Geopolymer compositions are provided herein, the geopolymer compositions including an aluminosilicate or a silicate of magnesium, zinc, and/or one or more rare earth metals, and an organic base, the organic base including an amidine, a guanidine, a vinamidine, a tetra-substituted ammonium species, an amine, a phosphazene, a tetra-substituted phosphonium species, a conjugate acid thereof, a salt thereof, or any combination thereof. Methods of making the geopolymer compositions are further provided. Methods of making alkali-free ceramics from geopolymer compositions including an organic base are further provided.

A refractory object can include at least 10 wt % Al.sub.2O.sub.3. In an embodiment, the refractory object can further include a dopant including an oxide of a rare earth element, Ta, Nb, Hf, or any combination thereof. In another embodiment, the refractory object may have a property such that the averaged grain size does not increase more than 500% during sintering, an aspect ratio less than approximately 4.0, a creep rate less than approximately 1.010.sup.5 m/(mhr), or any combination thereof. In a particular embodiment, the refractory object can be in the form of a refractory block or a glass overflow forming block. The glass overflow forming block can be useful in forming an AlSiMg glass sheet. In a particular embodiment, a layer including MgAl oxide can initially form along exposed surfaces of the glass overflow forming block when forming the AlSiMg glass sheet.

The present disclosure relates to clay-based articles (e.g., articles of cookware) and methods of making the same.

A ceramic composition, optionally in the form of a honeycomb structure, ceramic precursor compositions suitable for sintering to form said ceramic composition, a method for preparing said ceramic composition and ceramic honeycomb structure, a diesel particulate filter comprising said ceramic honeycomb structure, and a vehicle comprising said diesel particulate filter.

A gasket material for high pressure high temperature presses, comprising: a proportion of a clay mineral a proportion of a hard material for increasing the viscosity of the clay mineral a proportion of a binder selected from the group of borate binders, phosphate binders, and mixtures thereof.

Ceramic granules having high reflectivity and a preparation method for the same comprise sand core particulates and at least one coating thereon, wherein said sand core particulates contain calcined tobelite that is obtained by calcining the tobelite ore at 700-1200 C.; and said sand core particulates are coated with an inorganic coating, and then calcined at 800-1200 C. to obtain ceramic granules. Said ceramic granules have a particle size of 0.1-3.5 mm, and have a solar reflectivity SR of not lower than 80% and a staining index DL* of lower than 6%. Said ceramic granules produce a solar reflectivity of not lower than 70% when being applied to the asphalt roll/sheet and a solar reflectivity of not lower than 72% when being applied to the polyurethane foam sheet.

Methods for forming monolithic refractory compositions may include providing a particulate refractory composition including 2 to 90 mass-% alumina, aluminosilicate, or mixtures thereof; 2 to 70 mass-% silicon carbide; 2 to 10 mass-% carbon; 1 to 10 mass-% Si powder; 1 to 3 mass-% microsilica; and up to 5 mass-% ferrosilicon. The methods may further include adding an amount of water to the particulate refractory composition to form a uniform mixture, installing the uniform mixture and allowing it to set, such that the monolithic refractory composition is required, and heat-treating the set mixture at a temperature no higher than 1200 C. under atmospheric conditions to form a monolithic refractory composition. The methods may optionally include heat-treating the obtained monolithic refractory composition to form silicon carbide whiskers within the monolithic refractory composition.

A method for preparing mesoporous microporous crystalline material involving at least one mesopore-templating agent, said mesopore-templating agent being soluble under the form of unimers and able to generate a micellization with temperature increase so that unimers assemble to form micellar aggregates, and the micellization being reversible with temperature change.

Methods are described to make strong, tough, and lightweight whisker-reinforced glass-ceramic composites through a self-toughening structure generated by viscous reaction sintering of a complex mixture of oxides. The present invention further relates to strong, tough, and lightweight glass-ceramic composites that can be used as proppants and for other uses.

A method for producing a vacuum insulation material includes producing a core by molding a core starting material composition, containing a talc-based clay mineral, a potassium compound and an organic solvent, into a predetermined shape to yield a core molded body, and firing the core molded body at a temperature that is lower than the melting point of the talc-based clay mineral. The core is vacuum-packaged with a gas barrier packaging material, to thereby produce a vacuum insulation material.