A mold for manufacturing interlocking, dry-cast concrete retaining wall blocks in an upright orientation comprises a mold box comprising two side walls joined to end walls to define a mold cavity, a top face, and a substantially open bottom face. Partitions configured to define a space between adjacent blocks or a space between a block and a side of the mold box extend parallel to the side walls of the mold box substantially from the top face into the mold cavity, to form first transverse portions of the profile of the top and bottom surfaces the blocks which do not include any undercut portion that would impede removal of the mold box in a substantially vertical direction. At least one removable insert comprises insert members which, when positioned in the mold box beneath the partitions, form remaining transverse portions of the profile of the top and bottom surfaces, the remaining transverse portions including at least one undercut portion. The insert members, when in position in the mold box for casting, are substantially in lateral alignment with respective bottom surfaces of at least some of the partitions and can be inserted and retracted through openings in an end wall of the mold box.

A method of forming a ceramic product, the method comprising producing a ceramic forming mixture in the form of a slurry, causing the slurry to form, extruding the formed slurry to produce a plurality of lengths of extruding material each with a diameter of less than 10 mm, firing the extruded material so as to partially sinter the extruded material, forming the partially sintered extruded material into a required shape for a product, and subsequently firing the shaped partially sintered extruded material to form the ceramic product.

A method of forming a ceramic product, the method comprising producing a ceramic forming mixture in the form of a slurry, causing the slurry to form, extruding the formed slurry to produce a plurality of lengths of extruding material each with a diameter of less than 10 mm, firing the extruded material so as to partially sinter the extruded material, forming the partially sintered extruded material into a required shape for a product, and subsequently firing the shaped partially sintered extruded material to form the ceramic product.

The present invention provides a wet press process and admixture components for making concrete slabs (flags), curb (kerb) units, panels, boards, and other flat shapes, whereby colloidal silica and at least one alkanolamine and optional rheology control components are employed to provide an ideal combination of pressing time, green strength, surface definition, stack-ability, final concrete strength, and permeability. Stack-ability can be expressed in terms of minimum deflection or non-eccentricity of the units while standing on thickness edges at distances apart less than width or standing height. A wet press process typically involves introducing a highly fluid concrete mix into a mold, applying hydraulic pressure to consolidate the concrete (e.g., 1000-3000 PSI) and to extract excess water, removing the pressed concrete while in a green state from the mold, and then standing the slab units immediately upon removal from the mold while in a green state, on an edge adjacent to but spaced apart from other edge-standing units. In further embodiments, rounded aggregates such as naturally occurring sand and/or gravel obtained from local sources can be incorporated into the concrete slabs without defeating (vertical) stack-ability in the green state.

The present invention provides a wet press process and admixture components for making concrete slabs (flags), curb (kerb) units, panels, boards, and other flat shapes, whereby colloidal silica and at least one alkanolamine and optional rheology control components are employed to provide an ideal combination of pressing time, green strength, surface definition, stack-ability, final concrete strength, and permeability. Stack-ability can be expressed in terms of minimum deflection or non-eccentricity of the units while standing on thickness edges at distances apart less than width or standing height. A wet press process typically involves introducing a highly fluid concrete mix into a mold, applying hydraulic pressure to consolidate the concrete (e.g., 1000-3000 PSI) and to extract excess water, removing the pressed concrete while in a green state from the mold, and then standing the slab units immediately upon removal from the mold while in a green state, on an edge adjacent to but spaced apart from other edge-standing units. In further embodiments, rounded aggregates such as naturally occurring sand and/or gravel obtained from local sources can be incorporated into the concrete slabs without defeating (vertical) stack-ability in the green state.

