A ceramic member includes a matrix phase of a perovskite compound including La, Ca, and Mn, and a heterophase including Mn and O as main components, wherein crystal grains of the perovskite compound have an average grain size of about 2.5 μm or more and about 6.4 μm or less.

A ceramic member includes a matrix phase of a perovskite compound including La, Ca, and Mn, and a heterophase including Mn and O as main components, wherein crystal grains of the perovskite compound have an average grain size of about 2.5 μm or more and about 6.4 μm or less.

A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.

A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.

A sintered body includes a crystal grain containing silicon nitride, and a grain boundary phase. If dielectric losses of the sintered body are measured while applying an alternating voltage to the sintered body and continuously changing a frequency of the alternating voltage from 50 Hz to 1 MHz, an average value ε.sub.A of dielectric losses of the sintered body in a frequency band from 800 kHz to 1 MHz and an average value ε.sub.B of dielectric losses of the sintered body in a frequency band from 100 Hz to 200 Hz satisfy an expression |ε.sub.A−ε.sub.B|≤0.1.

A method for manufacturing a part made of composite material includes forming a ceramic matrix phase in pores of a fibrous preform by pyrolysis of a cross-linked copolymer ceramic precursor, the cross-linked copolymer including a first precursor macromolecular chain of a first ceramic having free carbon, and a second precursor macromolecular chain of a second ceramic having free silicon, the first macromolecular chain being bonded to the second macromolecular chain by cross-linking bridges including a bonding structure of formula *.sup.1—X—*.sup.2; in this formula, X designates boron or aluminium, -*.sup.1 designates the bond to the first macromolecular chain and -*.sup.2 the bond to the second macromolecular chain.

A method for manufacturing a part made of composite material includes forming a ceramic matrix phase in pores of a fibrous preform by pyrolysis of a cross-linked copolymer ceramic precursor, the cross-linked copolymer including a first precursor macromolecular chain of a first ceramic having free carbon, and a second precursor macromolecular chain of a second ceramic having free silicon, the first macromolecular chain being bonded to the second macromolecular chain by cross-linking bridges including a bonding structure of formula *.sup.1—X—*.sup.2; in this formula, X designates boron or aluminium, -*.sup.1 designates the bond to the first macromolecular chain and -*.sup.2 the bond to the second macromolecular chain.

A process for preparing a porous ceramic body includes forming a green body with a mixture of ceramic material powder, binder material, and pore-forming particles. The process further includes extracting the binder material, decomposing the pore-forming particles, and removing residual organic materials from the green body at respective, progressively higher pre-firing temperatures. After these three stages, the green body is sintered at a still-higher temperature to form the porous ceramic body. Embodiments facilitate manufacturing and can render most or all surface grinding unnecessary, allowing electrode deposition directly onto substantially non-porous surfaces of the porous ceramic body that are naturally formed during sintering. Advantageously, the green body may be formed into net shape by injection molding the mixture that includes the pore-forming particles, and embodiments can result in porous ceramic bodies that are much thicker than currently available, with better structural integrity.

Fiber tows including a heat-activatable sizing are described. The sizing compositions have a first modulus at 25° C. of at least 150 megapascals (MPa) and no greater than 400 MPa; and a second modulus of 100,000 pascals (Pa) at a temperature of no greater than 160° C. Methods of preparing articles from such sized fiber tows and the articles comprising such sized fiber tows, including unidirectional and bidirectional constructions are also described.

A coating composition is described, for use in the foundry, in particular comprising particulate, amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO.sub.2) and an aqueous phase having a pH of at most 5, and also coated, waterglass-bound foundry molding elements, especially coated, waterglass-bound foundry molds and foundry cores, which each comprise a coating composition of the invention. Further described is the use of a coating composition of the invention for producing a coating on a waterglass-bound foundry molding element and a method for producing a waterglass-bound foundry molding element (mold or core) coated with a water-containing refractory coating. Likewise specified is a kit whose contents include a coating composition of the invention.