The present invention relates to the use of closed-pore microspheres of expanded perlite as a filler for producing moldings for the foundry industry, to a composition for producing moldings for the foundry industry, comprising closed-pore microspheres of expanded perlite as a filler, and a binder, the binder being selected from the group consisting of water glass, phenol-formaldehyde resins, two-component systems comprising as reactants a polyisocyanate and a polyol component containing free hydroxyl groups (OH groups), and starch, and also to moldings for the foundry industry and to a process for producing a molding for the foundry industry.

TA geopolymer foam having: from 50% to 90% by mass of pozzolanic material polymerized relative to a total mass of the foam; from 0.01% to 2%, by mass of the at least one surfactant relative to the total mass of said foam; and from 1% to 20% by mass of fibers with lengths of between 5 and 1500 μm relative to the total mass of said foam. A process and a composition for manufacturing the foam, as well applications of the foam, are also disclosed.

Finally, the invention relates to a kit comprising said composition for the manufacture of said foam, as well as a pozzolanic material.

TA geopolymer foam having: from 50% to 90% by mass of pozzolanic material polymerized relative to a total mass of the foam; from 0.01% to 2%, by mass of the at least one surfactant relative to the total mass of said foam; and from 1% to 20% by mass of fibers with lengths of between 5 and 1500 μm relative to the total mass of said foam. A process and a composition for manufacturing the foam, as well applications of the foam, are also disclosed.

Finally, the invention relates to a kit comprising said composition for the manufacture of said foam, as well as a pozzolanic material.

A filter for the filtration of a fluid, such as a liquid, includes or is constituted by a support element made from a porous ceramic material, at least a portion of the surface of the support element being covered with a porous membrane separating layer, the membrane separating layer being constituted essentially of silicon carbide (SiC), its porosity being between 10% and 70% by volume, the median diameter of its pores being between 50 nanometers and 500 nanometers, its mean thickness being between 1 micrometer and 30 micrometers, and its tortuosity being less than 1.7.

Materials that seamlessly transition from opaque to transparent or translucent, such as advanced geopolymer-based ceramics to glass structures, which can be directly and seamlessly bonded without the use of an intermediate adhesive or use of a frame are disclosed. That is, a GP-based ceramic to glass structure can be bonded directly and seamlessly and without any mechanical joints, connective tissue or adhesives such as caulking or epoxy. Such ceramic to glass materials can be prepared by sintering an engineered geopolymer with glass to form the geopolymer-based advanced ceramic-glass structure in which the interface is visually abruptly or in which the material is a graded composition with a controlled transition from one material to the other.

Materials that seamlessly transition from opaque to transparent or translucent, such as advanced geopolymer-based ceramics to glass structures, which can be directly and seamlessly bonded without the use of an intermediate adhesive or use of a frame are disclosed. That is, a GP-based ceramic to glass structure can be bonded directly and seamlessly and without any mechanical joints, connective tissue or adhesives such as caulking or epoxy. Such ceramic to glass materials can be prepared by sintering an engineered geopolymer with glass to form the geopolymer-based advanced ceramic-glass structure in which the interface is visually abruptly or in which the material is a graded composition with a controlled transition from one material to the other.

Porous ceramics that meet the demand for bone substitute materials and the like are provided. Solution is provided by porous ceramics and a method for producing the porous ceramics, which are ceramics having pores, the pores including open pores and closed pores, the open pores including a plurality of large-diameter open pores having a pore size within a range of 20 to 600 μm and a plurality of micro-diameter open pores having a pore size within a range of 1.0 μm or smaller, wherein the large-diameter open pores are distributed substantially uniformly all over the ceramics.

Porous ceramics that meet the demand for bone substitute materials and the like are provided. Solution is provided by porous ceramics and a method for producing the porous ceramics, which are ceramics having pores, the pores including open pores and closed pores, the open pores including a plurality of large-diameter open pores having a pore size within a range of 20 to 600 μm and a plurality of micro-diameter open pores having a pore size within a range of 1.0 μm or smaller, wherein the large-diameter open pores are distributed substantially uniformly all over the ceramics.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for synthesis of polymer derived ceramic materials, including silicon oxycarbide comprising silicon metal. In some embodiments, the silicon metal is formed by carbothermal reduction during thermal processing. In some embodiments, the thermal processing comprises microwave plasma processing. In some embodiments, the silicon metal forms nanodomains within a structure of the silicon oxycarbide ceramic material.

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for synthesis of polymer derived ceramic materials, including silicon oxycarbide comprising silicon metal. In some embodiments, the silicon metal is formed by carbothermal reduction during thermal processing. In some embodiments, the thermal processing comprises microwave plasma processing. In some embodiments, the silicon metal forms nanodomains within a structure of the silicon oxycarbide ceramic material.