According to a method set forth herein a plurality of preform plies having first and second preform plies can be associated together to define a preform. The preform can be subject to chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) processing to define a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) structure.

Provided is a porous plate-shaped filler that can be used as a material for a heat-insulation film having excellent heat insulation performance. In a porous plate-shaped filler 1 having a plate shape, an aspect ratio is 3 or higher, a minimum length is 0.5 to 50 m, and an overall porosity is 20 to 90%, and the porosity is lower in the circumferential part than in the center part. When this porous plate-shaped filler 1 of the present invention is contained in a heat-insulation film, the infiltration of a matrix into the filler is reduced, and thus the thermal conductivity can be lowered. Therefore, even a thin heat-insulation film can have a greater heat-insulation effect than before.

A method of making a sintered ceramic body comprising the steps of disposing a ceramic powder (5) inside an inner volume of a spark plasma sintering tool (1), wherein the tool comprises: a die (2) comprising a sidewall comprising inner and outer walls, wherein the inner wall has a diameter defining the inner volume; upper and lower punches (4,4) operably coupled with the die, wherein each of the punches have an outer wall defining a diameter less than the diameter of the die inner wall, thereby creating a gap (3) between the punches and the inner wall when at least one of the punches are moved within the inner volume, and the gap is from 10 m to 70 m wide; creating vacuum conditions inside the inner volume; moving at least one of the punches to apply pressure to the ceramic powder while heating, and sintering; and lowering the temperature of the sintered body.

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component includes forming a fiber preform, the fiber preform including a plurality of ceramic fiber plies, a non-reduced fiber region having an areal weight, and a reduced fiber region characterized by a reduced areal weight less than the areal weight of the non-reduced fiber region by at least 5 percent. The method further includes selectively applying ceramic particles to the reduced fiber region in such manner as to avoid applying the ceramic particles to the non-reduced fiber region, and subsequently densifying the preform.

An electrolyte sheet for solid oxide fuel cells includes a ceramic plate body containing a cubic zirconia sintered material, wherein, with the ceramic plate body being defined to have nine portions including an outer peripheral portion and a central portion, ceramic grains in each of the nine portions have a median size D.sub.50 of 1.0 m to 4.0 m, and a maximum median size D.sub.50 of the ceramic grains among the nine portions is 1.0 to 1.3 times a minimum median size D.sub.50 of the ceramic grains among the nine portions.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for producing ceramics, the method comprising: radiating light onto a ceramic starting material in order to heat this at least in some regions and, as a result, to produce a ceramic product, wherein the radiation of light is carried out simultaneously on a surface of at least 0.1 mm.sup.2 and/or more than 20% of the surface of the ceramic starting material, and wherein the power density of the radiated light is less than 800 W/cm.sup.2, the device comprising: at least one receiving means for receiving a ceramic starting material andat least one light source for radiating light onto the ceramic starting material that is or can be received in the receiving means, the device preferably being configured to radiate the light onto the ceramic starting material in order to heat this at least in some regions and, as a result, to produce a ceramic product, and wherein the receiving means has an insulation.

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 CMC component for a gas turbine engine includes an airfoil including a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction sidewall, and a pressure sidewall having a locally-thickened region, the locally-thickened region being a maximum thickness region of the pressure sidewall. The locally-thickened region has a first thickness, a maximum thickness region of the suction sidewall has a second thickness, and the first thickness is greater than the second thickness.

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite component includes forming a fiber preform, the fiber preform including a plurality of ceramic fiber plies, a non-reduced fiber region having an areal weight, and a reduced fiber region characterized by a reduced areal weight less than the areal weight of the non-reduced fiber region by at least 5 percent. The method further includes selectively applying ceramic particles to the reduced fiber region in such manner as to avoid applying the ceramic particles to the non-reduced fiber region, and subsequently densifying the preform.

A method of making a sintered ceramic body comprising the steps of disposing a ceramic powder inside an inner volume of a spark plasma sintering tool, wherein the tool comprises: a die comprising a sidewall comprising inner and outer walls, wherein the inner wall has a diameter defining the inner volume; upper and lower punches operably coupled with the die, wherein each of the punches have an outer wall defining a diameter less than the diameter of the die inner wall, thereby creating a gap between the punches and the inner wall when at least one of the punches are moved within the inner volume, and the gap is from 10 m to 70 m wide; creating vacuum conditions inside the inner volume; moving at least one of the punches to apply pressure to the ceramic powder while heating, and sintering; and lowering the temperature of the sintered body.