Disclosed is a method to form arbitrarily shaped, uniform, lightweight, thermally insulating and acoustically absorptive automotive components with controllable density, thickness, porosity, and surface integrity. The method is based on natural cellulosic fibers such as those found in cardboard and paper and uses a thermoplastic fiber and particle slurry to form fusible components. The method produces components having the benefit of commercially available thermoformed fiber mats or open-cell extruded foam components with excellent acoustical properties, enhanced thermal insulation, and are light weight, which limits engine inefficiency, and the high cost of such products so as to allow large scale implementation.

The present disclosure relates to casting cores. The teachings thereof may be embodied in methods for producing a slip and components produced using such methods. For example, a method for producing a slip may include: mixing at least one inorganic constituent with at least one binder, wherein the binder comprises at least one epoxy resin and at least one silicone copolymer.

The application relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a natural fiber based staple fibers. The application further relates to the staple fibers, staple fiber based raw wool and products comprising such. A method comprises providing a cellulose suspension (101, 310, 510) including water, refined cellulose fibrils and at least one rheology modifier, directing the cellulose suspension through a nozzle (102, 320, 520) onto a surface (300, 400, 500), drying the cellulose suspension onto the surface (103, 300, 400, 500) for forming a fiber (350, 550), and cutting the cellulose suspension on the surface for forming staple fibers (105).

A process for producing a molded insulating part, a molded insulating part and a casting tool for the production of an inorganic pulp composed of water, glass fibers and/or mineral fibers and sheet silicate, introduction of the pulp into a cavity of a casting tool whose wall is at least partially water-permeable, which cavity has on at least one side the negative shape of the molded insulating part to be produced, removal of the aqueous fraction present in the pulp, opening of the casting tool and subsequent taking-out of the molded insulating part produced. The pulp produced using water for producing the molded insulating part comprised a glass fiber/sheet silicate mixture or mineral fiber/sheet silicate mixture has a proportion of exclusively synthetic sheet silicate (5) in the range from 0.5% to 2.5% and a proportion of glass fibers and/or mineral fibers (4) of from 0.3 to 1.5%.

An ornamental part, for example for a timepiece, jewellery or telephone, in particular a watch case middle, and its manufacturing method, the part at least partly including a hard material having a Vickers hardness greater than 1000 HV, the method including the following main steps: a step of producing a precursor from a mixture of at least one powder material with a binder, a step of injecting the precursor into a mould in order to form a green body, a step of sintering the green body in order to form a body of the future part from the hard material, and a step of depositing a polymer material coating on one face of the part, the deposition being carried out by moulding on the body, in particular by injection into a mould, the coating and the hard material being inseparable.

An ornamental part, for example for a timepiece, jewellery or telephone, in particular a watch case middle, and its manufacturing method, the part at least partly including a hard material having a Vickers hardness greater than 1000 HV, the method including the following main steps: a step of producing a precursor from a mixture of at least one powder material with a binder, a step of injecting the precursor into a mould in order to form a green body, a step of sintering the green body in order to form a body of the future part from the hard material, and a step of depositing a polymer material coating on one face of the part, the deposition being carried out by moulding on the body, in particular by injection into a mould, the coating and the hard material being inseparable.

A sintered body, a method of fabricating the sintered body, a semiconductor fabricating device, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor fabricating device, the sintered body including 50 mass % or more of Y.sub.5O.sub.4F.sub.7, wherein the sintered body has a relative density of 97.0% or more and a Vickers hardness of 2.4 GPa or more.

A sintered body, a method of fabricating the sintered body, a semiconductor fabricating device, and a method of fabricating the semiconductor fabricating device, the sintered body including 50 mass % or more of Y.sub.5O.sub.4F.sub.7, wherein the sintered body has a relative density of 97.0% or more and a Vickers hardness of 2.4 GPa or more.

Methods and apparatus are provided for increasing the rate of casting ceramic bodies from a slurry or suspension. Methods and apparatus are successfully used for casting ceramic bodies from micron-sized zirconia ceramic at an accelerated rate. Methods described herein may also be used for casting ceramic bodies from nano-sized zirconia ceramic. The casting apparatus may be configured for use in a plurality of operational modes. Ceramic bodies produced by the methods and apparatus are suitable for use in dental applications.

Methods for forming a unitized crucible assembly for holding a melt of silicon for forming a silicon ingot are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods involve a porous crucible mold having a channel network with a bottom channel, an outer sidewall channel that extends from the bottom channel, and a central weir channel that extends from the bottom channel. A slip slurry may be added to the channel network and the liquid carrier of the slip slurry may be drawn into the mold. The resulting green body may be sintered to form the crucible assembly.