A composite product comprising a metakaolin-based mineral polymer. The composite product has a number of applications including use as a fire resistant material, use as a thermally insulating material and use as an impact resistance material. Methods of preparing a composite product according to the present invention and a kit of parts for preparing the composite product are also disclosed.

A fire stop device having a body having a through bore and the body being sized and shaped to be positioned within an opening in a wall. the body is made from a moldable a thermoplastic resin having a blowing agent suspended therein. The blowing agent has a predetermined gas release temperature and the thermoplastic resin has a melting temperature above the predetermined gas release temperature of the blowing agent; wherein when exposed to a fire the blowing agent first begins to release gas and the resin softens as the resin is heated until the resin is soft enough for the released gas to expand the plastic to form a foam to close said through bore before a char is formed on said expanded body by said fire. A method of forming a fitting having the blowing agent suspended therein is also provided.

The invention relates to a porous multi-layered coloured zirconia dental mill blank comprising a bottom layer B having the composition COMP-B which comprises ceramic components CER-COMP-B, colouring components COL-COMP-B and stabilizing components STAB-COMP-B, a top layer E having the composition COMP-E which comprises ceramic components CER-COMP-E, colouring components COL-COMP-E stabilizing components STAB-COMP-E, at least one intermediate layer Ex having the composition COMP-E of top layer E, at least one intermediate layer Bx having the composition COMP-B of bottom layer B, x being an integer and indicating the number of intermediate layers, wherein the layers with compositions COMP-B and COMP-E are arranged in alternating order, and wherein the thickness of the individual layers B, Bx is decreasing from bottom to top and the thickness of the individual layers E, Ex is decreasing from top to bottom. The dental mill blank can be used for producing dental articles.

A honeycomb structure includes: an outer peripheral wall; and partition walls disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral wall, the partition walls defining a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells extending from one end face to the other end face to form a flow path for a fluid. The partition walls and the outer peripheral wall include ceramics containing at least silicon. A content of silicon in the ceramics is 30% by mass or more. A concentration of at least one dopant in the silicon is from 10.sup.16 to 510.sup.20/cm.sup.3.

A honeycomb structure includes: an outer peripheral wall; and partition walls disposed on an inner side of the outer peripheral wall, the partition walls defining a plurality of cells, each of the plurality of cells extending from one end face to the other end face to form a flow path for a fluid. The partition walls and the outer peripheral wall include ceramics containing at least silicon. A content of silicon in the ceramics is 30% by mass or more. A concentration of at least one dopant in the silicon is from 10.sup.16 to 510.sup.20/cm.sup.3.

Hydrophobic shaped silica bodies having low density and low thermal conductivity are produced by forming a dispersion of silica in a solution of binder and organic solvent, and removing the solvent and shaping to form a shaped body. The shaped bodies retain their hydrophobicity, are stable with regards to shape, and are useful in acoustic and thermal insulation.

Hydrophobic shaped silica bodies having low density and low thermal conductivity are produced by forming a dispersion of silica in a solution of binder and organic solvent, and removing the solvent and shaping to form a shaped body. The shaped bodies retain their hydrophobicity, are stable with regards to shape, and are useful in acoustic and thermal insulation.

CMC articles and methods for forming CMC articles are provided. In one example aspect, a method for forming a CMC article includes forming a CMC preform defining a first section and a second section. The first section has one or more plies that include sacrificial fibers. The second section of the CMC preform does not include sacrificial fibers. The first and second sections can be laid up to form the CMC prior to thermally processing, e.g., consolidation, firing, and infiltration. When the CMC preform is fired or burned out, the sacrificial fibers are removed or decomposed resulting in formation of channels within the first section of the pyrolyzed CMC preform. The channels are used as gas transport paths during chemical vapor infiltration to facilitate infiltration of a gaseous infiltrant into the fired CMC preform. The channels are then backfilled with a liquid infiltrant during a melt infiltration process.

Disclosed is a method and system for blending a foam modifier with foaming agent on-line, e.g., as may be particularly useful for gypsum or cement slurries. The foam modifier comprises a fatty alcohol that is added to a gypsum or cement slurry that includes foaming agent, such as an alkyl sulfate surfactant. The fatty alcohol can be a C.sub.6-C.sub.16 fatty alcohol in some embodiments. The use of such a foam modifier can be used, for example, to stabilize the foam, reduce waste of foaming agent, improve void size control in the final product, and improve the gypsum board manufacturing process.

Disclosed is a method and system for blending a foam modifier with foaming agent on-line, e.g., as may be particularly useful for gypsum or cement slurries. The foam modifier comprises a fatty alcohol that is added to a gypsum or cement slurry that includes foaming agent, such as an alkyl sulfate surfactant. The fatty alcohol can be a C.sub.6-C.sub.16 fatty alcohol in some embodiments. The use of such a foam modifier can be used, for example, to stabilize the foam, reduce waste of foaming agent, improve void size control in the final product, and improve the gypsum board manufacturing process.