A coating fabrication method includes providing engineered granules and thermally consolidating the engineered granules on a substrate to form a silicate-resistant barrier coating. Each of the engineered granules is an aggregate of at least one refractory matrix region and at least one calcium aluminosilicate additive region (CAS additive region) attached with the at least one refractory matrix region. In the thermal consolidation, the refractory matrix region from the engineered granules form grains of a refractory matrix of the silicate-resistant barrier coating and the CAS additive region from the engineered granules form CAS additives that are dispersed in grain boundaries between the grains.

A coating fabrication method includes providing engineered granules and thermally consolidating the engineered granules on a substrate to form a silicate-resistant barrier coating. Each of the engineered granules is an aggregate of at least one refractory matrix region and at least one calcium aluminosilicate additive region (CAS additive region) attached with the at least one refractory matrix region. In the thermal consolidation, the refractory matrix region from the engineered granules form grains of a refractory matrix of the silicate-resistant barrier coating and the CAS additive region from the engineered granules form CAS additives that are dispersed in grain boundaries between the grains.

A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.

A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.

A coating material containing an oxyfluoride of yttrium and having a Fisher diameter of 1.0 to 10 μm and a tap density TD to apparent density AD ratio, TD/AD, of 1.6 to 3.5. The coating material preferably has a pore volume of pores with a diameter of 100 μm or smaller of 1.0 cm.sup.3/g or less as measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry. A coating containing an oxyfluoride of yttrium and having a Vickers hardness of 200 HV0.01 or higher. The coating preferably has a fracture toughness of 1.0×10.sup.2 Pa.Math.m.sup.1/2 or higher.

A coating material containing an oxyfluoride of yttrium and having a Fisher diameter of 1.0 to 10 μm and a tap density TD to apparent density AD ratio, TD/AD, of 1.6 to 3.5. The coating material preferably has a pore volume of pores with a diameter of 100 μm or smaller of 1.0 cm.sup.3/g or less as measured by mercury intrusion porosimetry. A coating containing an oxyfluoride of yttrium and having a Vickers hardness of 200 HV0.01 or higher. The coating preferably has a fracture toughness of 1.0×10.sup.2 Pa.Math.m.sup.1/2 or higher.

A ceramic porous body including: skeleton portions including an aggregate and at least one bonding material; and pore portions formed between the skeleton portions, the pore portions being capable of allowing a fluid to flow therethrough, wherein the pore portions have a pore volume ratio of pores having a pore diameter of from 10 to 15 μm, of from 4 to 17%.

A ceramic porous body including: skeleton portions including an aggregate and at least one bonding material; and pore portions formed between the skeleton portions, the pore portions being capable of allowing a fluid to flow therethrough, wherein the pore portions have a pore volume ratio of pores having a pore diameter of from 10 to 15 μm, of from 4 to 17%.

A refractory article including a body having central opening extending through at least a portion of the body, the central opening having a receiving surface having a convex curvature. In an embodiment, the body can include a coupling protrusion extending from a portion of an upper surface of the body and a coupling depression on a portion of a bottom surface of the body.

A mould for manufacturing a packing member from a liquid ceramic composition. The mould including a first part and a second part, in which the first and/or second mould parts are resiliently deformable and the first part and/or the second part include a plurality of open mould cavities. The first and second parts are operable to engage to form closed mould cavities, and the mould is operable to be moved from an open position in which the first and second parts are partially spaced by the deformation of a mould part and in which position mould cavities are open, to a partially closed position by reducing the deformation of the mould part and in which position some of the mould cavities are closed, and then to a closed position by further reducing the deformation of the mould part and in which position the first and second parts are engaged such that the mould cavities are closed.