A linear actuator is used to remove solid-state parts in low-temperature condition from the containers used as a mold for manufacturing parts using freeze-casting. The device allows pressure to be applied to the material to be removed, resulting in ejection. The displacement of the material is performed with controlled displacement speed, providing the achievement of defect-free materials. The system performing the ejection includes a source of compressed air, a pressure regulator filter coupled with a manometer, a directional valve, the linear actuator, a baton, a flow regulating valve, a fastening means, a metallic support and a chamber for receiving the cooled material.

A method for forming a contact piece for a circuit breaker, the contact piece comprising a reinforcement phase and a conductive phase, the method comprising: providing a slurry of the reinforcement phase in liquid; freeze casting the slurry, to form a cast comprising a frozen liquid structure and a reinforcement phase structure; removing the frozen liquid structure from the cast, to form a foam comprising the reinforcement phase structure; sintering the foam, to form a sintered foam; and infiltrating the sintered foam with the conductive phase, to form a piece part.

A castable refractory material for use in the manufacture of refractory products including fused silica, ceramic fiber, microsilica and a bonding material comprising colloidal silica.

A method includes the following steps: a) the production of a slip including more than 4% and less than 50% of ceramic particles and including: b) a first particulate fraction including of orientable particles having a median length L50 and representing more than 1% of the ceramic particles, and c) a second particulate fraction having a median length D50 at least ten times shorter than L50 and representing more than 1% of the ceramic particles, the first and second particulate fractions together representing more than 80% of all of the ceramic particles, in volume percentages based on the total quantity of ceramic particles; d) oriented freezing of the slip by moving a solidification front at a lower speed than the speed of encapsulation of the ceramic particles; e) elimination of the crystals of the solidified liquid phase of the block; and f) optionally sintering.

This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatus related to freeze casting. In one aspect, a method comprises providing an apparatus. The apparatus comprises a container and a cooling surface. A bottom of the container comprises a wedge. The wedge comprises a first substantially planar surface and a second substantially planar surface with an angle between the first and the second substantially planar surfaces. An interior bottom of the container comprises the second substantially planar surface. The cooling surface is in contact with the first substantially planar surface. A slurry is deposited on the second substantially planar surface, the slurry comprising a plurality of particles in a liquid. The cooling surface is cooled to cool the slurry at a specified cooling rate.

A castable refractory material for use in the manufacture of refractory products including fused silica, ceramic fibre, microsilica and a bonding material comprising colloidal silica.

Provided is a mold cooling system for the manufacturing of ceramic parts by freeze-casting including: a source (1) of cooling gas; a cooling gas cooling medium (7) fluidically connected to the cooling gas source (1); and a cooling cell (5), fluidly connected to the cooling gas cooling medium (7), including a mold (9) in its interior, wherein the cooling cell (5) includes a refrigerated cooling gas injection opening. Thus, a mold cooling system is provided for the manufacturing of ceramic parts by freeze-casting including the stages of: refrigerating a cooling gas coming from a cooling gas source (1); and injecting a cooling gas that is refrigerated in a cooling cell (5) including a mold (9) in its interior.

The present disclosure relates to embodiments of a method for manufacturing a ceramic material comprising the steps of (a) homogenizing aluminum oxide, niobium pentoxide and solvent; (b) ultrasonicating the blend obtained in step (a); (c) adding an aliquot of the prepared suspension to the empty cavity of a mold, particularly between the polymeric mold and the metal mold; (d) immersing the mold into a coolant liquid-containing bath for sufficient time to ensure that all parts are completely frozen; (e) removing the ceramic body from the mold; (f) removing the solidified phase by means of sublimation hence obtaining a green tube; and (g) sintering the green tube, so as to obtain a solid structure. The present disclosure further relates to embodiments of a ceramic material and its use to manufacture a microfiltration membrane and/or a membrane support for fluid separation.

A gas sensing device is manufactured with three dimensionally connected metal oxide foam structure of large surface area and elongated channel pores within the three-dimensional porous structure for gas sensing applications, thereby increasing the surface area of the sensing layer and expediting sensitivity and sensor response. A gas sensor device includes the fabricated metal-oxide-foam sensing material attached via silver paste to platinum electrodes and ruthenium heater that are printed on low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. This device will provide improved gas sensing performance with improved sensitivity and response time. Gas sensors including the metal oxide foam sensing material exhibit higher sensitivity to toxic gases such as ethanol and carbon monoxide due to the large surface area achieved from the porous three-dimensional structure providing increased chemical reaction sites and the larger porous channels allowing gases to easily pass, shortening the gas diffusion reaction path.

A gas sensing device is manufactured with three dimensionally connected metal oxide foam structure of large surface area and elongated channel pores within the three-dimensional porous structure for gas sensing applications, thereby increasing the surface area of the sensing layer and expediting sensitivity and sensor response. A gas sensor device includes the fabricated metal-oxide-foam sensing material attached via silver paste to platinum electrodes and ruthenium heater that are printed on low temperature co-fired ceramic substrate. This device will provide improved gas sensing performance with improved sensitivity and response time. Gas sensors including the metal oxide foam sensing material exhibit higher sensitivity to toxic gases such as ethanol and carbon monoxide due to the large surface area achieved from the porous three-dimensional structure providing increased chemical reaction sites and the larger porous channels allowing gases to easily pass, shortening the gas diffusion reaction path.