The disclosure relates to tiles or slabs comprising a fired ceramic material which has a chemical composition with a particular combination of oxides; to a method for the manufacture of said tiles or slabs; and to the use thereof for construction or decoration applications.

According to one embodiment, a glass may include from about 50 mol. % to about 70 mol. % SiO.sub.2; from about 12 mol. % to about 35 mol. % B.sub.2O.sub.3; from about 4 mol. % to about 12 mol. % Al.sub.2O.sub.3; greater than 0 mol. % and less than or equal to 1 mol. % alkali metal oxide, wherein Li.sub.2O is greater than or equal to about 20% of the alkali metal oxide; from about 0.3 mol. % to about 0.7 mol. % of Na.sub.2O or Li.sub.2O; and greater than 0 mol. % and less than 12 mol. % of total divalent oxide, wherein the total divalent oxide includes at least one of CaO, MgO and SrO, and wherein a ratio of Li.sub.2O (mol. %) to (Li.sub.2O (mol. %)+(Na.sub.2O (mol. %)) is greater than or equal 0.4 and less than or equal to 0.6. The glass may have a relatively low high temperature resistivity and a relatively high low temperature resistivity.

According to one embodiment, a glass may include from about 50 mol. % to about 70 mol. % SiO.sub.2; from about 12 mol. % to about 35 mol. % B.sub.2O.sub.3; from about 4 mol. % to about 12 mol. % Al.sub.2O.sub.3; greater than 0 mol. % and less than or equal to 1 mol. % alkali metal oxide, wherein Li.sub.2O is greater than or equal to about 20% of the alkali metal oxide; from about 0.3 mol. % to about 0.7 mol. % of Na.sub.2O or Li.sub.2O; and greater than 0 mol. % and less than 12 mol. % of total divalent oxide, wherein the total divalent oxide includes at least one of CaO, MgO and SrO, and wherein a ratio of Li.sub.2O (mol. %) to (Li.sub.2O (mol. %)+(Na.sub.2O (mol. %)) is greater than or equal 0.4 and less than or equal to 0.6. The glass may have a relatively low high temperature resistivity and a relatively high low temperature resistivity.

Lithium silicate-diopside glass ceramics are described which are characterized by a controllable translucence and can be satisfactorily processed mechanically and therefore can be used in particular as restoration material in dentistry.

Lithium silicate-diopside glass ceramics are described which are characterized by a controllable translucence and can be satisfactorily processed mechanically and therefore can be used in particular as restoration material in dentistry.

A method of modifying glass frit involves treating the frit with a grain-boundary-healing compound. The method increases transmission and clarity, and reduces haze of a fired enamel coating made from such modified glass frit as compared to a coating not made from such modified glass frit. The grain-boundary-healing compound influences the chemistry at the grain boundaries to prevent haze. The compound burns out to yield a fluxing material that dissolves alkaline carbonates or bicarbonates on the surface of the glass frit. The dissolved species are incorporated into the enamel coating, thereby promoting the fusion of the glass frit and reducing the amount of haze in the enamel coating. The additives also function to prevent the formation of seed crystals on the surface of the glass frit that may inhibit the fusion of the glass frit.

A method of modifying glass frit involves treating the frit with a grain-boundary-healing compound. The method increases transmission and clarity, and reduces haze of a fired enamel coating made from such modified glass frit as compared to a coating not made from such modified glass frit. The grain-boundary-healing compound influences the chemistry at the grain boundaries to prevent haze. The compound burns out to yield a fluxing material that dissolves alkaline carbonates or bicarbonates on the surface of the glass frit. The dissolved species are incorporated into the enamel coating, thereby promoting the fusion of the glass frit and reducing the amount of haze in the enamel coating. The additives also function to prevent the formation of seed crystals on the surface of the glass frit that may inhibit the fusion of the glass frit.

Disclosed herein are floor tiles comprising, for instance, a substrate and a surface coating provided on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the surface coating comprises (i) a base formula comprising a glaze and (ii) solid particles comprising tabular alumina.

Disclosed herein are floor tiles comprising, for instance, a substrate and a surface coating provided on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the surface coating comprises (i) a base formula comprising a glaze and (ii) solid particles comprising tabular alumina.

The present invention relates generally to silicate-based coatings and to methods to make and apply same. In one embodiment, the silicate-coatings of the present invention are formed from a two part mixture of phosphate-based component and a glass-based component. In another embodiment, the silicate-based coatings of the present invention are free from any organic materials.