A composite armor including a disrupting layer and a backing layer provides protection against blast and ballistic threats. The disrupting layer includes ceramic particles or tiles that disrupt the incoming projectile, while the backing layer prevents penetration past the armor by the disrupted projectile. The disrupting layer may include a layer of polygonal ceramic tiles with a deflecting front surface, encased by a retaining polymer, and may also include fire-retarding particles.

Encapsulated ceramic composite armor

A steel sawing wire (302) with a helicoidal shape, wherein straight segments alternate with outwardly oriented bends is described. The shape of the sawing wire (302) is configured so as to have a good cooperation with the abrasive particles the wire is used with in the following way: when the wire (302) is used gaps form at the segments between the bends and the circumscribed semi-cylinder formed by the workpiece that is being cut. The gaps have a maximum gapsize that is from 0.25 to 2 times the median diameter of the abrasive particles used. In this way at the gaps active, large particles are pushed against the workpiece while worn abrasive debris escapes through the gaps. Additionally several manufacturing methods are described which result in such kind of wire (302).

A structured sawing wire

Affixable armor that can be used to provide additional protection for a surface is described. The affixable armor includes polygonal ceramic tiles that can be attached directly to a surface, or first attached to a carrier sheet which is then attached to a surface. A visco-elastic polymer can be used to help absorb projectile impact. The ceramic tiles include a substantially conical or pyramidal deflecting front surface to provide additional protection. The ceramic tiles can be placed so that they are spaced to provide a gap with a width that is less than the diameter of an expected ballistic threat in order to provide additional projection. The affixable armor can be configured for rapid removal and replacement, or it may be permanently affixed to the surface.

Affixable armor tiles

It is usually desirable to utilize brass coated steel wires in the reinforcement of rubber articles, such as tires. To impart such wires with the ability to be drawn to obtain desired high tensile strengths and toughness they are normally patented. Patenting and brass plating are conventionally done as separate steps. This invention relates to a process for simultaneously patenting and brass plating a steel wire which comprises: (a) continuously passing the steel wire through a molten mixture of copper and zinc to apply a brass coating thereto, wherein the molten mixture is maintained at a temperature which is within the range of about 930°C to about 1100°C, and wherein the steel wire has a residence time in the molten mixture which is within the range of about 6 seconds to about 15 seconds which is sufficient for the steel to be austenitized; (b) continuously wiping excess brass from the austenitized steel wire as it exits the molten mixture to attain a brass coated steel wire having a brass coating weight which is within the range of 2 to 8 grams of brass per kilogram of the steel wire; (c) cooling the brass coated austenitized steel wire to a quenching temperature which is within the range of about 500°C to 650°C until a transformation from austenite to pearlite takes place; (d) further cooling the patented brass plated steel wire to ambient temperature.

Process for patenting and brass plating steel wire

A primary coolant circuit for cooling a nuclear reactor has wetted mechanically stressed nickel base alloy components such as Alloy 600 tubes in steam generators having oxidized surfaces comprising 1-10 w/o zinc, which tubes are inhibited against primary water stress corrosion cracking. The crack initiation times may be delayed by a factor of two in pressurized water nuclear reactors.

Inhibiting stress corrosion cracking in the primary coolant circuit of a nuclear reactor

High strength steel wire for use e.g. in tire reinforcement is treated so as to have a cementite free surface region. This can be achieved by electroplating or other coating methods, or be decarburizing the surface. The wire has increased resistance to hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion fatigue. The wire with its ferrous surface region is then covered with a rubber adherent outer layer of e.g. brass.

Steel wire for reinforcing elastomer articles with improved adhesion promoting layer

High strength steel wire for use e.g. in tyre reinforcement is treated so as to have a cementite free surface region. This can be achieved by electroplating or other coating methods, or by decarburizing the surface. The wire has increased resistance to hydrogen embrittlement and corrosion fatigue. The wire with its ferrous surface region is then covered with a rubber adherent outer layer of e.g. brass.

Bombeke Martin

Papers

Steel wire for reinforcing elastomer articles with improved adhesion promoting layer

Steel wire for reinforcing elastomer articles

Steel wire with cementite-free surface region