1. A vanadium alloy comprising:
vanadium; and
aluminium,
the alloy having a content of greater than 0 up to 10 at % aluminium.
2. A vanadium alloy according to claim 1, further including a grain refining element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Cr, Fe, Ni and B, the alloy having a content of greater than 0 up to 5 at % of such grain refining element.
3. A vanadium alloy according to claim 1, wherein the vanadium alloy has a ductility of greater than 10% elongation.
4. A vanadium alloy according to claim 1, wherein the vanadium alloy has a grain linear intercept of less than 5.0 mm, based upon a minimum sample size of 6 grains.
5. A vanadium alloy according to claim 1, wherein the vanadium alloy does not include any voids having an average size of greater than 0.5 mm.
6. A process of producing a vanadium alloy comprising:
forming a vanadium alloy according to claim 1; and
heat treating the formed vanadium alloy at temperatures of from 800 to 1500\xb0 C. and pressures from 50 to 500 MPa,
thereby producing a refined vanadium alloy suitable for a deformation process for forming a thin-walled tube.
7. A process of producing a refined vanadium alloy according to claim 6, wherein refined vanadium alloy has a ductility of greater than 10% elongation, preferably greater or equal to 12% elongation, more preferably greater or equal to 13% elongation, yet more preferably greater or equal to 14% elongation.
8. A process according to claim 6, wherein the heat treatment step comprises a Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) process.
9. A process according to claim 6, wherein the heat treatment step comprises subjecting the vanadium alloy at temperatures of from 1000 to 1400\xb0 C., preferably between 1100 to 1300\xb0 C., more preferably temperatures up to 1400\xb0 C., and yet more preferably about 1200\xb0 C.
10. A process according to claim 9, wherein the heat treatment step comprises subjecting the vanadium alloy to pressures from 50 to 400 Mia, preferably 130 to 300 MPa, and more preferably about 200 MPa.
11. A process according to claim 9, wherein the heat treatment step is undertaken for a duration of at least 30 min, preferably at least 1 hr, and more preferably at least 2 hr.
12. A process according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the heating rate or cooling rate is at least 4 Kmin, preferably at least 5 Kmin, more preferably between 4 and 10 Kmin, and yet more preferably between 4 and 8 Kmin.
13. A process of producing a tubular membrane of a catalytic membrane reactor comprising:
forming a vanadium alloy using a process according to claim 6; and
forming the refined vanadium alloy into a thin-walled tube.
14. A process according to claim 13, wherein the thin-walled tube comprises a tube having an outer diameter of between 2 to 25 mm and a wall thickness of from 0.05 to 1 mm.
15. A membrane for a catalytic membrane reactor formed from the process according to claim 13.
16. A process for operating a catalytic membrane reactor comprising:
providing a catalytic membrane reactor including at least one tubular membrane comprising the vanadium alloy according to claim 1; and
operating the catalytic membrane reactor at a hydrogen to metal (HM) ratio of greater than 0.05 when the reactor is at an operating temperature of between 0 to 350\xb0 C.
17. A process for operating a catalytic membrane reactor according to claim 16, operating the catalytic membrane reactor includes start-up and shutdown procedures of the reactor.
18. A process for operating a catalytic membrane reactor according to claim 16, wherein the operating temperature is between 20\xb0 C. and 300\xb0 C.
19. A process for operating a catalytic membrane reactor according to claim 18, wherein the HM ratio is greater than 0.1.
20. A process according to claim 19, wherein the operating conditions includes a cooling step of the catalytic membrane reactor, preferably comprising ambient cooling of the catalytic membrane reactor.
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 surgical teaching aid comprising:
a cast of a body part;
one or more flexible members disposed within the cast.
2. The surgical teaching aid of claim 1, wherein the cast of a body part comprises:
an at least partially solidified composition comprising a 20% by weight aqueous solution of food grade gelatin.
3. The surgical teaching aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more flexible members disposed within the cast is configured to replicate one or more vascular structures associated with the body part.
4. The surgical teaching aid of claim 1, wherein the one or more flexible members disposed within the cast comprises:
latex tubing.
5. A mold for a surgical teaching aid comprising:
a mold of a body part;
one or more flexible members disposed within the mold and operably coupled to the mold.
6. The mold of claim 5, wherein the mold of a body part further comprises:
one or more apertures.
7. The mold of claim 6, wherein at least one of the one or more flexible members is disposed within at least one of the one or more apertures.
8. The mold of claim 5, wherein the mold of a body part comprises at least a first portion operably couplable to a second portion.
9. The mold of claim 5, wherein the one or more flexible members comprises:
latex tubing.
10. The mold of claim 5, wherein the one or more flexible members is configured to replicate a position of at least one vascular structure of the body part.
11. A method for manufacturing a surgical teaching aid comprising:
disposing a flexible member within a mold of a body part;
disposing a hardenable composition within the mold.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the disposing a flexible member within a mold of a body part comprises:
configuring the flexible member to replicate a position of at least one vascular structure of the body part.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein disposing a hardenable composition within the mold comprises:
disposing a 20% by weight aqueous solution of food grade gelatin within the mold.