A method for manufacturing a C/C part includes fabricating an oxidized PAN fiber preform comprising a stack of sheets of multi-axial, non-crimp, OPF fabric. The method includes positioning the oxidized PAN fiber preform with a female forming tool, the female forming tool comprising a die recess, and forming the oxidized PAN fiber preform into a shaped body. The shaped body is removed from the female forming tool and moved into a graphite fixture for carbonization. The carbonized shaped body may also be densified into the final C/C part. The carbonized shaped body can also be placed in a perforated graphite fixture for densification and removed from the perforated graphite fixture between densification processes for machining and for facilitating further densification.

A shape forming tool for pre-carbonization compression of a fibrous preform is provided, comprising a female forming tool, a first plug, a second plug, and a wedge, each configured to be received by a die recess of the female forming tool. A first tapered surface of the wedge is configured to engage the first plug and the second tapered surface of the wedge is configured to engage the second plug. In response to the first tapered surface of the wedge engaging the first plug and the second tapered surface of the wedge engaging the second plug, the first plug and the second plug, respectively, are configured to move laterally towards opposing sides of the female forming tool and/or vertically toward a bottom side of the female forming tool to compress the fibrous preform into a shaped body.

A single stage OPF-to-carbon preform shape forming method includes positioning an oxidized PAN fiber preform with a female forming tool, positioning a vacuum bag over the oxidized PAN fiber preform, and vacuum forming the oxidized PAN fiber preform into a shaped body. The vacuum formed shaped body (while still in the shape forming fixture) may be loaded into a carbonization furnace and carbonized. The vacuum bag may be burned away in the carbonization furnace during carbonization.

A ferrite sintered magnet 100 comprises M-type ferrite crystal grains 4 having a hexagonal crystal structure, two-crystal grain boundaries 6a formed between two of the M-type ferrite crystal grains 4, and multiple-crystal grain boundaries 6b surrounded by three or more of the M-type ferrite crystal grains 4. This ferrite sintered magnet 100 contains at least Fe, Ca, B, and Si, and contains B in an amount of 0.005 to 0.9 mass % in terms of B.sub.2O.sub.3, the two-crystal grain boundaries 6a and the multiple-crystal grain boundaries 6b contain Si and Ca, and in a cross-section parallel to a c-axis of the ferrite sintered magnet, when the number of multiple-crystal grain boundaries having a maximum length of 0.088 or more and less than 0.49 μm per cross-sectional area of 76 μm.sup.2 is P, P is 8 or more.

A green ceramic composition comprising (i) ceramic particles, (ii) a synthetic polymeric binder, the synthetic polymeric binder having (a) monomeric units deriving from a soft monomer, (b) monomeric units deriving from a hard non-acidic monomer, (c) monomeric units deriving from an acidic monomer, and (d) monomeric units deriving from a hydroxy-functionalized monomer, and (iii) water.

A method of manufacturing ceramic composite material comprises forming a combination of flowable metal oxide precursor (102), which is water-insoluble, and electroceramic powder (104) for covering surfaces of the electroceramic particles (500) with the metal oxide precursor (102), the electroceramic powder (104). A major fraction of the particles (500) has particle diameters within a range 50 μm to 200 μm, and a minor fraction of the particles has diameters smaller than the lower limit of said range, the major fraction having a variety of particle diameters. Then pressure 100 MPa to 500 MPa is applied to said combination, and said combination is exposed, under the pressure, to a heat treatment, which has a maximum temperature within 100° C. to 500° C. for a predefined period for forming the ceramic composite material.

A polycrystalline super hard construction comprises a body of polycrystalline super hard material and a substrate bonded to the body along an interface. The substrate a first end surface forming the interface, the first end surface comprising a projection extending from the body of the substrate into the body of super hard material towards the cutting face, the body of polycrystalline material extending around the projection. The body of polycrystalline material comprises a first region more thermally stable than a second region, the first region comprising an annular portion located around the projection, the second region extending between and bonding the first region to the substrate. The first region has a thickness from the cutting face along the peripheral side edge to the interface of at least around 3 mm and a portion of the projection has a thickness measured in a plane extending along the longitudinal axis of at least around 3 mm.

A method includes molding a raw material powder containing a ceramic powder and a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature higher than room temperature into a shape by isostatic pressing and in which a raw material powder slurry is prepared by adding the ceramic powder and the thermoplastic resin to a solvent so that the thermoplastic resin is 2% by weight or more and 40% by weight or less with respect to a total weight of the ceramic powder and the thermoplastic resin, a cast-molded body is to formed by wet-casting the raw material powder slurry into a shape, dried, and subjected to first-stage isostatic press molding at a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin, then this first-stage press-molded body is heated to the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin or above, and warm isostatic press (WIP) molding is performed.

A ceramic powder for a ceramic component, in particular based on zirconia and/or alumina, in particular for a timepiece or jewelry piece. The powder includes at least one noble metal among platinum, rhodium, osmium, palladium, ruthenium and iridium, at a quantity of less than or equal to 5% by weight.

Provided are pre-sintered and sintered zirconia dental ceramic materials. The materials have a gradient in yttria content. The materials may have a gradient in one or more physical/mechanical property and/or one or more optical property. The materials may be made by mixing at least two zirconia ceramic powders having different yttria content. A sintered zirconia dental ceramic material may be in the form of a dental article.