A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.

There is provided at least any of a layered body which has a change in color tone and in which it is unnecessary to select a colorant and the content of the colorant in consideration of a difference in the sintering behavior between layers, a precursor thereof, or a method for producing these. Provided is a layered body which has a structure, in which two or more layers containing stabilizer-containing zirconia and a colorant are layered, and in which types and contents of the colorants contained in the layers are equal to each other, the layered body including at least: a first layer containing a colorant and zirconia which has a stabilizer content of higher than or equal to 3.3 mol %; and a second layer containing a colorant and zirconia which has a stabilizer content different from that of the zirconia contained in the first layer.

A sintered body includes a solid solution containing cobalt and iron, with the balance being zirconia. The total content of cobalt in terms of CoO and iron in terms of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 is more than 0.1 wt % and less than 3.0 wt %, and the proportion of cobalt regions larger than 5.5 μm.sup.2 in an elemental map obtained using an electron probe microanalyzer is 25% or less.

Process for treating a porous dental zirconia block with a coloring solution, the process comprising the steps of providing a porous dental zirconia block having two opposing surfaces, surface U and surface L, treating the upper surface U of the porous dental zirconia block with a coloring solution A.sub.1, wherein the coloring solution is provided with a volume VA.sub.1, turning the porous dental zirconia block around, treating the lower surface L with a coloring solution A.sub.2 which is provided with a volume VA.sub.2. wherein the coloring solutions A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 comprise a solvent and coloring ions, wherein the volume of at least one of the coloring solutions A.sub.1 or A.sub.2 is applied in portions, wherein the following condition is met: Vo=ΣV.sub.AX, with x≥2, with Vo being the overall amount of coloring solution used to infiltrate the porous dental zirconia block.

A phosphor plate including: a complex containing an α-sialon phosphor and a sintered body containing spinel represented by a general formula M.sub.2xAl.sub.4-4xO.sub.6-4x (where M represents at least one of Mg, Mn, and Zn, and 0.2<x<0.6). In addition, there is provided a light emitting device including: a group III nitride semiconductor light emitting element; and the phosphor plate provided on one surface of the group III nitride semiconductor light emitting element. Further, there is provided a method for manufacturing the phosphor plate.

A method for producing a zirconia sintered body includes: heating a zirconia molded body or a zirconia pre-sintered body, the heating includes a temperature increasing step, and a rate of temperature increase in a temperature region from a temperature at which the zirconia starts to shrink to a temperature at which the zirconia finishes shrinking in the temperature increasing step is adjusted to enable the zirconia molded body or the zirconia pre-sintered body to shrink at substantially a constant rate during temperature increase in each of zones of when the temperature region is evenly divided into a plurality of zones of specific temperature ranges.

A center flare tip assembly (16) and plenum flare tip assembly (18) with arms (20), having the outside of the center flare tip assembly (16), both inside and outside of the tips (18), the outside of the arms (20), and/or adjacent features of the flare tip (12) are covered with a high emissivity thermal layer (14) with an emissivity greater than 0.85. This reduces flare metal temperatures by thirty percent (30%) or greater, and increases flare life by two (2) to five (5) times current life.

A zirconia ceramic includes the following elements: 60.5-70.5 wt % of Zr, 2.5-5.45 wt % of Y, 0.05-2.65 wt % of Al, 0.015-1.07 wt % of Si, and 0.34-2.8 wt % of M. M includes at least one of Nb or Ta. The zirconia ceramic has a phase composition which includes tetragonal zirconia, alumina and zirconium silicate. The total content of alumina and zirconium silicate is 0.2-12 wt %, and the content of the tetragonal zirconia is 84-99.3 wt %. The tetragonal zirconia includes a solid solution of zirconia formed with yttrium oxide and M.sub.xO.sub.y, x satisfies 1≤x≤3, and y satisfies 3≤y≤6.

A plate-like alumina particle containing a coloring component is provided. A plate-like alumina particle containing molybdenum, silicon, and a coloring component. A method for manufacturing the plate-like alumina particle, the method including the steps of mixing an aluminum compound containing an aluminum element, a molybdenum compound containing a molybdenum element, silicon or a silicon compound, and a coloring component so as to produce a mixture and calcining the resulting mixture.

A ceramic powder for a ceramic component, in particular based on zirconia and/or alumina, in particular for a timepiece or jewelry piece. The powder includes at least one noble metal among platinum, rhodium, osmium, palladium, ruthenium and iridium, at a quantity of less than or equal to 5% by weight.