The invention relates to an improved method for producing silica aerogel in pure and flexible sheet form having effective suppression of radiative heat transport at high temperatures and increased thermal insulation property. The suppression of radiative heat transport was achieved by in-situ production of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in very minor concentrations during gelation of silica precursor, with nanoporous surface area more than 300 m2/g and acts as an infra red reflecting agent. When aerogel is subjected to heat during hot object insulation, it automatically turn into infra red reflecting material. Said silica aerogel can be incorporated into the inorganic fibre mat matrix individually or into two or more layers with organic sponge sheet placed in between and stitched together to form a sandwich sheet to form highly insulating flexible sheet.

A process for providing inorganic polymer ceramic-like materials. The process comprises providing a first material which comprises at least one non-oxide ceramic powder, and, at least one metal oxide, and providing a second material which comprises a caustic slurry composed of alkaline water and a solvent, and, combining the materials with stirring. There is also provided a composition of matter provided by the above-mentioned process which is a chemically bonded ceramic polymer comprising metal oxide and non-oxide ceramic bonds.

A method of forming a composite article includes impregnating an inorganic fiber preform with a slurry composition. The slurry composition includes a particulate, a solvent, and a pre-gellant material. Gelling of the pre-gellant material in the slurry composition is initiated to immobilize the particulate and yield a gelled article, and substantially all solvent is removed from the gelled article to form a green composite article. The green composite article is then infiltrated with a molten infiltrant to form the composite article.

Proppant particles formed from slurry droplets and methods of use are disclosed herein. The proppant particles can include a sintered ceramic material and can have a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns. The methods of use can include injecting a hydraulic fluid into a subterranean formation at a rate and pressure sufficient to open a fracture therein and injecting a fluid containing a proppant particle into the fracture, the proppant particle including a sintered ceramic material, a size of about 80 mesh to about 10 mesh, and an average largest pore size of less than about 20 microns.

A ceramic component, in particular based on zirconia and/or alumina, for a timepiece or jewelry piece, comprising at least one noble metal among platinum, rhodium, osmium, palladium, ruthenium and iridium, at a quantity of less than or equal to 5% by weight.

Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower and methods for making and using the ceramic particles are disclosed. The ceramic particle can include a sintered ceramic material formed from a mixture of a ceramic raw material and a darkening component comprising MnO as Mn.sup.2+. The ceramic particle can have a size from about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh and a density of less than 4 g/cc.

A method of forming a composite article includes impregnating an inorganic fiber preform with a slurry composition. The slurry composition includes a particulate, a solvent, and a pre-gellant material. Gelling of the pre-gellant material in the slurry composition is initiated to immobilize the particulate and yield a gelled article, and substantially all solvent is removed from the gelled article to form a green composite article. The green composite article is then infiltrated with a molten infiltrant to form the composite article.

A ceramic structure and methods for making the ceramic structure are disclosed. Multiple parts may be molded; the parts may be molded from the same or different ceramic materials. The parts may be formed in the same mold and may be adjacent to and/or attached to one another as a result of molding. The parts may be placed in a sintering furnace and sintered simultaneously. Simultaneously sintering the parts forms a unitary structure from the parts.

The present disclosure relates slip techniques for lost casting cores. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for producing a slip for use in casting, e.g., for production of complex metal blades in gas turbines. Some embodiments may include methods for producing a slip comprising: mixing at least one inorganic constituent with at least one first binder; and forming a slip with the mixture. The first binder may include a mixture of at least one epoxy resin and at least one sterically hindered amine as hardener.

The invention relates to a porous dental milling block comprising at least two geometrically defined Material Sections A and B, Material Section A comprising a tetragonal zirconia crystal phase in an amount A-T in % and a cubic zirconia crystal phase in an amount A-C in %, Material Section B comprising cubic zirconia crystal phase in an amount B-T in % and cubic zirconia crystal phase in an amount B-C in %, wherein (amount of tetragonal phase A-T in %)/(amount of cubic phase content A-C in %)>1 and (amount of tetragonal phase content B-T in %)/(amount of cubic phase content B-C in %)<1. The invention also relates to a process of production of the porous dental milling block and its use for producing a dental article.