A catalytic convertor comprising a substrate body (100) arranged within the catalytic convertor such that a principal flow of fluid through the catalytic convertor flows along a surface (101) of the substrate body, wherein said surface (101) has a plurality of openings (210) to micro-channels that extend away from said surface (101); and at least a portion of the surface (101) of the substrate body (100) comprises a catalytically active material, wherein the substrate body (100) is in the form of: a pellet; a sheet; solid elongate bodies; solid rods; a solid body having a plurality of bores; a non-tubular elongate body; a non-hollow body; a sheet curved in the form or a spiral; or a combination thereof.

A method for etching a light absorbing material permits directly writing a pattern of etching of silicon nitride and other light absorbing materials, without the need of a lithographic mask, and allows the creation of etched features of less than one micron in size. The method can be used for etching deposited silicon nitride films, freestanding silicon nitride membranes, and other light absorbing materials, with control over the thickness achieved by optical feedback. The etching is promoted by solvents including electron donor species, such as chloride ions. The method provides the ability to etch silicon nitride and other light absorbing materials, with fine spatial and etch rate control, in mild conditions, including in a biocompatible environment. The method can be used to create nanopores and nanopore arrays.

Provided is artificial marble including an artificial marble substrate having a first surface having an arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of 1 μm to 12 μm; and a photocatalyst layer directly on the first surface. The artificial marble according to the present invention is lighter than existing natural stone and exhibits excellent thermoformability, and also has excellent antifouling properties by means of a photocatalyst, and thus can be widely used in various fields requiring artificial marble.

Provided is artificial marble including an artificial marble substrate having a first surface having an arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of 1 μm to 12 μm; and a photocatalyst layer directly on the first surface. The artificial marble according to the present invention is lighter than existing natural stone and exhibits excellent thermoformability, and also has excellent antifouling properties by means of a photocatalyst, and thus can be widely used in various fields requiring artificial marble.

A method to produce a ceramic matrix composite with controlled surface characteristics includes: applying a scrim ply to a surface of a fiber preform, where the fiber preform includes silicon carbide fibers coated with boron nitride; infiltrating the fiber preform and the scrim ply with a slurry, thereby forming an impregnated ply on an impregnated fiber preform; infiltrating the impregnated fiber preform and the impregnated ply with a melt comprising silicon, and then cooling, thereby forming a ceramic matrix composite having a ceramic surface layer thereon, where the ceramic surface layer has a predetermined thickness and is devoid of boron; machining or grit blasting the ceramic surface layer to form an intermediate layer suitable for coating; and depositing an environmental barrier coating on the intermediate layer. Thus, a ceramic matrix composite coated with the environmental barrier coating is formed with the intermediate layer in between.

A method to produce a ceramic matrix composite with controlled surface characteristics includes: applying a scrim ply to a surface of a fiber preform, where the fiber preform includes silicon carbide fibers coated with boron nitride; infiltrating the fiber preform and the scrim ply with a slurry, thereby forming an impregnated ply on an impregnated fiber preform; infiltrating the impregnated fiber preform and the impregnated ply with a melt comprising silicon, and then cooling, thereby forming a ceramic matrix composite having a ceramic surface layer thereon, where the ceramic surface layer has a predetermined thickness and is devoid of boron; machining or grit blasting the ceramic surface layer to form an intermediate layer suitable for coating; and depositing an environmental barrier coating on the intermediate layer. Thus, a ceramic matrix composite coated with the environmental barrier coating is formed with the intermediate layer in between.

The present disclosure describes modular blocks configured to give the appearance of natural or cut stone. An aesthetic coating composition may be applied to one or more surfaces of a block having a low-density, such as an insulating concrete form (ICF), to form an modular block having the appearance of cut stone. The aesthetic coating composition includes a binder component, such as a cementitious binder made from white Portland cement, or a polymer binder such as an acrylic binder, an aggregate component, such as a limestone aggregate component, and optionally an adhesive component. The aggregate component includes a fine sand portion and a coarse sand portion that effectively enable the appearance of cut stone after finishing of the aesthetic coating surface via sanding, polishing, sandblasting, acid etching, acid finishing, or exposed aggregate finishing.

The present disclosure describes modular blocks configured to give the appearance of natural or cut stone. An aesthetic coating composition may be applied to one or more surfaces of a block having a low-density, such as an insulating concrete form (ICF), to form an modular block having the appearance of cut stone. The aesthetic coating composition includes a binder component, such as a cementitious binder made from white Portland cement, or a polymer binder such as an acrylic binder, an aggregate component, such as a limestone aggregate component, and optionally an adhesive component. The aggregate component includes a fine sand portion and a coarse sand portion that effectively enable the appearance of cut stone after finishing of the aesthetic coating surface via sanding, polishing, sandblasting, acid etching, acid finishing, or exposed aggregate finishing.

A method of manufacturing a metal-coated member includes: providing a composite ceramic member including a ceramic part, and a connection part connected to the ceramic part; disposing a precious metal layer on a surface region that includes at least a portion of a surface of the ceramic part and a portion of a surface of the connection part, the precious metal layer including a precious metal; and removing at least a portion of the precious metal layer that is on the surface of the ceramic part and delineated by the boundary between the ceramic part and the connection part. The connection part has stronger adhesion to the precious metal than the ceramic part.

The disclosure describes techniques for forming a surface layer of an article including a CMC using a cast. In some examples, the surface layer includes three-dimensional surface features, which may increase adhesion between the CMC and a coating on the CMC. In some examples, the surface layer may include excess material, with or without three-dimensional surface features, which is on the CMC. The excess material may be machined to remove some of the excess material and facilitate conforming the article to dimensional tolerances, e.g., for fitting the article to another component. The excess material may reduce a likelihood that the CMC (e.g., reinforcement material in the CMC) is damaged by the machining.