Disclosed herein are floor tiles comprising, for instance, a substrate and a surface coating, wherein the surface coating comprises (i) a base formula comprising a glaze and (ii) particles comprising alumina trihydrate.

The present invention relates to a piece, in particular for jewellery or timepieces, made of a material comprising a synthetic matrix (2) loaded with particles (3) of a precious or semi-precious stone, said particles (3) having a particle size d90 comprised between 50 m and 2 mm, preferably between 100 m and 1 mm, and, more preferably between 150 m and 500 m.

The disclosed retroreflective element includes a polymeric core that is loaded with a plurality of first beads and second beads distributed at the perimeter of the core. The first beads are different than the second beads. Because of the beads in the core, the retroreflective element remains useful for returning light even after portions of the core begins to wear away. Further, when the retroreflective elements get wet, water will settle to the bottom of the perimeter of the core. Therefore, using the second beads with a refractive index suited for wet conditions, while the first beads have a refractive index suited for dry conditions allows the retroreflective element to be useful in both wet and dry conditions even while the retroreflective element wears during use.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond (PCD) exhibiting enhanced diamond-to-diamond bonding. In an embodiment, PCD includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. A metal-solvent catalyst occupies at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions. The plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds (Oe) or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss.Math.cm.sup.3/grams (G.Math.cm.sup.3/g) or less. Other embodiments are directed to polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) employing such PCD, methods of forming PCD and PDCs, and various applications for such PCD and PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

A cool roofing system includes highly reflective calcined kaolin particles having a solar reflectance of 80% to 92%. When applied to a roofing substrate, the highly reflective kaolin particles produce a roofing system having a solar reflectance greater than or equal to 70%.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond (PCD) exhibiting enhanced diamond-to-diamond bonding. In an embodiment, PCD includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. A metal-solvent catalyst occupies at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions. The plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds (Oe) or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss.Math.cm.sup.3/grams (G.Math.cm.sup.3/g) or less. Other embodiments are directed to polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) employing such PCD, methods of forming PCD and PDCs, and various applications for such PCD and PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

Metal oxide particles, such as molded particles, as well as methods of making and articles containing the same. The particles can contain at least 70 mol percent ZrO.sub.2, and can be made by a molding process.

The invention relates to a dark, flat element, preferably a plastic, lacquer coating or fiber material, having reduced density, low heat conductivity and low solar absorption. The flat element has a relatively high reflection infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum reduce heating by sunlight in the near infrared dark tinting in the visible range. Low density conductivity are obtained inter alia by inserting in the near in order to area despite and low heat light filling materials into the flat element. Said flat element can be used in places where surfaces are dark tinted for aesthetic or technical reasons but should not heat up in sunlight and should give off little heat when touched by hand or by other parts of the body. Other areas of application include surfaces which should have a heat insulating effect in addition to the above-mentioned characteristics.

A surface treatment layer for a titanium-containing substrate includes a disordered metal oxide lattice having metal nitride compounds doped in the disordered metal oxide lattice. A method of surface treating a metal substrate includes introducing oxygen to a titanium-containing substrate to thereby form an oxide layer within the titanium-containing substrate, and, after the step of introducing oxygen, introducing nitrogen to the titanium-containing substrate to thereby modify the oxide layer to form a surface treatment layer.

A product according to one embodiment includes a first layer having a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density; and a second layer above the first layer, the second layer having: a second composition, a second microstructure, and/or a second density. A gradient in composition, microstructure, and/or density exists between the first layer and the second layer, and either or both of the first layer and the second layer comprise non-spherical particles aligned along a longitudinal axis thereof.