A process for manufacturing glazed ceramic tiles from a substrate of green clay having at least one groove extending within the surface of the tile, wherein the groove is imparted to the tile while the substrate is still green clay before the substrate is bisque or glaze fired. A tile fabricated using this process is also part of the invention.

A method for producing a honeycomb structure according to the present invention includes: a preparation step of preparing a honeycomb structure element 2 having plurality of slits 12; and a filling step of filling the plurality of slits 12 with a filling material 13 by a contacting member 3 by feeding the filling material 13 to an outer peripheral surface 20 of the honeycomb structure element 2, and rotating the honeycomb structure element 2 while pressing a tip portion 3a of the contacting member 3 inclined at an angle relative to a normal line 20a of the outer peripheral surface 20 of the honeycomb structure element 2 against the outer peripheral surface 20 with a force, to obtain the honeycomb structure having the plurality of slits 12 filled with the filling material 13.

A method for realising ceramic slabs or tiles, comprising the following steps: laying a soft layer (SL) of granular or powder ceramic material on a support plane (P); pressing the soft layer (SL) in order to obtain a compacted layer (CL); firing the compacted layer (CL); prior to the pressing, applying an identification mark (M) onto the soft layer (SL), the identification mark (M) having an optical contrast with respect to the soft layer (SL), so as to enable an optical detection of the mark (M); subsequently to the pressing, acquiring an image of the mark (M); processing the image of the mark (M) detected so as to control one or more operating steps subsequent to the pressing.

A method for realising ceramic slabs or tiles, comprising the following steps: laying a soft layer (SL) of granular or powder ceramic material on a support plane (P); pressing the soft layer (SL) in order to obtain a compacted layer (CL); firing the compacted layer (CL); prior to the pressing, applying an identification mark (M) onto the soft layer (SL), the identification mark (M) having an optical contrast with respect to the soft layer (SL), so as to enable an optical detection of the mark (M); subsequently to the pressing, acquiring an image of the mark (M); processing the image of the mark (M) detected so as to control one or more operating steps subsequent to the pressing.

A concrete product set by pouring a concrete slurry includes a) a concrete mixture; b) a graphene oxide admixture; and c) at least one reinforcing fiber selected from the group of fibers. As the poured concrete slurry cures, the poured slurry hardens into a composite material product, and the composite material is embedded with graphene oxide. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is directed to a process for preparing a concrete product. The process comprises the steps of a) preparing a concrete slurry with integral graphene oxide; b) pouring the concrete slurry; c) allowing the concrete slurry to cure; and d) optionally spray-applying graphene oxide and/or optional colloidal silica as a curing technique. In another exemplary embodiment, the present invention is directed to the product itself; namely, a concrete product with fibers and embedded graphene oxide flakes.

A method of forming a lightweight polished concrete and the resulting composition. Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement and specialized grout may be added to an amount of water in a mixer. The CSA cement, specialized grout, and water may be blended to a smooth consistency. Lightweight aggregates (LWA) may be added to the blended CSA cement, specialized grout, and water to form a mixture. The mixture may be poured over a fiberglass rebar, vibrated, screeded, and allowed to set. The set mixture may be smoothed with float blades. The smoothed mixture may be hardened with metal blades, such that the hardened mixture becomes reflective. A concrete densifier may be applied to the hardened mixture to form the lightweight polished concrete. Optionally, one or more saw cuts may be formed in the lightweight polished concrete and a coating to may be applied to fill the one or more saw cuts.

A method of forming a lightweight concrete block and the resulting structure. Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement and specialized grout maybe added to an amount of water in a mixer. The CSA cement, specialized grout, and water may be blended to a smooth consistency. Lightweight aggregates (LWA) maybe added to form a mixture. The mixture may be poured into a mold, allowed the mixture to cure, and removed from the mold to form the lightweight concrete block. The lightweight concrete block may have a first side and a second side joined by a plurality of interposing walls, the interposing walls defining one or more inner cavities and one or more outer cavities. The lightweight concrete block may have features that allow for the insertion of fiberglass rebar to aide in stacking and filling to form a wall.

A method of forming a lightweight concrete comprising lightweight aggregates (LWA) made from recycled materials and the resulting composition. The lightweight concrete may be formed by adding calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement and a specialized grout to an amount of water in a mixer, wherein a ratio of the water to the CSA cement is 1 quart to every 10 lbs of CSA cement. The CSA cement, specialized grout, and water may be blended to a smooth consistency. LWA may be added to the blended CSA cement, specialized grout, and water, wherein a ratio of the CSA cement to LWA is 60/40 by weight. The mixture of LWA, CSA cement, specialized grout, and water may be poured over a fiberglass rebar. The mixture may be allowed to cure and before being densified with a lithium densifier.

In a process for manufacturing a component for an emissions treatment unit, green ceramic product is extruded through a die to form an extrusion having a honeycomb substrate structure with an array of parallel, linear tubular cells extending along its length, the cells bounded by walls dividing adjacent cells from one another. A ceramic unit is obtained by cutting off, curing and firing a length of the extrusion a length of the extrusion. Following the firing, a mixture of a flowable, uncured curable material and a particulate metal component is injected from an end of the ceramic unit into selected ones of the cells so as to block the selected cells over at least a part of their lengths while maintaining all of the walls of the ceramic unit. The injected mixture is then cured to render it solid.

A method for producing a conductive honeycomb structure includes: a forming step of extruding a forming raw material to obtain a honeycomb formed body; a drying step of drying the honeycomb formed body to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb fired body. The forming step includes controlling a volume fraction of a portion that can form pores of the honeycomb formed body so that an absolute value of a difference in the volume fraction of the portion that can form the pores in predetermined regions of the honeycomb formed body relative to a previously set, predetermined porosity of the honeycomb fired body is within 0.5%. The predetermined porosity is a porosity preset for each of the predetermined regions of the honeycomb fired body.