This paper summarizes the chronological progress of foil air bearings for turbomachinery during the last 25 years. Descriptions of various machines which are in production are provided. The foil bearing air cycle machine on the 747 aircraft has demonstrated an MTBF (mean time between failure) in excess of 100,000 hours. Many advantages of foil air bearings are noted. Various designs of foil air bearings presently in use and their relative merits are described. Analytical methods, their limitations, and their relationships with test results are noted. Descriptions of various machines built and tested in process fluids being gases, other than air, and cryogenic liquids are described. Conclusions are drawn that various high speed turbomachines including high temperature applications can be designed and developed using foil air bearings which will increase efficiency and reduce cost of these machines.

The dynamic mechanical behavior of the binary blends high‐density polyethylene/EPDM rubber (ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer) and isotactic polypropylene/EPDM rubber was investigated by means of a free‐oscillating torsional pendulum. Comparison of the moduli of the systems studied and predictions drawn from several models show that phase inversion in the polyethylene/EPDM blends takes place at the volume fraction vPE = 0.5, while polypropylene preserves a certain phase continuity also as the minor component (0.5 > vPP > 0.2) in blends with EPDM. Because of faster shrinkage in the course of cooling, inclusions are exposed to negative hydrostatic pressure, which accounts for a drop in the glass‐transition temperature of the rubber. The strength of the relaxation associated with the glass transition of inclusions and tensile impact strength increase proportionately to the rubber content in polypropylene (0 < vEPDM < 0.4). Dynamic mechanical response spectra of commercial EPDM/polyethylene impact modifiers are compared with the results for model systems.

The dynamic mechanical behavior of ternary blends of isotactic polypropylene (80–0 percent)/EPDM rubber (20 percent)/high‐density polyethylene (0–80 percent) was investigated in the temperature range from −196 to 100°C by means of a free‐oscillating torsional pendulum. The structure of the blends was examined by a scanning electron microscope on etched surfaces cut by a fractured glass edge in liquid nitrogen. Dynamic mechanical response spectra and microphotographs of the systems studied show that the minor thermoplastic forms the core of EPDM rubber inclusions. At 20 percent rubber in the blends, the inclusions can accommodate from 20 to 30 percent polyethylene or polypropylene. Addition of either thermoplastic not exceeding this limit has almost the same effect on the stiffness, damping, and yield stress of the blends as the addition of the same amount of rubber. Ternary blends with equal or slightly different polypropylene and polyethylene fractions have the structure of interpenetrating phases in which EPDM rubber forms the interface layer.