Plurality of granules comprising a ceramic core having an outer surface and a shell on and surrounding the core, wherein the core comprises first ceramic particles bound together with a first inorganic binder, wherein the first inorganic binder comprises reaction product of at least alkali silicate and hardener, wherein the shell comprises at least a first concentric layer, wherein the first layer comprises a second inorganic binder and optionally second ceramic particles, wherein if present the second ceramic particles are bound together with the second inorganic binder, wherein the second inorganic binder comprises reaction product of at least alkali silicate and hardener, wherein for a given granule, the first ceramic particles are present in a first weight percent with respect to the total weight of the core and the second ceramic particles, if present in the first layer of the same granule are in a second weight percent with respect to the total weight of the first layer, wherein for a given granule, the first weight percent is greater than the second weight percent, and wherein the granules have a minimum Total Solar Reflectance of at least 0.7. The granules are useful, for example, as roofing granules.

A composite article is comprised of coal dust, as defined herein, and a polymer derived ceramic material that is pyrolyzed in a substantially non-oxidizing atmosphere. For example, the composite article may be made of a mixture of the coal dust and polymer derived ceramic, from particles formed of a mixture of coal dust and polymer derived ceramic or from complex particle composites comprising a plurality of particles formed of a mixture of coal dust and polymer derived ceramic.

A composite article is comprised of coal dust, as defined herein, and a polymer derived ceramic material that is pyrolyzed in a substantially non-oxidizing atmosphere. For example, the composite article may be made of a mixture of the coal dust and polymer derived ceramic, from particles formed of a mixture of coal dust and polymer derived ceramic or from complex particle composites comprising a plurality of particles formed of a mixture of coal dust and polymer derived ceramic.

Hollow structure particles which contain titanium oxide and silica, in which the crystal type of the titanium oxide is rutile type; a method for producing the hollow structure particles; a white ink which contains these hollow structure particles as a coloring agent; use of the white ink in inkjet recording; and an inkjet recording method which uses the white ink.

Hollow structure particles which contain titanium oxide and silica, in which the crystal type of the titanium oxide is rutile type; a method for producing the hollow structure particles; a white ink which contains these hollow structure particles as a coloring agent; use of the white ink in inkjet recording; and an inkjet recording method which uses the white ink.

A method is presented for producing hollow microspheres of metal oxides (HMOMS) and/or hollow metal silicates microspheres (HMSMS) in a transforming solution. The transforming solution contains an atom M, or an M-ion, or a radical containing M. M in the transforming solution has the thermodynamic ability to replace silicon atoms in hollow silica microspheres (HSMS) and/or hollow glass microspheres (HGMS). The maximum temperature for transformation is set by the chemical physical properties of the transforming solution, and the viscosity of the silica in the walls of the HSMS and/or the glass in the walls of the HGMS. Viscosity, of enough magnitude, helps retain the desired shape of the hollow sphere as it is transformed to HMOMS and/or HMSMS. Non-spherical shapes can be produced by increasing the transformation temperature whereby the viscosity of the walls of the HSMS and/or the HGMS is reduced. Transformation can take place at a single temperature or at several temperatures, each temperature for a separate hold time.

Methods are presented for: 1. production of micro composite castings and continuous production of sheets of micro composites, both consisting of hollow spheres in a matrix, 2. harvesting of HMOMS and HMSMS, and 3. specialty castings for anisotropic properties using 3-dimensional printing

A method is presented for producing hollow microspheres of metal oxides (HMOMS) and/or hollow metal silicates microspheres (HMSMS) in a transforming solution. The transforming solution contains an atom M, or an M-ion, or a radical containing M. M in the transforming solution has the thermodynamic ability to replace silicon atoms in hollow silica microspheres (HSMS) and/or hollow glass microspheres (HGMS). The maximum temperature for transformation is set by the chemical physical properties of the transforming solution, and the viscosity of the silica in the walls of the HSMS and/or the glass in the walls of the HGMS. Viscosity, of enough magnitude, helps retain the desired shape of the hollow sphere as it is transformed to HMOMS and/or HMSMS. Non-spherical shapes can be produced by increasing the transformation temperature whereby the viscosity of the walls of the HSMS and/or the HGMS is reduced. Transformation can take place at a single temperature or at several temperatures, each temperature for a separate hold time.

Methods are presented for: 1. production of micro composite castings and continuous production of sheets of micro composites, both consisting of hollow spheres in a matrix, 2. harvesting of HMOMS and HMSMS, and 3. specialty castings for anisotropic properties using 3-dimensional printing

The present invention discloses a method for preparing a low-density proppant by taking oil-based mud wastes as raw materials. The method includes following steps: S1, determining content of oils, silicon oxide, alumina and water in the oil-based mud wastes; S2, adding a viscosity modifier, a framework material and a pore-forming agent into oil-based mud wastes so as to obtain mixed slurry; S3, performing ball milling on mixed slurry to form powder, granulating and drying the powder, and forming a proppant pellet billet; S4, performing dehydrogenation pre-sintering on the pellet billet, and performing carbide reaction pre-sintering; and S5, performing final sintering in a natural gas protective atmosphere, thereby obtaining the low-density proppant that takes silicon carbide as the framework material. In the present invention, the low-density proppant is prepared by taking the oil-based mud wastes produced in a drilling process as the raw materials, thereby recycling the oil-based mud wastes.

The present invention discloses a method for preparing a low-density proppant by taking oil-based mud wastes as raw materials. The method includes following steps: S1, determining content of oils, silicon oxide, alumina and water in the oil-based mud wastes; S2, adding a viscosity modifier, a framework material and a pore-forming agent into oil-based mud wastes so as to obtain mixed slurry; S3, performing ball milling on mixed slurry to form powder, granulating and drying the powder, and forming a proppant pellet billet; S4, performing dehydrogenation pre-sintering on the pellet billet, and performing carbide reaction pre-sintering; and S5, performing final sintering in a natural gas protective atmosphere, thereby obtaining the low-density proppant that takes silicon carbide as the framework material. In the present invention, the low-density proppant is prepared by taking the oil-based mud wastes produced in a drilling process as the raw materials, thereby recycling the oil-based mud wastes.

An infrared ray radiated from a region of a surface of an object to which a coating film (20) of a coating material is provided is detected by an infrared sensor (42). The coating film (20) includes a porous ceramic particle (22) and a binder (24), and the ceramic particle (22) includes a compound represented by a compositional formula of any of A.sub.aR.sub.bAl.sub.cO.sub.4, A.sub.aR.sub.bGa.sub.cO.sub.4, R.sub.x, Al.sub.yO.sub.12, and R.sub.xGa.sub.yO.sub.12. Here, A is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of Ca, Sr, and Ba, and R is one or more elements selected from a group consisting of rare earth elements. Also, a is equal to or greater than 0.9 and equal to or less than 1.1, b is equal to or greater than 0.9 and equal to or less than 1.1, c is equal to or greater than 0.9 and equal to or less than 1.1, x is equal to or greater than 2.9 and equal to or less than 3.1, and y is equal to or greater than 4.9 and equal to or less than 5.1. A porosity of the ceramic particle (22) is equal to or greater than 20% and equal to or less than 40%.