A method of manufacturing a composite panel is provided. The method includes applying a composite face sheet to a first side of a core structure, the core structure comprising a plurality of first ceramic particles each having a first particle size that is within a first particle size range and the composite face sheet comprising a plurality of second ceramic particles each having a second particle size that is within a second particle size range, wherein the second particle size range is smaller than the first particle size range and densifying the composite panel through infiltration, wherein the infiltration comprises transport of an infiltrant through the core structure and into the composite face sheet.

The present invention provides a zirconia composite sintered body that exhibits excellent machinability while possessing strength and translucency suited for dental use. The present invention relates to a zirconia composite sintered body comprising ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, a stabilizer capable of preventing a phase transformation of zirconia, and Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and/or Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, wherein the total content of ZrO.sub.2 and HfO.sub.2 is 78 to 97.5 mol %, the content of the stabilizer is 1 to 12 mol %, and the total content of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 is 1 to 9 mol % in total 100 mol % of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, the stabilizer, Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, and the zirconia composite sintered body further comprises a Group I element, and TiO.sub.2.

The present invention relates to a pre-sintered multi-layered dental mill blank comprising a top layer, a bottom layer, and at least one intermediate layer. The pre-sintered multi-layered dental mill blank or a part prepared thereof has one or more desirable properties when being fully sintered by a speed sintering process. The present invention also relates to a process for preparing a dental restoration using the pre-sintered multi-layered dental mill blank as well as to a dental restoration as such. The present invention further relates to a process for sintering a dental restoration precursor.

The present invention provides a zirconia composite sintered body that exhibits excellent machinability in its sintered state while displaying a black color. The present invention relates to a black zirconia composite sintered body comprising ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, a stabilizer capable of preventing a phase transformation of zirconia, and Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and/or Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, wherein the total content of ZrO.sub.2 and HfO.sub.2 is 78 to 97.5 mol %, the content of the stabilizer is 1 to 12 mol %, and the total content of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 is 1 to 9 mol % in total 100 mol % of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, the stabilizer, Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, and the black zirconia composite sintered body further comprises elements or ions derived from a capping agent.

The present invention provides a zirconia composite sintered body that exhibits excellent machinability while possessing strength and translucency suited for dental use. The present invention relates to a zirconia composite sintered body comprising ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, a stabilizer capable of preventing a phase transformation of zirconia, and Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and/or Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, wherein the total content of ZrO.sub.2 and HfO.sub.2 is 78 to 97.5 mol %, the content of the stabilizer is 1 to 12 mol %, and the total content of Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 is 1 to 9 mol % in total 100 mol % of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, the stabilizer, Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, and the zirconia composite sintered body further comprises a Group I element.

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.

Systems and methods are provided for reaction bonded SiC-diamond (RBSiC-Diamond) composite with machinable features. A reaction bonded silicon carbide (SiC) based article may have a main structure formed using a first composite, and machinable areas formed using a second composite added to the main structures, to form a single continuous structure. The first composite may be silicon carbide (SiC) composite combined with at least one other element or compound (e.g., diamond), where the at least one other element or compound is selected to ensure meeting one or more performance criteria. Adding the other element or compound makes the main structure hard to machine or tool. The second composite may include silicon carbide (SiC) composite. The machinable areas may require machining or tooling, and the second composite may be easier to machine or tool than the first composite. The first composite is reaction bond to the second composite through infiltration bonding.

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 complex including a first crystal phase containing a first rare earth aluminate fluorescent material containing an activating element and a first rare earth element that is different from the activating element, and a second crystal phase containing aluminum oxide, having a content of the first crystal phase in a range of 5% by volume or more and 40% by volume or less and a content of the second crystal phase in a range of 57% by volume or more and 95% by volume or less based on a total amount of the ceramic complex, having an average value of a second crystal diameter of the second crystal phase measured under the particular measurement condition of 12 m or less, and having a QD value of 0.5 or less expressed by QD=(D.sub.75D.sub.25)/(D.sub.75+D.sub.25), wherein D.sub.25 and D.sub.75 are defined in the disclosure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cubic boron nitride sintered body and a coated cubic boron nitride sintered body that can extend the tool life by having excellent wear resistance and fracture resistance. A cubic boron nitride sintered body including cubic boron nitride and a binder phase, wherein in a cross-sectional structure, content ratios of the cubic boron nitride and the binder phase fall within specific ranges, the binder phase includes a Ti compound phase containing a specific compound, an Al compound phase containing a specific compound, and a W compound phase containing WC, an average grain size of the W compound phase is 0.5 m or more and 3.0 m or less, content ratios of the Ti compound phase and the Al compound phase based on a whole of the binder phase fall within specific ranges, a content ratio X1 of the W compound phase is 2.0 area % or more and 30.0 area % or less, a content ratio X2 of the W compound phase based on a whole of the binder phase in a range from an interface between the cubic boron nitride and the binder phase to a distance of 300 nm toward the binder phase side is larger than the content ratio X1.