The present invention provides a method of preparing a proppant material by heating a reaction mixture comprising a plurality of oxides in a reactive atmosphere to a temperature above the melting point of the reaction mixture to form a melt, and then allowing the melt to solidify in a mold in the form of spherical particles. The present invention also provides a method of preparing a proppant material by heating a reaction mixture comprising a plurality of oxides and one or more additives in a reactive atmosphere to a temperature below the melting point of the reaction mixture to form a powder including one or more reaction products, and then processing the powder to form spherical particles. The present invention also provides a proppant material including spherical particles characterized by a specific gravity of about 1.0 to 3.0 and a crush strength of at least about 10,000 psi.

The present invention relates to lightweight high strength microsphere containing ceramic particles having controlled microsphere placement and/or size and microsphere morphology, which produces an improved balance of specific gravity and crush strength such that they can be used in applications such as proppants to prop open subterranean formation fractions. Proppant formulations are further disclosed which use one or more microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention. Methods to prop open subterranean formation fractions are further disclosed. In addition, other uses for the microsphere containing ceramic particles of the present invention are further disclosed, as well as methods of making the microsphere containing ceramic particles.

A method for treating refractory ceramic products is described herein. The method includes providing a refractory ceramic product, comprising magnesia and at least one of the following salts: one or more alkali salts and one or more alkaline earth salts. The method also includes providing a water-based liquid, combining the refractory ceramic product with the liquid, and separating the refractory ceramic product and the liquid.

The present invention relates to a process for sintering a compacted powder of at least one oxide of a metal selected from an actinide and a lanthanide, this process comprising the following successive steps, carried out in a furnace and under an atmosphere comprising an inert gas, dihydrogen and water: (a) a temperature increase from an initial temperature T.sub.I up to a hold temperature T.sub.P, (b) maintaining the temperature at the hold temperature T.sub.P, and (c) a temperature decrease from the hold temperature T.sub.P down to a final temperature T.sub.F, in which the P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O) ratio is such that: 500<P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O)50 000, during step (a), from T.sub.I until a first intermediate temperature T.sub.i1 between 1000 C. and T.sub.P is reached, and P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O)500, at least during step (c), from a second intermediate temperature T.sub.i2 between T.sub.P and 1000 C., until T.sub.F is reached.

Ceramic particles for use in a solar power tower and methods for making and using the ceramic particles are disclosed. The ceramic particle can include a sintered ceramic material formed from a mixture of a ceramic raw material and a darkening component comprising MnO as Mn.sup.2+. The ceramic particle can have a size from about 8 mesh to about 170 mesh and a density of less than 4 g/cc.

Provided is a method for efficiently producing tungsten carbide from a raw material mixture comprising at least one valuable containing tungsten. The present invention relates to a method for producing tungsten carbide, comprising the steps of subjecting a raw material mixture comprising at least one valuable containing tungsten to electrolysis using an organic electrolytic solution to dissolve tungsten in the electrolytic solution; and calcining the electrolytic solution containing dissolved tungsten at a temperature of 800 C. or more to obtain tungsten carbide.

The method is for use with a substrate having a plurality of parallel channels extending therethrough. In the method, the steps comprise: filling a selected plurality of the channels with a granular material; and consolidating the granular material through heat. The selected plurality of channels is selected to produce a wall that separates the substrate into: a first portion having a first plurality of the parallel channels extending therethrough; and a second portion having a second plurality of the parallel channels extending therethrough.

The invention relates to a method for producing a raw material for the production of refractory ceramic products, a raw material produced by said method, and a raw material for producing refractory ceramic products.

The disclosure describes in some examples a technique that includes the disclosure describes a technique that includes depositing a carbon powder and a resin powder on a surface of a fiber preform, where the fiber preform includes a plurality of fibers and defines interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers, and vibrating the fiber preform to allow the carbon powder and the resin powder to infiltrate the interstitial spaces between the plurality of fibers of the fiber preform to form an infiltrated preform.

A device and method of reclaiming refractory material from a lining of a refractory includes assembling a first refractory component of the lining with a first refractory product, and assembling a second refractory component of the working lining with a second refractory product different from the first refractory product, the second refractory product including magnetic material dispersed therein. Upon the lining reaching a service life, the lining is demolished to produce a mixture of the first refractory component pieces and the second refractory component pieces. Magnetic separation is performed on the mixture to separate the second refractory component pieces from the first refractory component pieces.