A method includes: providing a mold having a plurality of mold cavities, wherein each mold cavity is bounded by a plurality of faces joined along common edges; filling at least some of the mold cavities with a sol-gel composition that includes a release agent dispersed therein; at least partially drying the sol-gel composition thereby forming shaped ceramic precursor particles; calcining at least a portion of the shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles; and sintering at least a portion of the calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide ceramic shaped abrasive particles. A sol-gel composition, shaped ceramic precursor particles, and ceramic shaped abrasive particles associated with practice of the method are also disclosed.

An article comprises a body and a conformal protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The conformal protective layer is a plasma resistant rare earth oxide film having a thickness of less than 1000 μm, wherein the plasma resistant rare earth oxide film is selected from a group consisting of an Er—Y composition, an Er—Al—Y composition, an Er—Y—Zr composition, and an Er—Al composition.

An article comprises a body and a conformal protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The conformal protective layer is a plasma resistant rare earth oxide film having a thickness of less than 1000 μm, wherein the plasma resistant rare earth oxide film is selected from a group consisting of an Er—Y composition, an Er—Al—Y composition, an Er—Y—Zr composition, and an Er—Al composition.

The production of a device for holding one or more electrodes for electrical discharge machining, comprising a body having a rectilinear portion in which at least one first duct is provided for the passage of one or more electrode(s). The body further has an integral curved portion in which (at least) one second curved dielectric fluid supply duct is provided and in which is provided a curved extension of said at least one first duct. The curved extension and the second curved duct are made of ceramic, with an inner mean roughness of: Ra<2 μm.

The production of a device for holding one or more electrodes for electrical discharge machining, comprising a body having a rectilinear portion in which at least one first duct is provided for the passage of one or more electrode(s). The body further has an integral curved portion in which (at least) one second curved dielectric fluid supply duct is provided and in which is provided a curved extension of said at least one first duct. The curved extension and the second curved duct are made of ceramic, with an inner mean roughness of: Ra<2 μm.

Energy storage devices, battery cells, and batteries may include a battery cell component that is formed by a method that includes forming a slurry that includes a ceramic material, a binder, and an ionic dispersant. The ceramic material may be greater than 50% of the slurry by weight. The method may also include applying the slurry to a polymeric material to form a two-layer separator. The slurry may be applied to a thickness of less than or about 10 μm.

Energy storage devices, battery cells, and batteries may include a battery cell component that is formed by a method that includes forming a slurry that includes a ceramic material, a binder, and an ionic dispersant. The ceramic material may be greater than 50% of the slurry by weight. The method may also include applying the slurry to a polymeric material to form a two-layer separator. The slurry may be applied to a thickness of less than or about 10 μm.

The present invention relates to a technique of dramatically improving a method for causing a molten metal of an Al alloy or the like to infiltrate without pressurization into a preform obtained by molding and hardening a ceramic powder, and obtaining “a metal matrix composite formed from a ceramic powder and an Al alloy or the like” in a uniform state as a whole more simply and stably, and the present invention provides “a production method for producing a metal matrix composite containing aluminum and ceramic, the method including: obtaining a mixed body by performing molding using a mixture containing a magnesium-containing powder, a ceramic powder, and an inorganic or organic/inorganic binder that is hardened when heated to 500° C. or lower; preparing a preform by calcining the mixed body at a temperature of 500° C. or lower; and causing an Al alloy or the like to infiltrate without pressurization into the obtained preform to produce the metal matrix composite containing aluminum and ceramic, and a method for preparing the preform.”

The present invention relates to a technique of dramatically improving a method for causing a molten metal of an Al alloy or the like to infiltrate without pressurization into a preform obtained by molding and hardening a ceramic powder, and obtaining “a metal matrix composite formed from a ceramic powder and an Al alloy or the like” in a uniform state as a whole more simply and stably, and the present invention provides “a production method for producing a metal matrix composite containing aluminum and ceramic, the method including: obtaining a mixed body by performing molding using a mixture containing a magnesium-containing powder, a ceramic powder, and an inorganic or organic/inorganic binder that is hardened when heated to 500° C. or lower; preparing a preform by calcining the mixed body at a temperature of 500° C. or lower; and causing an Al alloy or the like to infiltrate without pressurization into the obtained preform to produce the metal matrix composite containing aluminum and ceramic, and a method for preparing the preform.”

To provide a sliding member having improved wear resistance, and a method of manufacturing the sliding member. A femoral head ball according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a composite ceramic containing alumina and at least one oxide other than alumina. A surface roughness Ra of the sliding surface when the femoral head ball slides against a constituent member constituting an artificial joint is not more than 0.01 μm. The sliding surface includes a plurality of recessed portions each having an opening diameter of not more than 2 μm.