A method for delivering a flowable material into a mold or to infiltrate a preformed component, a fiber preform, or a green body includes: providing a crucible having a body configured as a reservoir to hold the flowable material; adding a metal, a metal alloy, or combination thereof into the body of the crucible, the metal or metal alloy having a predetermined melting point; heating the crucible with the metal or metal alloy contained therein to a temperature that is at or above the melting point of the metal or metal alloy; allowing the metal or metal alloy to melt to form the flowable material; and creating a siphon such that the molten metal or metal alloy flows from the body of the crucible to infiltrate the preformed component or to fill the mold.

Brake disks with integrated heat sink are provided. Brake disk includes a fiber-reinforced composite material and an encapsulated heat sink material impregnated into the fiber-reinforced composite material. The encapsulated heat sink material comprises a heat sink material encapsulated within a silicon-containing encapsulation layer. Methods for manufacturing the brake disk with integrated heat sink and methods for producing the encapsulated heat sink material are also provided.

Brake disks with integrated heat sink are provided. Brake disk includes a fiber-reinforced composite material and an encapsulated heat sink material impregnated into the fiber-reinforced composite material. The encapsulated heat sink material comprises a heat sink material encapsulated within a silicon-containing encapsulation layer. Methods for manufacturing the brake disk with integrated heat sink and methods for producing the encapsulated heat sink material are also provided.

A fiber comprises a bulk material comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, boron, silicon carbide, and boron nitride; and a metal whose affinity for oxygen is greater than the affinity for oxygen of any of the one or more materials. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium. At least a first portion of the metal may be present in un-oxidized form at the entrance to and/or within grain boundaries within the fiber. A method of improving at least one of the strength, creep resistance, and toughness of a fiber comprises adding to a fiber, initially comprising a bulk material having a first affinity for oxygen, a metal that has a second affinity for oxygen higher than the first affinity. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium.

A fiber comprises a bulk material comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, boron, silicon carbide, and boron nitride; and a metal whose affinity for oxygen is greater than the affinity for oxygen of any of the one or more materials. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium. At least a first portion of the metal may be present in un-oxidized form at the entrance to and/or within grain boundaries within the fiber. A method of improving at least one of the strength, creep resistance, and toughness of a fiber comprises adding to a fiber, initially comprising a bulk material having a first affinity for oxygen, a metal that has a second affinity for oxygen higher than the first affinity. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium.

A method for fabricating a porous ceramic heating body, and a method of fabricating a heating body. The method for fabricating includes, in sequence, mixing, ball-milling, defoaming, molding, and drying, pore-forming agent discharging, sintering, and electrode leading. The whole method is simple, and by using a box furnace to sinter the green body under an oxidizing atmosphere and normal pressure, the fabricated ceramic heating body is heated uniformly and the heating efficiency is high.

A method for enhancing optical properties of sintered, zirconia ceramic bodies and zirconia ceramic dental restorations is provided. The porous or pre-sintered stage of a ceramic body is treated with two different yttrium-containing compositions and sintered, resulting in sintered ceramic bodies having enhanced optical properties. The enhanced optical properties may be substantially permanent, remaining for the useful life of the sintered ceramic body.

A degradable device component or tool provided with one or more target physical parameter values and shaped from a precursor composite material. The precursor composite material includes a core material in particulate form having one or more real physical parameter values exceeding the target physical parameter values; a first layer material provided on the core material and a second layer material provided on the first layer material, wherein the first layer material and the second layer material are together capable of forming a galvanic cell; and a melted outer layer material provided directly or indirectly on the second layer, the outer layer having a melting point below the melting points of the core material, the first layer material and the second layer material.

A degradable device component or tool provided with one or more target physical parameter values and shaped from a precursor composite material. The precursor composite material includes a core material in particulate form having one or more real physical parameter values exceeding the target physical parameter values; a first layer material provided on the core material and a second layer material provided on the first layer material, wherein the first layer material and the second layer material are together capable of forming a galvanic cell; and a melted outer layer material provided directly or indirectly on the second layer, the outer layer having a melting point below the melting points of the core material, the first layer material and the second layer material.

An electroconductive paste comprises high melting point metal particles having a melting point that exceeds the firing temperature; molten metal particles containing a metal or an alloy that melts at the firing temperature, for which the melting point is 700 C. or less; active metal particles containing an active metal; and an organic vehicle.