A fiber reinforced composite component may include interleaved textile layers and ceramic particle layers coated with matrix material. The fiber reinforced composite component may be fabricated by forming a fibrous preform and densifying the fibrous preform. The fibrous preform may be fabricated by forming a first ceramic particle layer over a first textile layer, disposing a second textile layer over the first ceramic particle layer, forming a second ceramic particle layer over the second textile layer, and disposing a third textile layer over the second ceramic particle layer.

A method for joining an optical part made of quartz glass and a supporting part made of ceramic includes forming a metal layer on a surface of the supporting part by electroless plating, polishing the formed metal layer with a polishing pad to form a first smoothed face on the supporting part surface, polishing a surface of the optical part with the polishing pad to form a second smoothed face, cleaning the first smoothed face and the second smoothed face with ultrasonic cleaning water, forming a first metal film on the first smoothed face by vapor deposition and forming a second metal film on the second smoothed face by vapor deposition, and joining the first metal film and the second metal film to each other by interatomic joining by atomic diffusion between the faces at which the first metal film and the second metal film contact with each other.

A method to form a machinable ceramic matrix composite comprises forming a porous ceramic multilayer on a surface of a fiber preform. In one example, the porous ceramic multilayer comprises a gradient in porosity in a direction normal to the surface. In another example, the porous ceramic multilayer includes low-wettability particles having a high contact angle with molten silicon, where an amount of the low-wettability particles in the porous ceramic multilayer varies in a direction normal to the surface. After forming the porous ceramic multilayer, the fiber preform is infiltrated with a melt, and the melt is cooled to form a ceramic matrix composite with a surface coating thereon. An outer portion of the surface coating is more readily machinable than an inner portion of the surface coating. The outer portion of the surface coating is machined to form a ceramic matrix composite having a machined surface with a predetermined surface finish and/or dimensional tolerance.

An energy conversion, storage and retrieval device and method, comprising: a susceptor crucible encased in a thermal housing, the susceptor crucible having a bottom wall and one or more side walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall, therein defining a crucible interior which contains a thermal energy storage material; a heat generator powered by an electrical energy source and positioned in close proximity to an outside of the side wall of the crucible so as to be able to heat the energy storage material; a regulated fluid flow circuit in the housing that circulates fluid from a fluid circuit inlet, that is heated and circulated to a fluid circuit outlet as heated fluid; wherein when heated, the energy storage material stores thermal energy, and wherein the thermal energy can be retrieved by conduction through the crucible side wall and into the fluid flow circuit thereby heating the fluid therein.

A cBN-based ultra-high pressure sintered body contains cBN particles and a binder phase. The binder phase contains at least one of a nitride or oxide of Al or a nitride, carbide, or carbonitride of Ti, and a metal boride having an average particle diameter of 20 to 300 nm is dispersed in an amount of 0.1 to 5.0 vol % in the binder phase. The metal boride includes a metal boride (B) containing at least one of Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W as a metal component and containing no Ti and a metal boride (A) containing only Ti as a metal component. In a case where a ratio (vol %) of the metal boride (A) in the metal boride is represented by V.sub.a and a ratio (vol %) of the metal boride (B) is represented by V.sub.b, a ratio of V.sub.b/V.sub.a is 0.1 to 1.0.

An aluminum nitride sintered body for use in a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus is provided. The aluminum nitride sintered body exhibits, in a photoluminescence spectrum thereof in a wavelength range of 350 nm to 700 nm obtained with 250 nm excitation light, a highest emission intensity peak within a wavelength range of 580 nm to 620 nm.

In an embodiment a method for producing a substrate includes forming a green sheet stack including first green sheets and second green sheets, wherein each of the first green sheets and the second green sheets contains a ceramic material as a main component, and wherein the second green sheets further contain a sintering aid in addition to the ceramic material.

A cubic boron nitride sintered material comprises 30% by volume or more and 80% by volume or less of cubic boron nitride grains and 20% by volume or more and 70% by volume or less of a binder phase, the cubic boron nitride grains having a dislocation density of 3×10.sup.17/m.sup.2 or more and 1×10.sup.20/m.sup.2 or less.

Provided herein are energy storage devices. In some cases, the energy storage devices are capable of being transported on a vehicle and storing a large amount of energy. An energy storage device is provided comprising at least one liquid metal electrode, an energy storage capacity of at least about 1 MWh and a response time less than or equal to about 100 milliseconds (ms).

The cubic boron nitride sintered material is a cubic boron nitride sintered material comprising: cubic boron nitride particles in an amount of 70 vol % or more and less than 100 vol %, and a bonding material, wherein the bonding material includes an aluminum compound, and includes cobalt as a constituent element; the cubic boron nitride sintered material has a first region in which a space between adjacent cubic boron nitride particles is 0.1 nm or more and 10 nm or less; and when the first region is analyzed by using an energy dispersive X-ray analyzer equipped with a transmission electron microscope, the atom % of aluminum in the first region is 0.1 or more.