An oxide sintered body may include zinc, magnesium, a positive trivalent or positive tetravalent metal element X, and oxygen as constituent elements. The atomic ratio of the metal element X to the sum of the zinc, the magnesium, and the metal element X [X/(Zn+Mg+X)] may be 0.0001 or more and 0.6 or less. The atomic ratio of the magnesium to the sum of the zinc and the magnesium [Mg/(Zn+Mg)] may be 0.25 or more and 0.8 or less.

A method includes molding a raw material powder containing a ceramic powder and a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature higher than room temperature into a shape by isostatic pressing and in which a raw material powder slurry is prepared by adding the ceramic powder and the thermoplastic resin to a solvent so that the thermoplastic resin is 2% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less with respect to a total weight of the ceramic powder and the thermoplastic resin, a cast-molded body is to formed by wet-casting the raw material powder slurry into a shape, dried, and subjected to first-stage isostatic press molding at a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin, then this first-stage press-molded body is heated to the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin or above, and warm isostatic press (WIP) molding is performed.

A method includes molding a raw material powder containing a ceramic powder and a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature higher than room temperature into a shape by isostatic pressing and in which a raw material powder slurry is prepared by adding the ceramic powder and the thermoplastic resin to a solvent so that the thermoplastic resin is 2% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less with respect to a total weight of the ceramic powder and the thermoplastic resin, a cast-molded body is to formed by wet-casting the raw material powder slurry into a shape, dried, and subjected to first-stage isostatic press molding at a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin, then this first-stage press-molded body is heated to the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin or above, and warm isostatic press (WIP) molding is performed.

A refractory article including a body having central opening extending through at least a portion of the body, the central opening having a receiving surface having a convex curvature. In an embodiment, the body can include a coupling protrusion extending from a portion of an upper surface of the body and a coupling depression on a portion of a bottom surface of the body.

Provided is a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body, which includes a relative density of the MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body being 90% or higher, and an L* value in a L*a*b* color system being 90 or more. A method of producing a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body is characterized by that a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 powder is hot pressed at 1150 to 1300° C., and is thereafter subjected to atmospheric sintering at 1350° C. or higher. Embodiments of the present invention address the issue of providing a high density and white MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body and a sputtering target using the sintered body, and a method of producing a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body.

Provided is a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body, which includes a relative density of the MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body being 90% or higher, and an L* value in a L*a*b* color system being 90 or more. A method of producing a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body is characterized by that a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 powder is hot pressed at 1150 to 1300° C., and is thereafter subjected to atmospheric sintering at 1350° C. or higher. Embodiments of the present invention address the issue of providing a high density and white MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body and a sputtering target using the sintered body, and a method of producing a MgAl.sub.2O.sub.4 sintered body.

A system and method to dry plug cement in a ceramic honeycomb body during the manufacture of plugged ceramic honeycomb bodies. The system includes a heating element (520) configured to immediately heat without contact a face (502) of a ceramic honeycomb body (500) plugged with a wet plug cement (510) to rapidly dry and stiffen the plug cement (510) on the face (502) of the ceramic honeycomb body (500). The method includes immediately applying heat without contact to a face (502) of a ceramic honeycomb body (500) having wet plug cement (510) disposed in channels (508) of the ceramic honeycomb body at the face, and rapidly drying and stiffening the plug cement on the face of the ceramic honeycomb body.

A system and method to dry plug cement in a ceramic honeycomb body during the manufacture of plugged ceramic honeycomb bodies. The system includes a heating element (520) configured to immediately heat without contact a face (502) of a ceramic honeycomb body (500) plugged with a wet plug cement (510) to rapidly dry and stiffen the plug cement (510) on the face (502) of the ceramic honeycomb body (500). The method includes immediately applying heat without contact to a face (502) of a ceramic honeycomb body (500) having wet plug cement (510) disposed in channels (508) of the ceramic honeycomb body at the face, and rapidly drying and stiffening the plug cement on the face of the ceramic honeycomb body.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a transparent ceramic material. The method comprises providing a compact comprising a metal oxide and, during sintering, exposing the compact to a vapor comprising one of or both fluorine ions and lithium ions to form a transparent ceramic material comprising at least 90% of a theoretical transparency.

A method of manufacturing ceramic tape includes a step of directing a tape of partially-sintered ceramic into a furnace. The tape is partially-sintered such that grains of the ceramic are fused to one another yet the tape still includes at least 10% porosity by volume, where the porosity refers to volume of the tape unoccupied by the ceramic. The method further includes steps of conveying the tape through the furnace and further sintering the tape as the tape is conveyed through the furnace. The porosity of the tape decreases during the further sintering step.