| We have heard a whole lot of talk about fuel | | | | and of course after reading many articles and |
| cells and of course it is a worthy endeavor. | | | | studies in the Ceramics Industry, I believe |
| Portable generators, cars, transportation | | | | there is ample opportunity there. have been |
| industry, Power generators, Ships, etc. can | | | | studying these situations for our company in |
| benefit. However in a mobile application such | | | | the Mobile Oil Change Business figuring if we |
| as a shuttle bus, car, truck, train, tractor, | | | | cannot change the oil in the future as a |
| motor scooter or even a Segway air-cushioned | | | | business we can replace filters and membranes |
| platform mover, there is the problem of heat. | | | | with re-usable ceramic materials which maybe |
| The heat occurs on transfer of fuel. So if we | | | | found in the new technologies associated with |
| are talking about a portable application the | | | | fuel cells. But where will all these filters |
| heat can make steam and the steam can be used | | | | be discharged? After all Glass takes quite a |
| for additional power needed also. In an off | | | | while to decompose rendering it's half life |
| road application when we are in places of | | | | closer than that of uranium to lead, then |
| drought and extreme fire hard there is a | | | | from Ceramic filter to dirt? Will future |
| significant problem which needs to be better | | | | archeologists dig up these nifty ceramic |
| addressed with the material sciences to | | | | filters in old garbage dumps in the |
| control the heat. Everyone knows that 2-cycle | | | | decomposed semi-crude oil remenance and |
| motorcycles get hot and can cause fires if | | | | wonder what on Earth we used them for and |
| you are not careful.The hydrogen cell problem | | | | proving that we were indeed a species of |
| with it's temperatures could be significantly | | | | significant cognitive worth? As we look at |
| worse. In larger vehicles there have been | | | | ceramic coatings such as Adsil (google it to |
| ways to mitigate this, with additional | | | | learn more) and others we realize that they |
| insulation panels, however in a small off | | | | decrease corrosion from things like the nasty |
| road vehicle or ATV, the problem becomes more | | | | Magnesium Chlorides put on roads in the North |
| significant. When I speak of ATV, I mean | | | | during ice and snowstorms.Will we need to |
| All-terrain vehicle, not the Fuel Cell term | | | | coat the entire car with glass to prevent |
| of Advanced Technology Vehicle. At Texas A | | | | fire? Will this mean you will wash your car |
| and M. they are working on just such a | | | | with Windex? Is glass cleaning services a |
| project.When we are talking motorcycles, and | | | | future growth industry then, since more |
| ATVs the cooling system is the major | | | | things will be made from glass including much |
| obstacle, wouldn't you know it. There is | | | | of the coating on a car. Will this foil the |
| always some hitch and it does appear that | | | | efforts of GM, Ford, Honda and Toyota in |
| this small obstacle is in fact being taken | | | | planned obsolescence? In other words whoever |
| care of through new material sciences and it | | | | is making the cars, whether it is GM-Ballard |
| is critical indeed as we have seen urban heat | | | | partnership, Eaton-Ford Partnership or a |
| of five plus degrees within various regions | | | | Multi-National Foreign Conglomerate of China, |
| of the US due to concrete and asphalt without | | | | Japan, Korea, US then will cars last so long |
| one fuel cell car and we know that reciprocal | | | | people will buy fewer of them or will the |
| engines of gasoline motors run about 300 or | | | | Chinese demand for oil drive the prices of |
| so degrees, which is a lot less than the | | | | crude up so fast and furious that the whole |
| conversion rate to pure hydrogen? Well these | | | | world will begin to switch to fuel cells at |
| engineering barriers are being pummeled | | | | once during a last hurrah of overbearing gas |
| currently as the innovators in America accept | | | | and diesel prices. Cars which last too long |
| the challenge and refuse to go back, such is | | | | mean consumer will not continue to buy new |
| the nature of the American Spirit, Never | | | | cars which on average now is 3.1 years in the |
| ever, ever, ever Give Up. Winston Churchill | | | | middle class of America. Now do not go out |
| could have been an American, he certainly | | | | and buy Windex Stock right now. No matter |
| talked like one and this current situation | | | | what this is still many years off.You will |
| could have used such talk. And of course he | | | | see in the future that many companies and |
| comes from the same stock as many of us do. | | | | even military, NASA and others use ceramic |
| Well it appears many University Researchers | | | | coatings on equipment to prolong life. |
| in this country may just beat President | | | | Corrosion issues are serious in all sectors, |
| Bush's cautious commitment to bring this | | | | including shipping containers, truck chassis, |
| technology to the forefront by 2012. We are | | | | braking systems, railroad, automotive, even a |
| now seeing the strides of innovation take | | | | rusty lawn-mower with many plastic parts from |
| hold. From the Spinglass Scooters to | | | | your local Home Depot, Lowes or |
| potential Segway Models.Now then, the | | | | Wal*Mart.Ceramic coatings even applied at 5 |
| components of these vehicles cannot be made | | | | mils are enough to seal the aluminum pores |
| of lightweight composite. Some types of | | | | enough to solve basic corrosion problems. |
| composite unfortunately give off Cyanide Gas | | | | Corrosion control is especially important to |
| when they burn. We of course have been | | | | military equipment after wartime. Sure it |
| learning this from the F-117 Stealth crashes | | | | provides jobs to make new tanks, humvees and |
| and the potentiality of the 7E7 half | | | | armored personnel carriers, but there maybe |
| composite airliners. So what material do you | | | | budget concerns as well to think about. After |
| make these units out of which is safe for | | | | all some of the T-34 tanks used by our enemy |
| anything from a ride on lawn mower to a | | | | were how old? Still running, perhaps with |
| laptop computer 90 watt power system. Even | | | | corrosion controls of ceramics, the ones left |
| Plastics melt and give off some pretty toxic | | | | could be put in museums forever? A remainder |
| substances? Ceramic Coatings or glass | | | | of the Human Species and her need to wage |
| coatings on top of other materials, indeed | | | | war, perhaps an innate characteristic which |
| may be one solution. As a matter of fact this | | | | may eventually be bread out of our genome, |
| is just about the only known solution for the | | | | but probably not likely soon. Hydrogen cell |
| exhaust and catalyst systems (which run | | | | tanks, yes there are many such projects going |
| extremely hot and glow inside) in current | | | | on now.What will the routine maintenance |
| exhaust systems. Many think it can be applied | | | | service companies look like in the future? |
| to the heat issues of hydrogen cells as well | | | | |