The present disclosure provides a transparent alumina-based plate, and a hot-pressing method to make the transparent alumina-based plate from platelet alumina. Alumina powder with a platelet morphology was hot-pressed to transparency with pre-load pressures of about 0-8 MPa, maximum temperatures of about 1750-1825° C., maximum pressures of about 2.5-80 MPa, and isothermal hold times of 1-7 hours. A novel alumina-based plate has been prepared, wherein the plate has a thickness of 2-5 mm, an in-line transmission of at least 60-75% for a light with a wavelength range of 645-2500 nm, an in-line transmission variance of <15% over the wavelength range of 645-2500 nm, and a relative density of 99.00-99.95%.

Provided are a ceramic complex capable of improving the luminous efficiency, a projector comprising a ceramic complex, and a method for producing a ceramic complex. Proposed is a ceramic complex including a rare earth aluminate fluorescent material having an average particle diameter in a range of 15 μm or more and 40 μm or less, aluminum oxide having a purity of aluminum oxide of 99.0% by mass or more, and voids, wherein the content of the rare earth aluminate fluorescent material is in a range of 15% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less relative to a total amount of the rare earth aluminate fluorescent material and the aluminum oxide, and a void fraction is in a range of 1% or more and 10% or less.

Provided are a ceramic complex capable of improving the luminous efficiency, a projector comprising a ceramic complex, and a method for producing a ceramic complex. Proposed is a ceramic complex including a rare earth aluminate fluorescent material having an average particle diameter in a range of 15 μm or more and 40 μm or less, aluminum oxide having a purity of aluminum oxide of 99.0% by mass or more, and voids, wherein the content of the rare earth aluminate fluorescent material is in a range of 15% by mass or more and 50% by mass or less relative to a total amount of the rare earth aluminate fluorescent material and the aluminum oxide, and a void fraction is in a range of 1% or more and 10% or less.

An optical wavelength conversion member (9) provided with a ceramic plate (11) which is configured from a polycrystalline body that is mainly composed of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and a component represented by A.sub.3B.sub.5O.sub.12:Ce; and each of A and B in A.sub.3B.sub.5O.sub.12 represents at least one element selected from the element groups described below. In addition, a dielectric multilayer film (13) which transmits a specific wavelength and reflects another specific wavelength is formed on a light incident surface (11a) of the ceramic plate (11). The ceramic plate (11) has a porosity of 2% by volume or less, while having an average surface roughness (an arithmetic mean roughness Sa) of 0.5 μm or less. A: Sc, Y and lanthanoids (excluding Ce) B: Al and Ga. Also disclosed is a light-emitting device including the optical wavelength conversion member.

A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.

A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.

A die or piston of a spark plasma sintering apparatus, wherein the die or piston is made from graphite and the outer surfaces of the die or piston are coated with a silicon carbide layer with a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres, the silicon carbide layer being further optionally coated with one or more other layer(s) made from a carbide other than silicon carbide chosen from hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide and titanium carbide, the other layer(s) each having a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus comprising the die and two of the pistons, defining a sintering, densification or assembly chamber capable of receiving a powder to be sintered, a part to be densified, or parts to be assembled. A method of sintering a powder, densifying a part, or assembling two parts by means of a method of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in an oxidising atmosphere, using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus.

A die or piston of a spark plasma sintering apparatus, wherein the die or piston is made from graphite and the outer surfaces of the die or piston are coated with a silicon carbide layer with a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres, the silicon carbide layer being further optionally coated with one or more other layer(s) made from a carbide other than silicon carbide chosen from hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide and titanium carbide, the other layer(s) each having a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus comprising the die and two of the pistons, defining a sintering, densification or assembly chamber capable of receiving a powder to be sintered, a part to be densified, or parts to be assembled. A method of sintering a powder, densifying a part, or assembling two parts by means of a method of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in an oxidising atmosphere, using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus.

A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.

A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.