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 boron nitride plate surface treatment method according to an embodiment includes a first polishing process and a second polishing process. In the first polishing process, a surface of a boron nitride plate is polished by using a first polishing member having a grit within a range of not less than F120 and not more than F220 or within a range of not less than #240 and not more than #320. In the second polishing process, the surface of the boron nitride plate is polished by using a second polishing member having a grit within a range of not less than #360 and not more than #1000. The second polishing process is performed after the first polishing process. The boron nitride plate is suitable for a method for producing a silicon nitride substrate.

A method of manufacturing pre-formed, customized, ceramic, labial/lingual orthodontic clear aligner attachments (CCAA) by additive manufacturing (AM) may comprise measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, based on the dentition data, creating a three dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth using reverse engineering, and saving the 3D CAD model, designing a 3D CAD structure model for one or more CCAA on various parts of each tooth, importing data related to the 3D CAD CCAA structure model into an AM machine, directly producing the CCAA in the ceramic slurry-based AM machine by layer manufacturing, enabling the provider to deliver patient-specific CCAA's by an indirect bonding method to the patient's teeth to improve the efficacy and retention of the clear aligners.

A composite transparent film, a preparation method thereof and a method for continuous digital light processing ceramic 3D printing based on the same are provided. The method selects a mixture of silica microspheres and PDMS to form a composite film on which silica is used to form a hydrophobic layer. Combined with specific optimized parameters, the film is more suitable for continuous digital light processing ceramic 3D printing, which can realize the continuous printing of ceramic slurries, solve the problem of delamination of printed pieces obtained by the existing 3D printing method of ceramics, improve the printing accuracy, and decrease the printing costs.

In an embodiment, a method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic brackets by additive manufacturing may comprise measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, based on the dentition data, creating a three dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth, and saving the 3D CAD model, designing a virtual 3D CAD bracket structure model for a single labial or lingual bracket structure based upon said 3D CAD model, importing data related to the 3D CAD bracket structure model into an additive manufacturing machine, and directly producing the bracket with the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing from an inorganic material including at least one of a ceramic, a polymer-derived ceramic, and a polymer-derived metal.

A method of fabricating a ceramic component includes processing a hybrid matrix blend formed of a ceramic precursor and a glass powder to form a hybrid matrix composite component. A polymer-derived ceramic component including a hybrid matrix composite formed of a hybrid matrix blend including at least one of a ceramic precursor and a conversion char, and a glass powder.

A MAX-phase material is provided for a cutting tool and other applications.

A sintered material includes a first material and a second material, the first material being partially stabilized ZrO.sub.2 having a crystal grain boundary or crystal grain in which 5 to 90 volume % of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is dispersed with respect to a whole of the first material, the second material including at least one of SiAlON, silicon nitride and titanium nitride, the sintered material including 1 to 50 volume % of the first material.

A layer arrangement for an electrostatic chuck comprises a first ceramic layer; a second ceramic layer; a metallised layered disposed between the first and second ceramic layers. The first ceramic layer comprises at least 90.0 wt % alumina, titania, ZrO.sub.2, Y.sub.2O.sub.3, AlN, Si.sub.3N.sub.4, SiC, transition metal oxides or combinations thereof; and in the range of 0.1 to 10.0 wt % tantalum oxide (Ta.sub.2O.sub.5).

A method of fabricating a ceramic component includes processing a hybrid matrix blend formed of a ceramic precursor and a glass powder to form a hybrid matrix composite component. A polymer-derived ceramic component including a hybrid matrix composite formed of a hybrid matrix blend including at least one of a ceramic precursor and a conversion char, and a glass powder.