A cutting element may include a substrate; and an ultrahard layer on the substrate, the substrate and the ultrahard layer defining a non-planar working surface of the cutting element such that the ultrahard layer forms a cutting portion and the substrate is at least laterally adjacent to the ultrahard layer. Another cutting element includes a pointed region having a side surface extending from the pointed region outer perimeter to a peak. An ultrahard material body forms a portion of the pointed region including the peak, and a base region extends a depth from the pointed region outer perimeter. The ultrahard material body has a height to width aspect ratio with the height and width measured between two points of the body having the greatest distance apart along a dimension parallel with a longitudinal axis (i.e., height) along a dimension perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (i.e., width).

An element body has an exposed surface including a selective surface material which is to be coated with the coating material and a non-selected surface material which is not to be coated with the coating material. The selected surface material has different material properties than the non-selected surface material. The element body is coated with the coating material by applying a surface modifier only on the surface of the selected surface material and thereafter coating the surface of the selected surface material to which the surface modifier has been applied with the coating material.

An element body has an exposed surface including a selective surface material which is to be coated with the coating material and a non-selected surface material which is not to be coated with the coating material. The selected surface material has different material properties than the non-selected surface material. The element body is coated with the coating material by applying a surface modifier only on the surface of the selected surface material and thereafter coating the surface of the selected surface material to which the surface modifier has been applied with the coating material.

A mirror device includes a multi-phase substrate and a single-phase layer. The multi-phase layer is formed of reaction-bonded silicon-carbide (RB-SiC, or Si/SiC) material. The single-phase layer is formed of elemental silicon. The single-phase layer is formed in-situ, that is, contemporaneously with, the formation of RB-SiC material. The single-phase layer is integrally bonded, as one piece, to silicon of the multi-phase substrate. Methods of making a multi-layer device, such as a mirror device, are also described. One such method includes providing a porous mass of silicon carbide and carbon, causing molten elemental silicon to infiltrate the porous mass to form RB-SiC material, simultaneously causing the silicon to flow into a cavity to form a single-phase layer of polishable silicon, integrally bonding silicon in the cavity to the RB-SiC material, and, if desired, polishing a surface of the single-phase layer.

A mirror device includes a multi-phase substrate and a single-phase layer. The multi-phase layer is formed of reaction-bonded silicon-carbide (RB-SiC, or Si/SiC) material. The single-phase layer is formed of elemental silicon. The single-phase layer is formed in-situ, that is, contemporaneously with, the formation of RB-SiC material. The single-phase layer is integrally bonded, as one piece, to silicon of the multi-phase substrate. Methods of making a multi-layer device, such as a mirror device, are also described. One such method includes providing a porous mass of silicon carbide and carbon, causing molten elemental silicon to infiltrate the porous mass to form RB-SiC material, simultaneously causing the silicon to flow into a cavity to form a single-phase layer of polishable silicon, integrally bonding silicon in the cavity to the RB-SiC material, and, if desired, polishing a surface of the single-phase layer.

A method of making a sintered ceramic body comprising the steps of disposing a ceramic powder (5) inside an inner volume of a spark plasma sintering tool (1), wherein the tool comprises: a die (2) comprising a sidewall comprising inner and outer walls, wherein the inner wall has a diameter defining the inner volume; upper and lower punches (4,4′) operably coupled with the die, wherein each of the punches have an outer wall defining a diameter less than the diameter of the die inner wall, thereby creating a gap (3) between the punches and the inner wall when at least one of the punches are moved within the inner volume, and the gap is from 10 μm to 70 μm wide; creating vacuum conditions inside the inner volume; moving at least one of the punches to apply pressure to the ceramic powder while heating, and sintering; and lowering the temperature of the sintered body.

A method of making a sintered ceramic body comprising the steps of disposing a ceramic powder (5) inside an inner volume of a spark plasma sintering tool (1), wherein the tool comprises: a die (2) comprising a sidewall comprising inner and outer walls, wherein the inner wall has a diameter defining the inner volume; upper and lower punches (4,4′) operably coupled with the die, wherein each of the punches have an outer wall defining a diameter less than the diameter of the die inner wall, thereby creating a gap (3) between the punches and the inner wall when at least one of the punches are moved within the inner volume, and the gap is from 10 μm to 70 μm wide; creating vacuum conditions inside the inner volume; moving at least one of the punches to apply pressure to the ceramic powder while heating, and sintering; and lowering the temperature of the sintered body.

Disclosed herein are methods for functionalizing the surface of a biomedical implant. The biomedical implant may be a zirconia-toughened alumina implant surface functionalized with silicon nitride powder for promoting osteogenesis.

Disclosed herein are methods for functionalizing the surface of a biomedical implant. The biomedical implant may be a zirconia-toughened alumina implant surface functionalized with silicon nitride powder for promoting osteogenesis.

A method for applying a coating 1 to a surface 2 of a mullite material 3 is specified, which comprises pretreating the surface 2 of the mullite material 3 by means of a plasma-chemical process in which molecular hydrogen is excited in such a way that plasma-activated hydrogen is produced S1, and applying an aluminum oxide-containing layer 4 by means of a PVD process to the pretreated surface 2 of the mullite material 3 S2. Furthermore, a mullite material 3 with a coating and a gas turbine component with such a mullite material 3 are specified.