A heat insulation material obtained by sintering a raw material comprising: 52 to 93 weight % of alumina particles having an average particle diameter of 100 nm or smaller, 1 to 45 weight % of one or more crystal transition suppression materials selected from silica particles, silica stone, talc, mullite, silicon nitride, silica fume, wollastonite, bentonite, kaolin, sepiolite and mica particles, 0 to 40 weight % of a radiation scattering material, and 1 to 20 weight % of fibers.

The process of the invention presents a simple, effective and continuous process for producing slabs and panels from compositions free from ceramic components or ceramic binders.

A fiber preform for a hollow turbine engine vane, the preform including a main fiber structure obtained by three-dimensional weaving and including at least one main part, wherein the main part extends from a first link strip, includes a first main longitudinal portion forming a pressure side wall of an airfoil, an U-turn bend portion forming a leading edge or a trailing edge of the airfoil, a second main longitudinal portion facing the first main longitudinal portion and forming a suction side wall of the airfoil, and terminating at a second link strip. The first and second link strips are secured to each other and form a link portion of the main fiber structure. The main longitudinal portions are spaced apart so as to form a gap between the main longitudinal portions forming a hollow in the airfoil.

Methods are described to make strong, tough, and/or lightweight glass-ceramic composites having a crystalline phase and an amorphous phase generated by viscous reaction sintering of a complex mixture of oxides and other materials. The present invention further relates to strong, tough, and lightweight glass-ceramic composites that can be used as proppants and for other uses.

An unshaped product including a particulate mixture containing: a coarse fraction, representing >50%<91% of particulate mixture, in mass percentage, and containing particles size 50 m, coarse particles, and matrix fraction, forming remainder up to 100% of particulate mixture, and containing particles sizes <50 m, product having chemical analysis, in mass percentage based on oxides of product, such: 45%<Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 7.5%<SiO.sub.2<35%, 0%ZrO.sub.2<33%, providing 10%<SiO.sub.2+ZrO.sub.2<54%, 0.15%<B.sub.2O.sub.3<8%, other oxides: <6%, Al.sub.2O.sub.3 forming remainder up to 100%, coarse fraction including more than 15% coarse particles having size >1 mm, in mass percentage based on particulate mixture, matrix fraction having a chemical analysis, in mass percentage based on oxides of matrix fraction, such: Al.sub.2O.sub.3+SiO.sub.2+ZrO.sub.2>86%, providing 35%<Al.sub.2O.sub.3.

In order to provide a method for producing a molded article by means of which a molded article with good temperature resistance is easily producible, it is proposed that the method includes providing a mixture including a powdered base material which includes a pre-fired and/or ground cordierite material and/or a pre-fired and/or ground mullite material; producing a molded article by molding the mixture; and firing the molded article so that particles of the base material are bonded to one another while preserving the particulate property.

A sintered ceramic foam that has a total porosity of greater than 60% by volume and the following phase composition, in mass percent based on the crystallized phases: 25 to 55% mullite, 20 to 65% corundum, 10 to 40% zirconia, mullite, corundum and zirconia together representing more than 80% of the mass of the crystallized phases. Also, a furnace that has a thermal insulator such ceramic foam.

Disclosed is a sanitary ware compatibly satisfying both low water absorption and weight reduction. The sanitary ware has a pottery substrate of a vitreous body and a glaze layer, in which part of the substrate is exposed to outside thereof without the glaze layer; the substrate has (A) an anorthite and (B) an alkali metal component; and an amount of the alkali metal component is in the range of 5 to 10% by weight in terms of an oxide conversion (A.sub.2O) relative to the substrate. This sanitary ware has the properties of low water absorption and light weight.

The invention relates to a blank for the production of a molded body, in particular a dental reconstruction. The blank has a base and at least one region that emanates therefrom and projects above the base, from which at least a part of the molded body can be derived by working.

A high strength ceramic body for use in a regenerative burner media bed, comprising a generally spherical refractory portion and a plurality of irregular aggregate portions distributed randomly throughout the generally spherical portion. The aggregate portions are selected from the group comprising tabular alumina, white fused alumina, mullite, chamotte, and combinations thereof. The generally spherical portion has a porosity of less than 1 percent and is more than 99.5 weight percent alumina.