The present invention provides a wet press process and admixture components for making concrete slabs (flags) (16), curb (kerb) units, panels, boards, and other flat shapes, whereby colloidal silica and at least one alkanolamine and optional rheology control components are employed to provide an ideal combination of pressing time, green strength, surface definition, stack-ability, final concrete strength, and permeability. Stack-ability can be expressed in terms of minimum deflection or non-eccentricity of the units while standing on thickness edges at distances apart less than width or standing height. A wet press process typically involves introducing a highly fluid concrete mix into a mold (10,12), applying hydraulic pressure to consolidate the concrete (e.g., 1000-3000 PSI) and to extract excess water, removing the pressed concrete (16) while in a green state from the mold (10,12), and then standing the slab (16) units immediately upon removal from the mold (10,12) while in a green state, on an edge adjacent to but spaced apart from other edge-standing units. In further embodiments, rounded aggregates such as naturally occurring sand and/or gravel obtained from local sources can be incorporated into the concrete slabs without defeating (vertical) stack-ability in the green state.

The present invention provides a wet press process and admixture components for making concrete slabs (flags) (16), curb (kerb) units, panels, boards, and other flat shapes, whereby colloidal silica and at least one alkanolamine and optional rheology control components are employed to provide an ideal combination of pressing time, green strength, surface definition, stack-ability, final concrete strength, and permeability. Stack-ability can be expressed in terms of minimum deflection or non-eccentricity of the units while standing on thickness edges at distances apart less than width or standing height. A wet press process typically involves introducing a highly fluid concrete mix into a mold (10,12), applying hydraulic pressure to consolidate the concrete (e.g., 1000-3000 PSI) and to extract excess water, removing the pressed concrete (16) while in a green state from the mold (10,12), and then standing the slab (16) units immediately upon removal from the mold (10,12) while in a green state, on an edge adjacent to but spaced apart from other edge-standing units. In further embodiments, rounded aggregates such as naturally occurring sand and/or gravel obtained from local sources can be incorporated into the concrete slabs without defeating (vertical) stack-ability in the green state.

Provided is a device for improving perovskite film formation uniformity, including a grinder and a sheeter, wherein the grinder grinds a perovskite precursor into a powder, the sheeter presses the ground precursor powder into a precursor sheet, the sheeter includes a mold for pressing the precursor powder and a heating device, and the heating device heats a lower mold. A method of using the above device for improving perovskite film formation uniformity, and a method of preparing a perovskite solar cell are also provided. The precursor sheet prepared herein not only solves the problems of uneven particle size and uneven spreading at the bottom of the evaporation source or incomplete coverage, but also prevents splashing during vacuuming and aeration, and meanwhile, since the precursor powder is compacted, it is more conducive to the uniform conduction of heat during the heating and evaporation process, thereby improving the heat energy use efficiency.

A mold for manufacturing interlocking, dry-cast concrete retaining wall blocks in an upright orientation comprises a mold box comprising two side walls joined to end walls to define a mold cavity, a top face, and a substantially open bottom face. Partitions configured to define a space between adjacent blocks or a space between a block and a side of the mold box extend parallel to the side walls of the mold box substantially from the top face into the mold cavity, to form first transverse portions of the profile of the top and bottom surfaces the blocks which do not include any undercut portion that would impede removal of the mold box in a substantially vertical direction. At least one removable insert comprises insert members which, when positioned in the mold box beneath the partitions, form remaining transverse portions of the profile of the top and bottom surfaces, the remaining transverse portions including at least one undercut portion. The insert members, when in position in the mold box for casting, are substantially in lateral alignment with respective bottom surfaces of at least some of the partitions and can be inserted and retracted through openings in an end wall of the mold box.

A mold for manufacturing interlocking, dry-cast concrete retaining wall blocks in an upright orientation comprises a mold box comprising two side walls joined to end walls to define a mold cavity, a top face, and a substantially open bottom face. Partitions configured to define a space between adjacent blocks or a space between a block and a side of the mold box extend parallel to the side walls of the mold box substantially from the top face into the mold cavity, to form first transverse portions of the profile of the top and bottom surfaces the blocks which do not include any undercut portion that would impede removal of the mold box in a substantially vertical direction. At least one removable insert comprises insert members which, when positioned in the mold box beneath the partitions, form remaining transverse portions of the profile of the top and bottom surfaces, the remaining transverse portions including at least one undercut portion. The insert members, when in position in the mold box for casting, are substantially in lateral alignment with respective bottom surfaces of at least some of the partitions and can be inserted and retracted through openings in an end wall of the mold box.