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.

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.

The present invention provides a silicon-silicon composite oxide-carbon composite, a method for preparing same, and a negative electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, comprising same. More particularly, the silicon-silicon composite oxide-carbon composite of the present invention has a core-shell structure wherein the core comprises silicon, a silicon oxide compound, and magnesium silicate, and the shell comprises a carbon layer. In addition, by having a specific range of span values through the adjustment of particle size distribution of the composite, when used as a negative electrode active material of a secondary battery, the composite can improve not only the capacity of the secondary battery but also the cycle characteristics and initial efficiency thereof.

The present invention provides a silicon-silicon composite oxide-carbon composite, a method for preparing same, and a negative electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery, comprising same. More particularly, the silicon-silicon composite oxide-carbon composite of the present invention has a core-shell structure wherein the core comprises silicon, a silicon oxide compound, and magnesium silicate, and the shell comprises a carbon layer. In addition, by having a specific range of span values through the adjustment of particle size distribution of the composite, when used as a negative electrode active material of a secondary battery, the composite can improve not only the capacity of the secondary battery but also the cycle characteristics and initial efficiency thereof.

A composition is generally provided that includes a silicon-containing material (e.g., silicon metal and/or a silicide) and a boron-doped refractory compound, such as about 0.001% to about 85% by volume of the boron-doped refractory compound (e.g., about 1% to about 60% by volume). In one embodiment, a bond coating on a surface of a ceramic component is generally provided with the bond coating including such a composition, with the silicon-containing material is silicon metal.

A composition is generally provided that includes a silicon-containing material (e.g., silicon metal and/or a silicide) and a boron-doped refractory compound, such as about 0.001% to about 85% by volume of the boron-doped refractory compound (e.g., about 1% to about 60% by volume). In one embodiment, a bond coating on a surface of a ceramic component is generally provided with the bond coating including such a composition, with the silicon-containing material is silicon metal.

A heat insulating material includes an aerogel that has macro-pores and meso-pores. A method for manufacturing a heat insulating material, including: a sol preparation step of adding a gelling agent into sodium silicate such that a molar ratio of the gelling agent relative to NaO.sub.2 is 0.1 to 0.75, and adjusting a sol into which macro-pores are introduced by leaving unreacted Na and non-cross-linked oxygen in a siloxane skeleton; an impregnating and gelling step of impregnating a nonwoven fabric fiber structure with the sol to form a composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber; a hydrophobizating step of mixing the formed composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber with a silylating agent to modify a surface thereof; and a drying step of removing a liquid contained in the surface modified composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber by drying under a temperature and pressure lower than respective critical values.

A heat insulating material includes an aerogel that has macro-pores and meso-pores. A method for manufacturing a heat insulating material, including: a sol preparation step of adding a gelling agent into sodium silicate such that a molar ratio of the gelling agent relative to NaO.sub.2 is 0.1 to 0.75, and adjusting a sol into which macro-pores are introduced by leaving unreacted Na and non-cross-linked oxygen in a siloxane skeleton; an impregnating and gelling step of impregnating a nonwoven fabric fiber structure with the sol to form a composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber; a hydrophobizating step of mixing the formed composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber with a silylating agent to modify a surface thereof; and a drying step of removing a liquid contained in the surface modified composite of hydrogel-nonwoven fabric fiber by drying under a temperature and pressure lower than respective critical values.

A method of making a ceramic matrix composites (CMC) having superior properties at high temperatures. The CMC can include a sol gel mixture mixed or blended metal oxide particles. The sol-gel mixture can be an aqueous colloidal suspension of a metal oxide, preferably from about 10 wt % to about 25 wt % of the metal oxide, containing a metal oxide such as alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3), silica (SiO.sub.2) or alumina-coated silica. The mixture can be infiltrated into a ceramic fiber, gelled, dried and sintered to form the CMC of the present teachings.

An article comprises a body and a conformal protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The conformal protective layer is a plasma resistant rare earth oxide film having a thickness of less than 1000 μm, wherein the plasma resistant rare earth oxide film is selected from a group consisting of an Er—Y composition, an Er—Al—Y composition, an Er—Y—Zr composition, and an Er—Al composition.