Provided is aluminum (Al) alloy foam including an Al alloy matrix containing magnesium (Mg), and hollow ceramic spheres dispersed in the Al alloy matrix, wherein a reaction layer including a MgAl composite oxide is formed at an interface where the Al alloy matrix is in contact with the hollow ceramic spheres, and wherein a density of the Al alloy foam may be higher at a surface region of the Al alloy foam compared to a middle region of the Al alloy foam.

A method is presented for producing hollow microspheres of metal oxides (HMOMS) and/or hollow metal silicates microspheres (HMSMS) in a transforming solution. The transforming solution contains an atom M, or an M-ion, or a radical containing M. M in the transforming solution has the thermodynamic ability to replace silicon atoms in hollow silica microspheres (HSMS) and/or hollow glass microspheres (HGMS). The maximum temperature for transformation is set by the chemical physical properties of the transforming solution, and the viscosity of the silica in the walls of the HSMS and/or the glass in the walls of the HGMS. Viscosity, of enough magnitude, helps retain the desired shape of the hollow sphere as it is transformed to HMOMS and/or HMSMS. Non-spherical shapes can be produced by increasing the transformation temperature whereby the viscosity of the walls of the HSMS and/or the HGMS is reduced. Transformation can take place at a single temperature or at several temperatures, each temperature for a separate hold time.

Methods are presented for: 1. production of micro composite castings and continuous production of sheets of micro composites, both consisting of hollow spheres in a matrix, 2. harvesting of HMOMS and HMSMS, and 3. specialty castings for anisotropic properties using 3-dimensional printing

A refractory composition for forming a working lining in a metallurgical vessel contains a coarse-grain refractory particle fraction and a fine-grain refractory particle fraction, or at least 0.25% additive calcium oxide, or at least 0.25% titanium dioxide. The coarse-grain refractory particles can include alumina particles, magnesia particles, magnesium aluminate spinel particles, zirconia particles, or doloma particles, or a combination of any of these particles. The fine-grain refractory particles can be comprised of any low-magnesia refractory oxide. The refractory composition can be applied to a metallurgical vessel by spraying, gunning, shotcreting, vibrating, casting, troweling, or positioning preformed refractory shapes, or a combination of any of these techniques. When contacted by molten metal, the molten metal penetrates into the refractory material, wetting the coarse-grain refractory particles, and forming a refractory-metal composite barrier layer that decreases or blocks oxygen transport through the refractory lining.

The present invention relates to a foam material comprising:a structural matrix (1),at least one guest phase (2), anda fluid, the material being characterised in that the structural matrix (1) comprises a plurality of interconnected pores (3), the one or more guest phases (2) are accommodated inside at least one pore (3) of the structural matrix (1) and the fluid is accommodated inside the pores (3). The present invention further relates to the process for preparing the foam material according to the present invention and to the various uses of the foam material according to the present invention.

Provided is aluminum (Al) alloy foam including an Al alloy matrix containing magnesium (Mg), and hollow ceramic spheres dispersed in the Al alloy matrix, wherein a reaction layer including a MgAl composite oxide is formed at an interface where the Al alloy matrix is in contact with the hollow ceramic spheres, and wherein a density of the Al alloy foam may be higher at a surface region of the Al alloy foam compared to a middle region of the Al alloy foam.

A cathode sputtering target is formed, on the one hand, from an oxide of at least one element chosen from the group of titanium, silicon and zirconium and, on the other hand, of particles of a metal included in the group formed by silver, gold, platinum, copper and nickel or particles of an alloy formed from at least two of these metals, the atomic ratio M/Me in the target being less than 1.5, M representing all of the atoms of the elements of the group of titanium, silicon and zirconium present in the layer and Me representing all of the atoms of the metals of the group formed by silver, gold, platinum, copper and nickel present in the layer.

The method for manufacturing a ceramic component, in particular a ceramic component containing zirconia and/or alumina, for a timepiece or a jewelry piece, is characterised in that it includes a step (E3) of depositing at least one additional element or compound on a ceramic powder, optionally bound, by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

The method for manufacturing a ceramic component, in particular a ceramic component containing zirconia and/or alumina, for a timepiece or a jewelry piece, is characterised in that it includes a step (E3) of depositing at least one additional element or compound on a ceramic powder, optionally bound, by atomic layer deposition (ALD).

A process for manufacturing a ceramic powder with binder includes at least one additional element or compound, the ceramic powder with binder being in particular based on zirconia and/or alumina and/or strontium aluminate, wherein the process includes a step (E3) of depositing at least one additional element or compound on a ceramic powder with binder by a physical vapour deposition (PVD) and/or by a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and/or by an atomic layer deposition (ALD).

A process for manufacturing a ceramic powder with binder includes at least one additional element or compound, the ceramic powder with binder being in particular based on zirconia and/or alumina and/or strontium aluminate, wherein the process includes a step (E3) of depositing at least one additional element or compound on a ceramic powder with binder by a physical vapour deposition (PVD) and/or by a chemical vapour deposition (CVD) and/or by an atomic layer deposition (ALD).