A method for producing microencapsulated fuel pebble fuel more rapidly and with a matrix that engenders added safety attributes. The method includes coating fuel particles with ceramic powder; placing the coated fuel particles in a first die; applying a first current and a first pressure to the first die so as to form a fuel pebble by direct current sintering. The method may further include removing the fuel pebble from the first die and placing the fuel pebble within a bed of non-fueled matrix ceramic in a second die; and applying a second current and a second pressure to the second die so as to form a composite fuel pebble.

Provided is a SiC-coated carbon composite material including a graphite base material and a CVD-SiC coating covering the graphite base material. A porosity of a core part of the graphite base material is 12 to 20%, and a SiC-infiltrated layer extending from the CVD-SiC coating is included in a periphery of the core part of the graphite base material. The SiC-infiltrated layer is constituted of a plurality of regions arranged such that Si content becomes smaller stepwise in an order from a first surface on the CVD-SiC coating side toward a second surface on the graphite base material side.

A composite polycrystal contains polycrystalline diamond formed of diamond grains that are directly bonded mutually, and compressed graphite dispersed in the polycrystalline diamond.

The present invention discloses an artificial graphite flake manufacturing method, which uses the PI (polyimide) films as the material; via a stacking step, a first heating step and a second heating step, the PI films are processed to form the artificial graphite flakes so as to increase the lubrication and the hardness, improve the heat conduction for balancing temperature increase and better the smoothness; in addition, via a perforation step, a hole structure is formed on the artificial graphite flakes so as to increase the heat diffusion area and the air permeability of the artificial graphite flakes, and then increase the defect-free rate and the smoothness thereof.

A SiC based sinterable powder mixture comprising, by dried weight of said powder: a) a mineral content comprising—silicon carbide (SiC) particles, —mineral boron compound particles, the powder comprising at least 50% by weight of SiC and the total mineral content of the powder being at least 90% by weight, b) at least a water insoluble carbon-containing source, in particular a carbon containing resin, the powder comprising at least 1% by weight, and preferably less than 10% by weight, of said water insoluble carbon-containing source, wherein the average particle size of said sinterable powder is comprised between 0.5 to 2.0 micrometers.

Polymer-derived, graphene reinforced ceramic matrix composites and processes for producing graphene-ceramic ceramic matrix composites are provided. An example process mechanically delaminates graphite mixed in a thermosettable, liquid preceramic polymer through a mechanical, high shear process to generate a composition of a preceramic polymer in which graphene is homogeneously dispersed. This example process does not require high temperatures and pressures to produce the graphene. The resulting composition can be pyrolytically converted to a graphene-reinforced ceramic matrix composite. A polysilazane can be used as the preceramic polymer, in some cases providing ammonia or an amine in the process to facilitate delamination of the graphite to graphene. Ceramic, metal, mineral or carbon particulates, platelets, or fibers may be added to the composition to impart enhanced mechanical and/or electrical properties to the finished graphene-reinforced ceramic matrix composites.

The nonaqueous electrolyte energy storage device according to an aspect of the present invention includes a negative electrode including graphite and graphitizable carbon, in which a ratio of a mass of the graphitizable carbon to a total mass of the graphite and the graphitizable carbon is less than 26% by mass, and a median diameter of the graphitizable carbon is smaller than a median diameter of the graphite.

A method of making a ceramic composite component includes providing a fibrous preform or a plurality of fibers, providing a first plurality of particles, coating the first plurality of particles with a coating to produce a first plurality of coated particles, delivering the first plurality of coated particles to the fibrous preform or to an outer surface of the plurality of fibers, and converting the first plurality of coated particles into refractory compounds. The first plurality of particles or the coating comprises a refractory metal.

A method of separating a mixture of used refractory components of different chemistry types obtained from a demolished refractory includes hydrating the mixture of refractory components to destructively hydrate at least some components of the mixture of refractory components, and separating, based on size, the at least some components from other components of the mixture of refractory components.

A ceramic composite and a method of preparing the same are provided. The method of preparing the ceramic composite includes mixing an aluminum slag and a carbon accelerator to obtain a mixture and reacting the mixture at a temperature equal to or greater than 1600° C. in a nitrogen atmosphere to obtain a ceramic composite. The aluminum slag includes aluminum, oxygen, nitrogen, and magnesium. The weight ratio of the oxygen to the aluminum is 0.6 to 2. The weight ratio of the nitrogen to the aluminum is 0.1 to 1.2. The weight ratio of the magnesium to the aluminum is 0.04 to 0.2. The ceramic composite includes aluminum nitride accounting for at least 90 wt % of the ceramic composite.