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.

A wavelength converter 100 includes: a first phosphor 1 composed of an inorganic phosphor activated by Ce.sup.3+; and a second phosphor 2 composed of an inorganic phosphor activated by Ce.sup.3+ and different from the first phosphor. At least one of the first phosphor and the second phosphor is particulate. The first phosphor and the second phosphor are bonded to each other by at least one of a chemical reaction in a contact portion between the compound that constitutes the first phosphor and a compound that constitutes the second phosphor and of adhesion between the compound that constitutes the first phosphor and the compound that constitutes the second phosphor.

Provided is a dielectric ceramic composition comprising a main component of forsterite and calcium strontium titanate. A content ratio of forsterite in the main component is from 84.0 to 92.5 parts by mole, and a content ratio of calcium strontium titanate is from 7.5 to 16.0 parts by mole. (Sr+Ca)/Ti in the calcium strontium titanate is from 1.03 to 1.20 in terms of a molar ratio. With respect to a total of 100 parts by mass of the main component and a subcomponent except for Li-containing glass, from 2 to 10 parts by mass of Li-containing glass is added. The Li-containing glass includes Al.sub.2O.sub.3 in an amount of from 1% by mass to 10% by mass.

In a manufacturing method for manufacturing a dispersion body, a plurality of types of solid particles, water, and a liquid other than water are mixed. The solid particles and the liquid are selected such that Hansen spheres of at least two types of the solid particles and a Hansen sphere of at least one type of the liquid mutually overlap, and a Hansen solubility parameter distance to water of at least one type of the solid particles of which the Hansen spheres overlap that of the liquid is greatest among all solid particles used in manufacturing of the dispersion body, and used to manufacture the dispersion body.

A multilayer coil component that includes a multilayer body in which a plurality of insulating layers are stacked in a stacking direction and a coil inside the multilayer body, and outer electrodes that are on surfaces of the multilayer body and are electrically connected to the coil. The insulating layers include a spinel-structure ferrite phase and a ZnFe(BO.sub.3)O-type crystalline phase.

A method for producing a honeycomb structure, the method comprising the steps of: kneading a forming raw material containing a cordierite forming material and then forming it to produce a honeycomb formed body; and firing the honeycomb formed body to provide a honeycomb structure. In the producing method, from 0.1 to 6.0 parts by mass of a magnesium silicate mineral having a 2:1 ribbon type structure per 100 parts by mass of the cordierite forming material is added to the forming raw material.

Aluminum titanate-containing particles made up of a conglomerate of multiple partial grains. The aluminum titanate-containing particles are formed by breaking apart ceramic bodies along cracks, which are formed predominantly through the grains, rather than between the grains. Batch mixtures forming the aluminum titanate-containing particles, as well as batch mixtures utilizing the aluminum titanate particles are disclosed. Green bodies, such as green honeycomb bodies having peak intensity ratios (PIRs) in an axial direction of less than or equal to 0.50, ceramic honeycomb bodies, methods of manufacturing green honeycomb bodies, and ceramic honeycomb bodies are provided, as are other aspects.

Provided are a method for preparing a gel composite material with a piezoelectric property, and the gel composite material and use thereof, which belongs to the field of intelligent road traffic. In the method, titanium-containing blast furnace slag and metal oxides (PbO and ZrO.sub.2) are sufficiently and uniformly mixed, an obtained mixture is calcined under a certain thermal system, on the theoretical basis of mineral-phase reconstruction-synergistic regulation of all valuable components, and the mixture is cooled to a room temperature with a furnace to obtain the gel composite material with a piezoelectric property.

Disclosed are composite materials comprising a porous, carbonated, calcium silicate ceramic having a microstructure comprising interconnected open pores; where the calcium silicate surface defining the pores is partially or completely coated with an amorphous silica layer, and the silica coating comprises an overlayer of calcium carbonate crystals; where the silica coating and calcium carbonate overlayer form a network that interconnects throughout the ceramic microstructure, but do not completely occlude the pores. Also disclosed are methods of forming such composite materials.

Provided is an inorganic structure including a plurality of inorganic particles; and a binding part that covers a surface of each of the inorganic particles and binds the inorganic particles together, wherein the binding part contains: an amorphous compound containing silicon, oxygen, and one or more metallic elements; and fine particles having an average particle size of 100 nm or less. Also provided is a method for producing an inorganic structure including: a step for obtaining a mixture by mixing a plurality of inorganic particles, a plurality of amorphous silicon dioxide particles, and an aqueous solution containing a metallic element; and a step for pressurizing and heating the mixture under conditions of a pressure of 10 to 600 MPa and a temperature of 50 to 300° C.