Insulating ceramic panels and methods of forming insulating ceramic panels are disclosed herein. The insulating ceramic panels include a plurality of hollow particles and an oxide binder. The plurality of hollow particles are formed from a hollow particle material that includes a metal oxide. The plurality of hollow particles defines an average equivalent particle diameter of at least 10 micrometers (μm) and at most 500 μm. In addition, the plurality of hollow particles defines an average wall thickness that is at least 3% and at most 30% of the average equivalent particle diameter. The oxide binder material attaches each hollow particle to at least one other hollow particle and differs from the hollow particle material. The insulating ceramic panels define a particle-enclosed void volume fraction, which is enclosed within the plurality of hollow particles, and an interstitial void volume fraction, which is defined within an interstitial space among the plurality of hollow particles.

Silicon particles for active materials and electro-chemical cells are provided. The active materials comprising silicon particles described herein can be utilized as an electrode material for a battery. In certain embodiments, the composite material includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of silicon particles. The silicon particles have an average particle size between about 0.1 μm and about 30 μm and a surface including nanometer-sized features. The composite material also includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of one or more types of carbon phases. At least one of the one or more types of carbon phases is a substantially continuous phase.

Silicon particles for active materials and electro-chemical cells are provided. The active materials comprising silicon particles described herein can be utilized as an electrode material for a battery. In certain embodiments, the composite material includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of silicon particles. The silicon particles have an average particle size between about 0.1 μm and about 30 μm and a surface including nanometer-sized features. The composite material also includes greater than 0% and less than about 90% by weight of one or more types of carbon phases. At least one of the one or more types of carbon phases is a substantially continuous phase.

Provided are metal oxide ceramic materials and intermediate materials thereof (e.g., nanozirconia gels, nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles). The nanozirconia gels are formable gels. Also provided are methods of making and using the metal oxide materials and intermediate materials. The nanozirconia gels can be made using, for example, osmotic processing. The nanozirconia gels can be used to make nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental article. The nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles have desirable properties (e.g., optical properties and mechanical properties).

Provided are metal oxide ceramic materials and intermediate materials thereof (e.g., nanozirconia gels, nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles). The nanozirconia gels are formable gels. Also provided are methods of making and using the metal oxide materials and intermediate materials. The nanozirconia gels can be made using, for example, osmotic processing. The nanozirconia gels can be used to make nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental article. The nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles have desirable properties (e.g., optical properties and mechanical properties).

The present disclosure provides a high-entropy rare earth-toughened tantalate ceramic. The ceramic is prepared by sintering Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 powder and x types of different RE.sub.2O.sub.3 powder, 4≤x≤9, and the molar ratio of the RE.sub.2O.sub.3 powders is 1. RE.sub.2O.sub.3 powder and Ta.sub.2O.sub.5 powder having the molar ratio of RE to Ta being 1:1 are weighed, a solvent is added for mixing, and ball milling is performed by a ball mill to obtain mixed powder M; the powder M is dried at a temperature of 650-850° C. for 1.5-2 h to obtain dried powder; the powder is sieved to obtain powder N, the powder N is placed in a mold for first pressing to obtain a rough blank, and the rough blank is then pressed for the second time to obtain a compact blank; the compact blank is sintered to obtain the high-entropy rare earth-toughened tantalate ceramic.

The present disclosure relates to the manufacture of ceramic products by aqueous gelcasting. Exemplary ceramic products include sanitary ware, such as toilets and sinks. The process includes a slurrying step, a mixing step, a molding step involving aqueous gelcasting, a drying step, a glazing step, and a firing step.

A preparation method for improving light efficiency and stability of light storing ceramics is provided. Calcium ethanol solution is added into titanium precursor solution firstly and oleic acid dispersant is added, pure water and the light storing powder are subsequently added to obtain a light-storing powder-calcium titanate gel, and dried, crushed and sieved to obtain xerogel powder. Glass matrix material, sieved xerogel powder and another dispersant are placed into a granulator, and directly mechanically stirred and granulated after adding pure water. A plasticizer is added after stirring 4˜8 h, and continuously stirred for 1˜3 h to obtain a mixture, pressing, drying and firing. Calcium titanate is manually introduced to protect the light-storing powder from hydrolysis or high-temperature oxidation. It can also change the propagation path of fluorescence inside ceramics, improve light absorption and fluorescence output efficiency and is conducive to ceramic molding.

A multicolor light-storing ceramic for fire-protection indication and a preparation method thereof are provided. The preparation method includes: adding a glass based raw material, a light-storing powder, a dispersant and an alumina powder into a granulator, adding water mixed with a pore-forming agent and then mechanically stirring for granulation; adding a plasticizer after the stirring of 4˜8 h, and continuing the stirring for 1˜3 h to thereby obtain a mixture; packing the mixture into a mold and performing tableting; demolding and obtaining a light-storing self-luminous quartz ceramic by drying and firing using a kiln; printing a pattern onto a surface of the ceramic and then curing to obtain a light-storing ceramic for indication sign. Using an industrial waste glass has advantages of low sintering temperature and green environmental protection; dispersed pores and alumina introduced as scattering sources improves light absorption efficiency, fluorescence output phase ratio and light transmission of the ceramic.

A method for establishing a personalized investment portfolio comprising the steps of starting from a client's investor behavior and experience establishing a client profile based on questions regarding the client's behavior of daily life and investment approach and experience to provide a behavioral profile; constructing a computer program model to determine optimal asset class allocation for each client profile covering a wide range of assets, including real estate, insurance, arts and traditional financial asset classes as a holistic asset allocation; and establishing a model of a personalized ranking of financial investment products for a client investor, based on product characteristics and investor profile with a best fit investment program.