Materials science

Composite materials for wettable cathodes and use thereof for aluminium production.: The invention relates to a composite material of formula: (C-N-B-MR)x(Al-MR)y(R)Z in which C-N-B-MR is one or more carbides, nitrides or borides of one or more refractory metals of group IV, V or VI of the Periodic Table and/or one or more aluminium carbides, nitrides or borides chosen from Al4C3, AlN, AlB2 and Al1-67B22; Al-MR is one or more aluminides of one or more of the above refractory metals, it being understood that: if MR = Nb, Ta, Hf, Zr, Ti or V, then Al-MR = Al3MR; if MR = W or Cr, then Al-MR = Al4MR; if MR = Mo, then Al-MR = Al8Mo3 or Al17Mo4 (? Al4Mo), and R is a residual component other than carbon, comprising one or more phases chosen from Al4C3, AlN, AlB2, Al1-67B22 and MRtAlu(C-N-B)v in which t, u and v are numbers greater than or equal to zero, and x, y and z are the volume fractions of the respective components with x > y; x + y > 0.5; x + y + z = 1 and 0.01 < y < 0.5. The invention is also aimed at the use of this composite material as a coating in a component that can be wetted by liquid aluminium and can be used in electrolysis cells.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2739281
No. Application, patent (USA) : 13/122.243
Process for treating elements made from non-dried wood.: A process for the treatment of wooden elements, said process comprising the following steps: conditioning said wooden elements to reduce their moisture content; and a) performing one of the following sequences of steps selected from the group consisting of at least the sequence of steps b1) to b4) or at least the sequence of steps bb1) to bb2); said sequence of step b1) to b4) at least comprising: b1) impregnating the wooden elements obtained from step a) with at least one wood preservative, b2) heating the wooden elements obtained from step b1) at a temperature of at least 51° C to fix said wood preservative(s) in said wooden elements, b3) impregnating the wooden elements obtained from step b2) with a solution comprising polymerizable reactive groups, identical or different, that can form a polymer under polymerizing condition, and b4) subjecting the wooden elements obtained from step b3) to polymerizing condition to polymerize said reactive group(s); said sequence of steps bb1) to bb2) at least comprising: bb1) impregnating the wooden elements obtained from step a) with a mixture of at least one wood preservative and polymerizable reactive groups, identical or different, that can form a polymer under polymerizing condition, and bb1) heating the wooden elements obtained from step bb2) at a temperature of at least 51°C to fix the wood preservative(s) and to polymerize said reactive groups. The treated wooden elements so obtained and their uses.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2534766
No. Application, patent (USA) : 10/566676
Cryogenic current limiting fuse.: A cryogenic current limiting fuse is disclosed together with a method of manufacturing a cryogenic current limiting fuse, the cryogenic current limiting fuse comprising a first cryogenic composite and a second cryogenic composite wherein at least one of the first and the second cryogenic composites has a non-linear and increasing resistivity with respect to at least one of temperature and current.

