A solid composite material combining: an inorganic pigment in the form of discrete particles each comprising a colored core and a coating adapted to allow light to pass through and a matrix based on metalloid or metal oxide, said matrix being adapted to allow light to pass through.

Known cylindrical sputtering targets comprise a substrate and a target material that forms a layer on the substrate, said layer has a thickness d, wherein the target material comprises TiOx as the main component, and x is within a range of 1<x<2. Starting therefrom and in order to provide large-sized cylindrical sputtering targets with a thick target layer comprising sub-stoichiometric TiO.sub.2 it is proposed that x is within a range of 1.45<x<1.7 that allows a target layer thickness d which is larger than 10 mm.

An optical system includes a housing, an imaging device housed within the housing, and a window in the housing providing an optical path through the housing to the imaging device. The window includes a transparent substrate and a coating over the transparent substrate. The coating is made of an electrically conductive semiconductor. The imaging device is sensitive to and the coating is transparent to at least one of MWIR and/or LWIR wavelengths.

Fiber reinforced aerogel composites, including a transparent composite material that contains an aerogel and fibers embedded into the aerogel and/or bonded to one or more surfaces of the aerogel, and composites that contain an aerogel tile and an assemblage of fibers embedded into the aerogel tile or bonded to the aerogel tile that are useful as Cherenkov radiators for the detection and identification of subatomic particles. Also, methods of making and using the composites.

Fiber reinforced aerogel composites, including a transparent composite material that contains an aerogel and fibers embedded into the aerogel and/or bonded to one or more surfaces of the aerogel, and composites that contain an aerogel tile and an assemblage of fibers embedded into the aerogel tile or bonded to the aerogel tile that are useful as Cherenkov radiators for the detection and identification of subatomic particles. Also, methods of making and using the composites.

A method for masking the appearance of a support structure underlying a highly translucent ceramic dental restoration is provided. The porous form of a zirconia ceramic dental restoration is treated with a liquid masking composition comprising 0.4 wt % to 50 wt % of one or more masking agents. The masking composition is applied to the internal surface of a restoration and a region of the facial surface of the restoration that is opposite the internal surface. After application of the masking compositions, treated zirconia restoration is sintered to greater than 98% theoretical density.

A method for producing a transparent polycrystalline ceramic includes forming at least one planar transparent region near a surface within the ceramic, wherein the at least one planar transparent region has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than other regions of the ceramic. The method further includes generating compressive stresses in the at least one planar transparent region near the surface after a thermal treatment and cooling.

An optical system includes a housing, an imaging device housed within the housing, and a window in the housing providing an optical path through the housing to the imaging device. The window includes a transparent substrate and a coating over the transparent substrate. The coating is made of an electrically conductive semiconductor. The imaging device is sensitive to and the coating is transparent to at least one of MWIR and/or LWIR wavelengths.

A fireproof, translucent, flexible coated fabric composite materials for use in fire curtains. The composite material meets or exceeds regulatory requirements in terms of fire endurance and allows transmissivity of necessary amounts of light. The process of the present disclosure combines a silica fabric with a special refractory index controlled resin. This unique combination of materials can transform an opaque high temperature fabric into a translucent, and even transparent, composite which as the ability to resist high temperature, flame and smoke penetration that fills a needed gap in technology between visibility and fire resistance in the field of fire and smoke curtains used in civil construction.

An optical component according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a translucent substrate, one or more intermediate layers stacked on at least one of an incident surface and an exit surface of the substrate, and a surface layer stacked on an outermost layer of the one or more intermediate layers, the surface layer containing diamond-like carbon as a main component. At least one intermediate layer among the one or more intermediate layers contains silicon as a main component, and the intermediate layer containing silicon as a main component has an oxygen content of 10 atomic % or less.