A material useful as a proppant comprises a core chemically reacted in situ from coal dust and a polymer derived ceramic material, such that at least a portion of the coal dust is chemically converted to a ceramic, nanoparticles, graphene, nanofibers or combinations of any of these.

Disclosed are a low-shrinkage, high-strength, and large ceramic plate and a manufacturing method thereof. The method comprises the following steps: (1) preparing a ceramic raw material powder; (2) subjecting an acicular wollastonite to surface coating with a silane coupling agent and to pre-dispersion with a fumed silica to obtain a pre-treated acicular wollastonite; and (3) thoroughly mixing the ceramic raw material powder and the pre-treated acicular wollastonite and granulating the resulting mixture, the amount of the pre-treated acicular wollastonite added being 10 wt % to 30 wt % of the ceramic raw material powder, and subjecting the resulting granules to dry pressing and sintering to obtain the large ceramic plate. The acicular wollastonite is incorporated into the manufacturing of the large ceramic plate to take full advantage of the reinforcing effect and low sintering shrinkage characteristics of the acicular wollastonite. The invention reduces sintering shrinkage and increases product strength.

Methods for preparing ceramic matrix composites using melt infiltration and chemical vapor infiltration are provided as well as the resulting ceramic matrix composites. The methods and products include the incorporation of sacrificial fibers to provide improved infiltration of the fluid infiltrant. The sacrificial fibers are removed, such as decomposed during pyrolysis, resulting in the formation of regular and elongate channels throughout the ceramic matrix composite. Infiltration of the fluid infiltrant can then take place using the elongate channels resulting in improved density and an improved ceramic matrix composite product.

Spherical ceramic-glass nanocomposite dielectrics made from ceramics and glasses that are separately pre-milled by mechanical ball milling using selected ball-to-powder weight ratios and combined to form a mixture that is ball milled. A stable liquid suspension of the milled mixture including an added dispersant such as polyacrylic acid to improve uniformity is spray dried through a nozzle and recovered product is annealed. The novel dielectrics have a microstructure where ceramic primary particles are uniformly distributed and fully embedded in a glass matrix. The dielectrics have a mean particle size of about 1-20 um and a sphericity of about 0.8 or higher which are suitable for fabricating multilayer ceramic capacitors for high temperature applications. The novel dielectrics afford decreased sintering temperature, enhanced breakdown strength, lower dielectric lose tangent, and lower costs. Calcium titanate zirconate with manganese-doping-based or barium titanate-based dielectric ceramics and alkali-free borosilicate glass produce superior nanocomposite dielectrics.

A method of producing a ceramic core for investment casting is provided. The method includes injecting a slurry into a disposable die. The slurry includes ceramic particles, a binder, and carbon fibers. The method also includes a first heating to eliminate the disposable die, leaving a cured ceramic core comprising the ceramic particles, binder, and carbon fibers.

A composition includes granules in which zirconia particles are aggregated. The granules have an average circularity of 0.81 or greater based on a projected image. Additionally, a layered body includes a first layer and a second layer that comprise granules and are adjacent to each other. The granules in the first layer have an average circularity of 0.70 or smaller based on a projected image. The granules in the second layer have an average circularity of 0.92 or greater based on a projected image.

The method includes the steps of: a) selecting particles with particular slenderness ratios and diameters from SiC powder to serve as selected SiC material powder; b) coating a PVA coating on particles of the selected SiC material powder so that the PVA coating and the selected SiC material powder are combined into a particulate ceramic material; c) pressing the particulate ceramic material into a ceramic base body; d) sintering the ceramic base body to form a fixed shape and forming completely continuous channels from an inside to a surface thereof by cooling; and e) infiltrating the ceramic base body with molten aluminum. The ceramic composite material made by the method includes a ceramic base body having completely continuous channels from an inside to a surface thereof; an aluminum filler filled in the channels; and an aluminum coating disposed on the ceramic base body and integratedly connecting with the aluminum filler.

A monolithic porous body can comprise magneli phase titanium oxide and a developed interfacial area ratio Sdr of at least 60%. The monolithic body can further comprise a total porosity of at least 25% based on the total volume of the body. The monolithic porous body can have a high efficiency for the degradation of water pollutants if used as anode material in an electrolytic cell.

A porous ceramic particle may have a particle size of at least about 200 microns and not greater than about 4000 microns. The porous ceramic particle may further have a particular cross-section that may include a core region and a layered region overlying the core region. The layered region may include overlapping layered sections surrounding the core region. The core region may include a core region composition and a first layered section may include a first layered section composition. The first layered section composition may be different than the core region composition.

A carbon nanotube (CNT) sheet containing CNTs, arranged is a randomly oriented, uniformly distributed pattern, and having a basis weight of at least 1 gsm and a relative density of less than 1.5. The CNT sheet is manufactured by applying a CNT suspension in a continuous pool over a filter material to a depth sufficient to prevent puddling of the CNT suspension upon the surface of the filter material, and drawing the dispersing liquid through the filter material to provide a uniform CNT dispersion and form the CNT sheet. The CNT sheet is useful in making CNT composite laminates and structures having utility for electro-thermal heating, electromagnetic wave absorption, lightning strike dissipation, EMI shielding, thermal interface pads, energy storage, and heat dissipation.