The present disclosure relates to a porous ceramic media that may include a chemical composition, a phase composition, a total open porosity content of at least about 10 vol. % and not greater than about 70 vol. % as a percentage of the total volume of the ceramic media, and a nitric acid resistance parameter of not greater than about 500 ppm. The chemical composition for the porous ceramic media may include SiO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, an alkali component and a secondary metal oxide component selected from the group consisting of an Fe oxide, a Ti oxide, a Ca oxide, a Mg oxide and combinations thereof. The phase composition may include an amorphous silicate, quartz and mullite.

A porous material includes aggregate particles and a binding material. In the aggregate particles, oxide films containing cristobalite are provided on surfaces of particle bodies that are silicon carbide particles or silicon nitride particles. The binding material binds the aggregate particles together in a state where pores are provided therein. The porous material contains at least one of copper, calcium, and nickel as an ancillary component.

A porous cellular body comprising primarily a porous sintered glass material is disclosed. The porous sintered glass material primarily includes a first phase and a second phase, the first phase primarily comprising amorphous fused silica and the second phase comprising amorphous fused silica and a sintering aid.

A ceramic filter 1 requires a permeation time ranging from 3 seconds to 15 seconds in a case where 150 ml of hot water having a temperature of 90 C. is introduced, has a total pore volume of 0.230 to 0.270 cm.sup.3/g, and has a median pore diameter of 100 to 160 m. A method for manufacturing the ceramic filter 1 includes a kneading process of obtaining a kneaded material in which 55 to 65 mass % of alumina, 6 to 12 mass % of bentonite, 6 to 10 mass % of water-insoluble organic fine particles, and 15 to 30 mass % of water are mixed, a primary molding process of molding a primary molded article by manually pressing the kneaded material against a filter mold, a secondary molding process of molding a secondary molded article by performing press working on the primary molded article molded in the primary molding process, and a firing process of firing the secondary molded article molded in the secondary molding process.

A ceramic filter 1 requires a permeation time ranging from 3 seconds to 15 seconds in a case where 150 ml of hot water having a temperature of 90 C. is introduced, has a total pore volume of 0.230 to 0.270 cm.sup.3/g, and has a median pore diameter of 100 to 160 m. A method for manufacturing the ceramic filter 1 includes a kneading process of obtaining a kneaded material in which 55 to 65 mass % of alumina, 6 to 12 mass % of bentonite, 6 to 10 mass % of water-insoluble organic fine particles, and 15 to 30 mass % of water are mixed, a primary molding process of molding a primary molded article by manually pressing the kneaded material against a filter mold, a secondary molding process of molding a secondary molded article by performing press working on the primary molded article molded in the primary molding process, and a firing process of firing the secondary molded article molded in the secondary molding process.

Methods are described to make strong, tough, and/or lightweight glass-ceramic composites having a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase generated by viscous reaction sintering of a complex mixture of oxides and other materials. The present invention further relates to strong, tough, and lightweight glass-ceramic composites that can be used as proppants and for other uses.

Methods are described to make strong, tough, and/or lightweight glass-ceramic composites having a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase generated by viscous reaction sintering of a complex mixture of oxides and other materials. The present invention further relates to strong, tough, and lightweight glass-ceramic composites that can be used as proppants and for other uses.

Hydrophobic shaped silica bodies having low density and low thermal conductivity are produced by forming a dispersion of silica in a solution of binder and organic solvent, and removing the solvent and shaping to form a shaped body. The shaped bodies retain their hydrophobicity, are stable with regards to shape, and are useful in acoustic and thermal insulation.

Hydrophobic shaped silica bodies having low density and low thermal conductivity are produced by forming a dispersion of silica in a solution of binder and organic solvent, and removing the solvent and shaping to form a shaped body. The shaped bodies retain their hydrophobicity, are stable with regards to shape, and are useful in acoustic and thermal insulation.

The present invention relates to lightweight high strength microsphere containing ceramic particles having controlled microsphere placement and/or size and microsphere morphology, which produces an improved balance of specific gravity and crush strength such that they can be used in applications such as proppants to prop open subterranean formation fractions. Proppant formulations are further disclosed which use one or more microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention. Methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions are further disclosed. In addition, other uses for the microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention are further disclosed, as well as methods of making the microsphere containing ceramic particles.