A piston for a heavy duty diesel engine including a composite layer forming at least a portion of a combustion surface is provided. The composite layer has a thickness greater than 500 microns and includes a mixture of components typically used to form brake pads, such as a thermoset resin, an insulating component, strengthening fibers, and an impact toughening additive. According to one example, the thermoset resin is a phenolic resin, the insulating component is a ceramic, the strengthening fibers are graphite, and the impact toughening additive is an aramid pulp of fibrillated chopped synthetic fibers. The composite layer also has a thermal conductivity of 0.8 to 5 W/m.Math.K. The body portion of the piston can include an undercut scroll thread to improve mechanical locking of the composite layer. The piston can also include a ceramic insert between the body portion and the composite layer.

A piston for a heavy duty diesel engine including a composite layer forming at least a portion of a combustion surface is provided. The composite layer has a thickness greater than 500 microns and includes a mixture of components typically used to form brake pads, such as a thermoset resin, an insulating component, strengthening fibers, and an impact toughening additive. According to one example, the thermoset resin is a phenolic resin, the insulating component is a ceramic, the strengthening fibers are graphite, and the impact toughening additive is an aramid pulp of fibrillated chopped synthetic fibers. The composite layer also has a thermal conductivity of 0.8 to 5 W/m.Math.K. The body portion of the piston can include an undercut scroll thread to improve mechanical locking of the composite layer. The piston can also include a ceramic insert between the body portion and the composite layer.

Nanoporous composite separators are disclosed for use in batteries and capacitors comprising a nanoporous inorganic material and an organic polymer material. The inorganic material may comprise Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AlO(OH) or boehmite, AlN, BN, SiN, ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2, or combinations thereof. The nanoporous composite separator may have a porosity of between 35-50%. The average pore size of the nanoporous composite separator may be between 10-90 nm. The separator may be formed by coating a substrate with a dispersion including the inorganic material, organic material, and a solvent. Once dried, the coating may be removed from the substrate, thus forming the nanoporous composite separator. A nanoporous composite separator may provide increased thermal conductivity and dimensional stability at temperatures above 200° C. compared to polyolefin separators.

A composite article includes an inorganic non-metallic article and a resin article. The resin article is connected to the inorganic non-metallic article. The inorganic non-metallic article includes at least one connecting surface. At least a portion of the connecting surface comprises groove-peak like microstructures. At least one of the microstructures comprises a rough and/or porous surface having at least one of a roughness element and a porous structure. The inorganic non-metallic article and resin article are combined together through the microstructures. A method for making the composite article is also provided.

A composite article includes an inorganic non-metallic article, a resin article, and a connecting layer located between the inorganic non-metallic article and the resin article. The connecting layer is configured to connect the inorganic non-metallic article and the resin article together. A surface of the connecting layer connected with the resin article includes a plurality of microstructures, a portion of the resin article fills in the plurality of microstructures. A method for making the composite article is also provided.

Embodiments of the invention provide body armor composite and methods of fabrication. The body armor composite can include at least one strike-face layer, at least one strike-face reinforcement layer, and at least one catchment layer. Some embodiments include body armor composite with a bump guard layer, and a back-face reduction layer. In some embodiments, the fabrication method includes bonding multiple layers to form an armor composite. Some embodiments include an armor production tool including a housing at least two housing portions which form a substantially air-tight chamber when closed. The tool can include a lower flexible membrane forming at least a portion of a mold, and an upper flexible membrane capable of engaging the lower flexible membrane. The tool can include a pressure port for pressurizing the chamber and to move portions of the mold towards each other, and a locking mechanism for locking the two housing portions.

A vat polymerization printer may comprise a tank assembly for containing a photo-curing liquid resin. The tank assembly may include a tank sidewall and a tank bottom formed by a membrane assembly. The membrane assembly may comprise a radiation-transparent flexible membrane and a frame affixed to a perimeter of the radiation-transparent flexible membrane. The radiation-transparent flexible membrane may include a radiation-transparent flexible substrate sandwiched between two fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) films or two polyolefin polymer films. More specifically, a first side of the radiation-transparent flexible substrate may be bonded to a first FEP or polyolefin polymer film, and a second side of the radiation-transparent flexible substrate may be bonded to a second FEP or polyolefin polymer film. In one embodiment, the radiation-transparent flexible substrate may be a layer of silicone rubber.

Nanoporous composite separators are disclosed for use in batteries and capacitors comprising a nanoporous inorganic material and an organic polymer material. The inorganic material may comprise Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AlO(OH) or boehmite, AlN, BN, SiN, ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2, or combinations thereof. The nanoporous composite separator may have a porosity of between 35-50%. The average pore size of the nanoporous composite separator may be between 10-90 nm. The separator may be formed by coating a substrate with a dispersion including the inorganic material, organic material, and a solvent. Once dried, the coating may be removed from the substrate, thus forming the nanoporous composite separator. A nanoporous composite separator may provide increased thermal conductivity and dimensional stability at temperatures above 200° C. compared to polyolefin separators.

A tooling assembly, including a cermet tool body and an electrically nonconductive polymer support body at least partially encapsulating the cermet tool body. The cermet tool body and electrically nonconductive polymer body further include a plurality of high magnetic permeability metallic particles distributed therethrough. Each respective high magnetic permeability metallic particle has a magnetic permeability of at least 0.0001 H/m. Each respective high magnetic permeability metallic particle has a relative permeability of at least 100.

Nanoporous composite separators are disclosed for use in batteries and capacitors comprising a nanoporous inorganic material and an organic polymer material. The inorganic material may comprise Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AlO(OH) or boehmite, AlN, BN, SiN, ZnO, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2, or combinations thereof. The nanoporous composite separator may have a porosity of between 35-50%. The average pore size of the nanoporous composite separator may be between 10-90 nm. The separator may be formed by coating a substrate with a dispersion including the inorganic material, organic material, and a solvent. Once dried, the coating may be removed from the substrate, thus forming the nanoporous composite separator. A nanoporous composite separator may provide increased thermal conductivity and dimensional stability at temperatures above 200° C. compared to polyolefin separators.