1. A method of forming surface accessible metal nanodots, comprising the steps of:
(a) performing ion-exchange with a solution of the metal ions and an ETS zeolite; and
(b) activating the ion-exchanged ETS zeolite.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the ETS zeolite comprises ETS-4 or ETS-10.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal comprises silver, copper, nickel, gold or a member of the platinum group.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the metal comprises silver.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the activation step comprises drying or annealing the material.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the activation step is performed under reducing conditions.
7. The method of claim 5 wherein the activation step is performed under oxidizing conditions.
8. The method of claim 5 wherein the activation step is performed at a temperature greater than about 75\xb0 C. and less than about 500\xb0 C.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the activating step is performed at a temperature between about 75\xb0 C. and 400\xb0 C.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the ion-exchange occurs with an excess of metallic ions.
11. An ETS supported metal nanoparticulate material, comprising surface-accessible metal nanodots having a particle size less than about 100 nm.
12. The material of claim 11 wherein the nanodots have a particle size less than about 50 nm.
13. The material of claim 12 wherein the nanodots have a particle size less than about 15 nm and greater than about 5 nm.
14. The material of claim 11 wherein the metal comprises silver, copper, nickel, gold or a member of the platinum group, or mixtures thereof
15. The material of claim 14 wherein the metal comprises silver.
16. The material of claim 11 wherein the ETS material comprises ETS-10.
17. A method of selectively adsorbing a noble gas from a gas stream containing the noble gas, using an adsorbent comprising metal nanodots formed from the process of claim 1, or comprising the material comprising metal nanodots of claim 11, the method comprising the step of passing the gas stream over the surface accessible metal nanodot ETS.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the noble gas comprises xenon.
19. The method of claim 18 which occurs at a temperature between 20\xb0 C. and 150\xb0 C.
20. The method of claim 18 further comprising the step of releasing the xenon from the adsorbent by heating the adsorbent under a reduced pressure.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein the xenon is released from the adsorbent by heating to about 150\xb0 C. under a full or partial vacuum.
22. The method of claim 17 wherein the noble gas comprises argon.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the method comprises a method of producing substantially pure oxygen from a gas stream comprising oxygen and argon.
24. A method of preventing or treating an infection in a body part by contacting the body part with metal nanodots formed from the process of claim 1, or the material comprising metal nanodots of claim 11.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of manufacturing an automotive instrument panel for eliminating distortion in an area of vibration welded air bags, said method comprising:
providing a weld fixture including at least one pre-stressor protrusion;
placing the at least one pre-stressor protrusion against an instrument panel;
generating a force to press the weld fixture against the instrument panel to create compression in a first surface of the instrument panel where the weld fixture contacts the instrument panel and to create tension in a second surface of the instrument panel, the second surface opposite to the first surface; and
vibration welding an air bag chute to the instrument panel such that a weld bar of the air bag chute is welded to the second surface of the instrument panel.
2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the instrument panel comprises:
a substrate layer,
a foam layer connected to the substrate layer, and
a cover layer connected to the foam layer, wherein placing the at least one pre-stressor protrusion includes placing the at least one pre-stressor protrusion against the cover layer of the instrument panel, and wherein vibration welding further comprises vibration welding the air bag chute to the substrate layer.
3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pre-stressor protrusion is convex in shape.
4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one pre-stressor protrusion comprises a smooth curved shape.
5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the weld fixture comprises a plurality of pre-stressor protrusions.
6. A method according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions is convex in shape.
7. A method according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions comprises a smooth curved shape.
8. A method according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions are substantially aligned along a surface of the weld fixture.
9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the weld fixture further includes at least one hole, and wherein generating a force to press the weld fixture against the instrument panel comprises creating a vacuum.
10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising: cooling the instrument panel.
11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the second surface of the instrument panel is subject to thermal shrinkage that is substantially equal to the tension created in the second surface of the instrument panel.
12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the first surface of the instrument panel is substantially flat after cooling the instrument panel such that the first surface of the instrumental panel has a shape that is different from the shape of the at least one pre-stressor protrusion.
13. A method of manufacturing an automotive instrument panel, said method comprising:
providing a weld fixture including a plurality of pre-stressor protrusions;
placing at least one of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions against a first surface of an instrument panel;
pressing the weld fixture against the instrument panel, thereby creating compression in the first surface of the instrument panel and creating tension in a second surface of the instrument panel, wherein the second surface is opposite to the first surface;
vibration welding a weld bar to the second surface of the instrument panel; and
cooling the instrument panel.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the second surface of the instrument panel is subject to thermal shrinkage that is substantially equal to the tension created in the second surface of the instrument panel.
15. A method according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions is convex in shape.
16. A method of manufacturing an automotive instrument panel, said method comprising:
providing a weld fixture including a plurality of pre-stressor protrusions;
providing an instrument panel including:
a first layer; and
a second layer;
placing at least one of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions against the first layer of the instrument panel;
pressing the weld fixture against the instrument panel, thereby creating compression in the first layer of the instrument panel and creating tension in the second layer of the instrument panel;
vibration welding a weld bar to the second layer of the instrument panel; and
cooling the instrument panel.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the instrument panel further comprises a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer.
18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the third layer comprises a foam layer.
19. A method according to claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of pre-stressor protrusions is convex in shape.