An alumina porous body made up by binding aggregate alumina particles to each other, the aggregate alumina particles being bound to each other by a compound comprising yttrium silicate synthesized from mullite and Y.sub.2O.sub.3; and a two-layer structure ceramic porous body with an inorganic porous film formed on the alumina porous body.

A ceramic porous body comprising: skeleton portions including an aggregate and at least one binding material; and pore portions formed between the skeleton portions, the pore portions being capable of allowing a fluid to flow therethrough. In the ceramic porous body, the pore portions have a pore volume ratio of pores having a pore diameter of from 1 to 10 m, of 45% or more, and a ratio of a contact area between the aggregate and the binding material to a surface area of the binding material of from 20 to 60%.

A ceramic porous body has an alumina porous body made up by binding aggregate alumina particles to each other, the aggregate alumina particles being bound to each other by a compound including gadolinium silicate, lanthanum silicate or yttrium silicate synthesized from a silicate mineral and at least one rare-earth oxide selected from Gd.sub.2O.sub.3, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and Y.sub.2O.sub.3, and an inorganic porous film formed on the alumina porous body.

A ceramic porous body has an alumina porous body made up by binding aggregate alumina particles to each other, the aggregate alumina particles being bound to each other by a compound including gadolinium silicate, lanthanum silicate or yttrium silicate synthesized from a silicate mineral and at least one rare-earth oxide selected from Gd.sub.2O.sub.3, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and Y.sub.2O.sub.3, and an inorganic porous film formed on the alumina porous body.

The present invention is directed to a porous pre-densified CeO.sub.2-stabilized ZrO.sub.2 ceramic having a density of 50.0 to 95.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and an open porosity of 5 to 50% as well as to a densified CeO.sub.2-stabilized ZrO.sub.2 ceramic having a density of 97.0 to 100.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and wherein the grains of the ceramic have an average grain size of 50 to 1000 nm, methods for the preparation of the pre-densified and densified ceramics and their use for the manufacture of dental restorations.

The present invention is directed to a porous pre-densified CeO.sub.2-stabilized ZrO.sub.2 ceramic having a density of 50.0 to 95.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and an open porosity of 5 to 50% as well as to a densified CeO.sub.2-stabilized ZrO.sub.2 ceramic having a density of 97.0 to 100.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and wherein the grains of the ceramic have an average grain size of 50 to 1000 nm, methods for the preparation of the pre-densified and densified ceramics and their use for the manufacture of dental restorations.

A thermal insulation member is directly or indirectly sandwiched between a first object and a second object and thereby suppresses or interrupts heat transfer between the first object and the second object. The thermal insulation member comprises: a first main surface opposed to the first object; and a second main surface positioned on the opposite side from the first main surface and opposed to the second object. The thermal insulation member has a porous structure of ceramic having pores. ZrO.sub.2 particles and different type material exist on surfaces of the ZrO.sub.2 particles form a skeleton of the porous structure. The different type material includes at least one selected out of SiO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and Y.sub.2O.sub.3.

A thermal insulation member is directly or indirectly sandwiched between a first object and a second object and thereby suppresses or interrupts heat transfer between the first object and the second object. The thermal insulation member comprises: a first main surface opposed to the first object; and a second main surface positioned on the opposite side from the first main surface and opposed to the second object. The thermal insulation member has a porous structure of ceramic having pores. ZrO.sub.2 particles and different type material exist on surfaces of the ZrO.sub.2 particles form a skeleton of the porous structure. The different type material includes at least one selected out of SiO.sub.2, TiO.sub.2, La.sub.2O.sub.3, and Y.sub.2O.sub.3.

The present invention is directed to a porous pre-densified CeO.sub.2 stabilized ZrO.sub.2 ceramic having a density of 50.0 to 95.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and an open porosity of 5 to 50% as well as to ceramic having a density of 97.0 to 100.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and wherein the grains of the ceramic have an average grain size of 50 to 1000 nm, methods for the preparation of the pre-densified and densified ceramics and their use for the manufacture of dental restorations.

The present invention is directed to a porous pre-densified CeO.sub.2 stabilized ZrO.sub.2 ceramic having a density of 50.0 to 95.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and an open porosity of 5 to 50% as well as to ceramic having a density of 97.0 to 100.0%, relative to the theoretical density of zirconia, and wherein the grains of the ceramic have an average grain size of 50 to 1000 nm, methods for the preparation of the pre-densified and densified ceramics and their use for the manufacture of dental restorations.