A blade for a gas turbine engine, and methods of manufacture of such a blade having a continuous density gradient so that the portion of the blade nearest the rotator shaft is of a higher density than the portion of the blade furthest from the rotator shaft.

A tool to differentially compress a powder material comprises a differential compression piston and a support. The piston comprises a first part configured to apply a pressure on a first region of an external surface of the powder material. The piston comprises a second part with a recess which is located at a lateral distance from the first part and which is configured to face a second region of the external surface of the powder material. The tool further comprises a membrane that can be deformed by the piston. The deformable membrane is configured to at least partially retain the powder material in the tool.

A fireproof molding body having a hot side and a cold side opposite said hot side, wherein the fireproof molding body includes a first material with ceramic hollow sphere structures, wherein an amount of hollow sphere structures decreases from the hot side to the cold side. A method for producing a fireproof molding body in which a first material with ceramic hollow sphere structures is introduced into a casting mold and a grading of the hollow sphere structures is subsequently performed.

A method for welding together at least two parts of green material, referred to as green parts, by means of co-sintering, comprising the following steps:assembling the at least two green parts at a junction zone of said parts so as to form a green one-piece assembly,de-binding the green one-piece assembly, andsintering the one-piece assembly so as to obtain a dense one-piece assembly forming a final part, characterised in that the two green parts (10, 12) each have a composition of different powder, so as to produce a final part (1) having at least two parts with different grain sizes.

Provided is a large-sized silicon nitride sintered substrate and a method for producing the same. The silicon nitride sintered substrate has a main surface 101a of a shape larger than a square having a side of a length of 120 mm. A ratio dc/de of the density dc of the central area and the density de of the end area of the main surface 101a is 0.98 or higher. The void fraction vc of the central area of the main surface 101a is 1.80% or lower, and the void fraction ve of the end area is 1.00% or lower. It is preferred that the density dc of the central area is 3.120 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, the density de of the end area is 3.160 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, and a ratio ve/vc of the void fraction vc of the central area and the void fraction ve of the end area is 0.50 or higher.

A product according to one embodiment includes a first layer having a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density; and a second layer above the first layer, the second layer having: a second composition, a second microstructure, and/or a second density. A gradient in composition, microstructure, and/or density exists between the first layer and the second layer, and either or both of the first layer and the second layer comprise non-spherical particles aligned along a longitudinal axis thereof.

A product according to one embodiment includes a first layer comprising a first material, the first layer having a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane, and the x-y plane being oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the first layer. The first material includes non-spherical particles; and the product is optically transparent. A ceramic according to another embodiment includes a plurality of layers comprising non-spherical particles of a non-cubic material. Each layer is individually characterized by the non-spherical particles thereof being aligned in a common direction. A product in another embodiment includes a first layer having a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density; and a second layer above the first layer, the second layer having: a second composition, a second microstructure, and/or a second density. A gradient in composition, microstructure, and/or density exists between the first layer and the second layer.

A sintered compact magnesium oxide target for sputtering having a purity of 99.99 wt % or higher, a density of 3.58 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, and a transparency 10% or more. A sintered compact magnesium oxide target for sputtering having a purity of 99.99 wt % or higher, a density of 3.58 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, and an average crystal grain size of 50 m or more.

A ceramic body for dental prosthesis can suppress a variation in quality in the sole ceramic body for dental prosthesis due to expansion of its diameter. The ceramic body for dental prosthesis is made of a ceramic material, is shaped to have a circular planar shape and a disk-like external shape, and has a diameter of 50 mm or more. The method for manufacturing this ceramic body for dental prosthesis includes: preparing a ceramic material; shaping the ceramic material by press shaping or by a machine tool; temporarily sintering the ceramic material at a temperature from a sintering temperature that provides theoretical density 700 C. or more to the sintering temperature 100 C. or less; and shaping the ceramic material to have a circular planar shape and a disk-like external shape so as to prepare the ceramic body for dental prosthesis having a diameter of 50 mm or more.

A blade for a gas turbine engine, and methods of manufacture of such a blade having a continuous density gradient so that the portion of the blade nearest the rotator shaft is of a higher density than the portion of the blade furthest from the rotator shaft.