %, Au: 0.00-0.50 mass %, Mn: 0.00-1.00 mass %, Cr: 0.00-1.00 mass %, Zr: 0.01-0.50 mass %, Hf: 0.00-0.50 mass %, V: 0.00-0.50 mass %, Sc: 0.00-0.50 mass %, Co: 0.00-0.50 mass %, and Ni: 0.00-0.50 mass %. Mg/Si ratio is greater than 1. A dispersion density of compound particles having a particle size of 20 nm to 1000 nm is greater than or equal to 1 particle/m.sup.2. In a distribution of the compound particles in the aluminum alloy wire rod, a maximum dispersion density of the compound particles is less than or equal to five times a minimum dispersion density of the compound particles.

The invention concerns a high performance polyethylene (HPPE) member comprising at least 5 wt-% of a radiopaque component, the HPPE member is biocompatible and the radiopaque component is a particulate at least partially arranged inside a HPPE filament of the HPPE member. Furthermore, the radiopaque component has a particle size of at most 1 m, preferably the radiopaque component has a particle size of at most 0.5 m. The invention also concerns a method of making the HPPE member and various medical devices and repair products comprising the HPPE member.

The invention concerns a high performance polyethylene (HPPE) member comprising at least 5 wt-% of a radiopaque component, the HPPE member is biocompatible and the radiopaque component is a particulate at least partially arranged inside a HPPE filament of the HPPE member. Furthermore, the radiopaque component has a particle size of at most 1 m, preferably the radiopaque component has a particle size if at most 0.5 m. The invention also concerns a method of making the HPPE member and various medical devices and repair products comprising the HPPE member.

The present invention relates to a process for comminuting glass fibers from waste glass-based fibrous materials.