No. Application, patent (USA) : 7,102,861
Polysaccharide-based impregnated solid material with improved stability, methods for preparing same, and impregnating solutions used.: The invention concerns a polysaccharide-based solid material comprising, in its mass, at least one active agent having bactericidal, fungicidal, insecticidal and/or as flame retardant properties, and at least one complexing agent and/or at least one polymeric matrix including a complexing agent. The active agent consists of at least one compound selected among the group consisting of boron, silica, aluminum, phosphorus, iodine, derivatives thereof, aluminosilicate derivatives, and mixtures thereof. The solid material is characterized by its improved stability and by a reduced environmental impact, and enables wood particle- or wood-based materials having a particular resistance to environmental stresses such as moisture, to be prepared.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2644653
No. Application, patent (USA) : 12/294746
Amorphous fe100-a-bpamb alloy foil and method for its preparation.: Amorphous Fe100-a-bPaMb foil, preferably in the form of a free-standing foil, process for its production by electrodeposition or electroforming of an aqueous plating solution, and its uses as a constitutive element of a transformer, generator, motor, pulse applications and magnetic shieldings. "a" is a real number ranging from 13 to 24, b is a real number ranging from 0 to 4, and M is at least one transition element other than Fe. The amorphous Fe100-a-bPaMb foil has the properties of being amorphous as established by the X-ray diffraction method, an average thickness greater than 20 micrometers, a tensile strength in the range of 200-1100 MPa, an electrical resistivity of over 120 µ.OMEGA.cm, and at least one of a high saturation induction (Bs) greater than 1.4 T, a coercive field (Hc) of less than 40 A/m, a loss (W60), at power frequencies (60 Hz), and for a peak induction of at least 1.35 T, of less than 0.65 W/kg, and a relative magnetic permeability (B/µ0H) greater than 10000, for low values of µoH.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2675987
No. Application, patent (USA) : 12/525286
Method for processing wood for increasing the lifetime thereof and wood thus obtained.: The invention relates to a method for processing wood that comprises injecting into the wood cavities a solution of at least one antifungal agent and/or at least one bactericidal agent and/or at least one insecticide agent and at least one monomer capable of progressively forming a polymer matrix in the wood cavities and subsequently a gel in the wood cavities. The wood thus processed has an extended lifetime.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2675659
No. Application, patent (USA) : 12/525263
Method of extraction of wood chemical protection agent by release at atmospheric pressure.: Preservatives and oil are extracted from the treated wood. The wood to be culled is chipped, the chips are impregnated with an alkaline solution until they are softened, changing the chemical state of the products to be extracted. Where applicable, the chips can be treated with saturated vapour at superatmospheric pressure between 170°C and 210°C followed by explosive decompression yielding wood fragments. A refining operation is then carried out in a grinder for defibration of the wood. The result is a substantial release of preservatives from the wood particles, which are at least partly defibrated. The chemical preservatives and oil are collected separately from the wood particles in the aqueous phases derived from the impregnation, cooking-decompression and refining phases.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2069984
No. Application, patent (USA) : 5,262,004
Method for permanently reducing wood hardness by in situ polymerization of prepolymers.: A wood article is submitted to a vacuum in an autoclave to remove air that it contains. Then, a solution which contains a water-soluble cross-linkable prepolymer, a polymerization initiator and optionally a wood preservative is introduced into the autoclave. Polymerization to form a polymeric network in the wood article is carried out in an atmosphere which may be substantially free of oxygen, while the optionally present preservative is chemically fixed to the wood. The result is a wood article with a permanently reduced hardness and an increased moisture content at equilibrium.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2167563
No. Application, patent (USA) : 5,731,096
Leached nanocrystalline materials, method for making them and uses in the energetic sector.: The invention concerns leached nanocrystalline materials having a large specific surface area particularly useful for storing hydrogen or for making electrodes for catalysis or electrocatalysis, such as those used in fuel cells. These materials can be made by preparing a nanocrystalline material consisting of a metastable composite or alloy of at least two distinct chemical elements. To be nanocrystalline, the material should have a crystalline structure with crystals less than 100 nn. in size. The prepared nanocrystalline material is then subjected to a leaching so as to eliminate partly or totally at least one of the elements of the composite or alloy. This leaching gives the resulting material a porous structure and, hence the required large specific surface area.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2269902
No. Application, patent (USA) : 5,872,074
Nanocrystalline alloys of the FE3AL(RU) type and use thereof optionally in nanocrystalline form for making electrodes for sodium chlorate synthesis .: The invention relates to a nanocrystalline alloy of the formula Fe3-X Al1+X My Tz in which: M is at least one catalytic species selected from the group comprising Ru, Ir, Pd, Pt, Rh, Os, Re, Ag and Ni; T is at least one member selected from the group comprising Mo, Co, Cr, V, Cu, Zn, Nb, W, Zr, Y, Mn, Cb, Si, B, C, O, N, P, F, S, Cl and Na; x is a number higher than -1 and no higher than +1; y is a number higher than 0 and no higher than +1; z is a number between 0 and +1. The invention also relates to the use of the above alloy in a nanocrystalline form or not for making electrodes intended in particular for the synthesis of sodium chlorate.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2687129
No. Application, patent (USA) : 12/599856
Removable antimicrobial coating compositions containing cationic rheology agent and methods of use.: A method is provided for controlling microorganisms comprising coating a surface with a removable, antimicrobial film-forming composition. More specifically, the method relates to a removable antimicrobial coating composition comprising a cationic rheology agent.

No. Application, patent (CA) : CA 2764434
No. Application, patent (USA) : 13/382664