A composition is described, for filling the pores existing in the surfaces of coatings used in architecture, both for exteriors and for interiors, whose function is protecting the above surfaces against stains, comprising: sodium silicate to form a film; natural or synthetic mineral nano-charges to reduce, when drying, the shrinkage of a material deposited inside the pores; glycerine to slowdown drying; water as solvent; surface-active material to make it easier to wet the surface pores; dispersant to stabilise the nano-particles and to avoid their agglomeration and following sedimentation.

Provided is synthesized quartz for an optical component in which an advance phase axis direction is controlled in the optical axis direction, the birefringence is reduced in the off-axis direction, and the magnitude of the birefringence in the optical axis direction is arbitrarily controlled. Synthesized quartz glass is used for an optical component in an optical device having a light source of light with a wavelength not longer than 250nm. A value (BRcos 2?xy) is defined from the birefringence (BR) and the advance phase axis direction (?xy) that are measured in the parallel direction with a main optical axis direction in an optically effective area in the vertical plane with respect to the main optical axis direction of the optical component. An average birefringence (AveBRcos 2?xy) is defined from an average value of the values (BRcos 2?xy) in the optical axis direction. In the case where the maximum value of the birefringence measured in the vertical direction with respect to the main optical axis direction of the optical component is defined as the maximum birefringence (BRmax) in the off-axis direction, the following equations (1-1) and (2-1) are established and the synthesized quartz for the optical component in which a birefringence distribution (?n) is not more than 2 × 10-6nm/cm in the main optical axis direction and the birefringence distribution (?n) is not more than 5 × 10-6nm/cm in the off-axis direction. The numerical values of the birefringence (BR), the advance phase direction (?xy), the maximum birefringence (BRmax) and the birefringence distribution (?n) are measured data at the wavelength of 633nm while the unit of the birefringence is nm/cm. -1.0=AveBRcos2?xymax=0.0... (2-1)

Natural circulation loop/system adapted to suppress flow instability inherent to fluid medium due to low driving force and non-linearity of the natural circulation process including regenerative feed back between flow rate, driving force and pressure drop by selective metallic oxide nanoparticle base fluid media such as AI2O3 dispersed in water. Advantageously even small amounts of nanoparticles dispersed in water in the natural circulation systems are found to free the loop from undesirable instabilities and importantly also surprisingly enhance the flow rate thereby facilitating avoiding premature critical heat flux, operation and control problems of such natural circulation based heat recovery. The invention thus provides simple and efficient mode of natural circulation heat recovery with flow stability and enhanced flow rate at reduced cost, favouring wide scale application and use of such system for variety of end uses/applications.

An article contains inorganic nanoporous particles bound together by water dispersible polyurethane, the article having 75 volume-percent or more inorganic nanoporous particles based on total article volume and having a density of 0.14 grams per cubic centimeter or less and a thermal conductivity of 25 milliWatts per meter*Kelvin or less and having a thickness of at least 0.5 centimeters. A process for preparing such an article includes dispersing inorganic nanoporous particles into an aqueous dispersion of dispersible polyurethane to form a dispersion, casting the dispersion into a mold, and drying to form an article. A method for using such an article includes placing the article in a structure between two areas that can differ in temperature.

A light emitting composition including first color emitters and second color emitters. The first color emitters are configured to emit, upon exposure to an energy source, visible light at a target color in response to absorption of energy across a first band of wavelengths. The second color emitters are configured to emit, upon exposure to the energy source, visible light at the target color in response to absorption of energy across a second band of wavelengths. The light intensity observable at the target color is enhanced relative to reflected white light without emission from the first and second color emitters.

The invention relates to a sheetlike fibre structure comprising fibres embedded in a matrix. The adhesion between the fibre and the embedding matrix is enhanced by filling of the matrix with nanomaterial.

A method of manufacturing a down-conversion substrate for use in a light system includes forming a first crystallography layer comprising one or more phosphor materials and, optionally, applying at least one activator to the crystallography layer, heating the crystallography layer at high temperature to promote crystal growth in the crystallography layer, and drawing out the crystallography layer and allowing the crystallography layer to cool to form the down-conversion substrate. A light system includes an excitation source for emitting short wavelength primary emissions; and a down-conversion substrate disposed in the path of at least some of the primary emissions from the excitation source to convert at least a portion of the primary emissions into longer-wavelength secondary emissions, wherein the substrate comprises one or more crystallography layers, wherein each crystallography layer comprises one or more phosphor materials, and optionally at least one activator. Down-converted secondary light may be produced by the system.

Biopolymers that may be used in optical applications are provided. Suitable biopolymers include polylactic acid and polylactic acid blends. The polylactic acid may be used with a photocatalyst such as titonium dioxide in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the polylactic acid may incorporate decorative fused recycled particles. Generally, the biopolymer may be used in applications where optical characteristics and/or fire performance are desired.

A fluid composition or nanofluid is described that includes a dielectric base fluid, a chemical dispersant, and nanoparticles dispersed in the dielectric fluid. The chemical dispersant is used to facilitate the nanoparticle dispersing process and also to increase the stability of the nanofluid thus produced. The nanofluid is compatible with electronics and has enhanced thermal conductivity for use in cooling electronics. Techniques are described that can be used to efficiently disperse different forms of nanoparticles into a base fluid and produce a stable nanofluid which is compatible with electronic circuitry and components.

The invention provides a lighting device (1) comprising (a) a light source (100), for producing light source light (110), and (b) a transparent converter device (200), for converting at least part of the light source light (110), wherein the transparent converter device (200) comprises a first polymer containing matrix (201) containing discrete particles (210), wherein the discrete particles (210) comprise a second polymer containing matrix with luminescent material (212) dispersed therein.