A method of making a glass-ceramic article includes synthesizing a feedstock gel that includes a base oxide network comprising Na.sub.2O, CaO, and SiO.sub.2, in which a molar ratio of Na.sub.2O:CaO:SiO.sub.2 in the gel is 1:2:3, and then converting the feedstock gel into a glass-ceramic article such as a container or a partially-formed container. The conversion of the feedstock gel into a glass-ceramic container may be performed at a temperature that does not exceed 900° C. and may include the steps of pressing the feedstock gel into a compressed solid green-body, sintering the green-body into a solid monolithic body of a glass-ceramic material, deforming the solid monolithic glass-ceramic body into a glass-ceramic preform, and cooling the preform. A glass-ceramic article having a glass-ceramic material that has a molar ratio of Na.sub.2O:CaO:SiO.sub.2 that is 1:2:3 is also disclosed.

A material useful as a proppant comprises a core chemically reacted in situ from coal dust and a polymer derived ceramic material, such that at least a portion of the coal dust is chemically converted to a ceramic, nanoparticles, graphene, nanofibers or combinations of any of these.

PDC resins are mixed with various sources of carbon to form electrodes through pyrolysis of the mixture of PDC resins and coal dust derived materials with or without other sources of carbon, substrates and the like. For example, a PDC resin-coal dust mixture produces a material for use as an anode in lithium ion batteries and supercapacitors when pyrolyzed to form a porous, electrically conductive ceramic composite.

The present invention relates to investment casting moulds comprising a furnace dust, wherein said furnace dust comprises ZrO.sub.2 and/or Al.sub.2O.sub.3. The present invention also relates to investment casting moulds comprising a metal oxide dust comprising ZrO.sub.2 and one or more materials selected from alumina, silica and aluminosilicate, and wherein said metal oxide dust has a d.sub.50 of 10 μm or less. The invention also relates to compositions for the production of investment casting moulds, the use of dusts in the formation of investment casting moulds, and the use of investment casting moulds of the invention.

The present patent document refers to the products and processes of Ceramic Proppant production from iron ore and/or sterile from its exploitation and/or tailings from its beneficiation, and/or fine and ultra-fine particles from other sources with similar properties, by agglomeration of these materials, and subsequent heat treatment, resulting from the combination of different technologies, previously used for other purposes, capable of obtaining a ceramic material, transforming the materials, including waste and sterile from other processes, into high value products, and reducing the impact of mining activity, with the best use of mineral resources.

In the future, this practice may allow for the reduction of waste and tailings disposal in new dams and piles, as well as the resumption of structures such as piles and old dams.

A recycled aluminium silicate material, suitable for use in ceramic article production, wherein the recycled aluminium silicate material has a particle size distribution such that: (i) the d.sub.50 particle size is from 10 μm to 30 μm; (ii) the d.sub.70 particle size is less than 40 μm; and (iii) the d.sub.98 particle size is less than 60 μm. A particulate mixture, suitable for use in ceramic article production, includes the above defined recycled aluminium silicate material.

A particulate mixture, suitable for use in ceramic article production, wherein the mixture includes from 30 wt % to 80 wt % recycled aluminium silicate material. The particulate mixture has a particle size distribution such that: (i) the d.sub.50 particle size is from 10 μm to 30 μm; (ii) the d.sub.70 particle size is less than 40 μm; and (iii) the d.sub.98 particle size is less than 60 μm.

A process for the production of a ceramic article includes the steps of: (a) preparing a particulate mixture; (b) contacting the particulate mixture to water to form a humidified mixture; (c) pressing the humidified mixture to form a green article; (d) optionally, subjecting the green article to an initial drying step; (e) optionally, glazing the green article to form a glazed green article; (f) subjecting the green article to a heat treatment step to form a hot fused article; and (g) cooling the hot fused article to form a glazed ceramic article. The particulate mixture includes from 30 wt % to 80 wt % recycled aluminium silicate material. The particulate mixture has: (i) a d.sub.50 particle size from 10 μm to 30 μm; (ii) a d.sub.70 particle size of less than 40 μm; and (iii) a d.sub.98 particle size of less than 60 μm. Steps (c) and (f), and optionally steps (d) and (e) are continuous process steps.

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 method for producing a three-dimensional object, the method including: disposing powder; disposing fibers; and applying liquid for binding the powder and the fibers to at least one selected from the group consisting of the powder and the fibers.