A method to provide compressive stress to substrates includes depositing a film on a ceramic substrate at a deposition temperature (Td) to form an article, the film having a difference relative to the ceramic substrate at Td in a coefficient thermal expansion (CTE) of at least 1.010.sup.6/K and a difference in a refractive index >0.10. At least a portion of the thickness the film is converted in at least one of composition, phase and microstructure by lowering or raising the temperature from Td to reach a changed temperature (Tc) that is at least 100 C. different from Td. The film converting conditions result in the converted film portion providing a difference in refractive index at the Tc between the converted film and the ceramic substrate of |0.10|. The temperature of the article is then lowered to room temperature.

The invention relates to a process of producing a dental zirconia restoration, the dental zirconia restoration having an outer and an inner surface, the process comprising the step of firing a porous dental zirconia restoration and a glass until the porous dental zirconia restoration is sintered, the glass being located during the firing step on at least a portion of the outer surface of the porous dental zirconia restoration, wherein the zirconia material of the porous dental zirconia restoration and the glass are selected such that during the firing step the glass infiltrates the pores of the porous dental zirconia restoration to an extent of not more than 5 ?m in depth. The invention also relates to a sintered dental zirconia restoration obtainable by such a process and a kit of parts comprising a porous dental zirconia mill blank and a surface treating agent containing a glass for use in such a process.

An article that includes: a substrate comprising a glass, glass-ceramic or a ceramic composition and a primary surface; and a protective film disposed on the primary surface. Each of the substrate and the film comprises an optical transmittance of 20% or more in the visible spectrum. Further, the protective film comprises a hardness of greater than 10 GPa, as measured by a Berkovich nanoindenter, and a strain-to-failure of greater than 0.8%, as measured by a ring-on-ring test.

A fireproof, translucent, flexible coated fabric composite material 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.

The method comprises at least the following steps: exposing a substrate to focused laser irradiation at a preselected series of locations that trace a subset of the substrate volume that is connected to the surface of the substrate; some subsets of substrate volume not connected to the surface of the substrate may also be exposed at the same time for other purposes, for instance, so that they can be used as waveguides or other optical elements or for another subsequent etching step; removing the substrate material from the exposed preselected series of locations to create within the substrate at least one cavity that is connected to the surface of the substrate; immersing the cavity-containing substrate in an appropriate atmosphere such as a selected gas or vacuum and, within this atmosphere, contacting the substrate surface with the molten castable material surface at locations where the cavity or cavities emerges from the substrate; applying pressure to the castable material to cause it to infiltrate the substrate cavities; and solidifying the castable material within the cavities.

A fireproof, translucent, flexible coated fabric composite material 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.

A ceramic and polymer composite including: a first continuous phase comprising a sintered porous ceramic having a solid volume of from 50 to 85 vol % and a porosity or a porous void space of from 50 to 15 vol %, based on the total volume of the composite; and a second continuous polymer phase situated in the porous void space of the sintered porous ceramic. Also disclosed is a composite article, a method of making the composite, and a method of using the composite.

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.

A doped substrate having a substrate comprising at least one of a glass material, a single crystal material, a poly-crystalline material, a ceramic material, or a semiconductor material. The doped substrate includes a dopant comprising one or more transition metals, one or more rare earth elements, or a combination of both, the doped substrate characterized in that a spectral laser output of the doped substrate exhibits a nominally single frequency having a linewidth less than about 5 nm.

A solid composite material (16) combining: an inorganic pigment (10) in the form of discrete particles each comprising a colored core and a coating adapted to allow light to pass through; and a matrix (12) based on metalloid or metal oxide, said matrix being adapted to allow light to pass through.