A mould for manufacturing a packing member from a liquid ceramic composition. The mould including a first part and a second part, wherein the first part and/or the second part comprise an open mould cavity and wherein the first and second parts are operable to engage to form a closed mould cavity, wherein the mould further includes a reservoir forming member, and wherein the mould is operable to be moved from an open position in which the first and second parts are at least partially spaced such that the reservoir member forms a reservoir cavity and the mould cavity is open, to a partially closed position in which the location of the reservoir cavity has moved with respect to the mould cavity and/or the volume of the reservoir cavity has reduced, and then to a closed position in which the first and second parts are engaged such that the mould cavity is closed.

A superhard material-containing object is configured to have a controlled and repeatable three-dimensional geometry and/or shape. The object further includes a desired three-dimensional spatial variation in microstructure, grain size and/or composition. The superhard material is selected from the group consisting of diamond, boron-doped diamond and cubic boron nitride. A process for production of a superhard material-containing object from a powder of a superhard material, a binder and an optional additive, includes the steps of: (a) producing a feedstock of the superhard material and a polymer binder; (b) extruding one or more filaments from a granulated superhard material-binder feedstock; (c) preparing a printed superhard material-containing object using the one or more filaments; (d) subjecting the printed object to debinding to prepare a debindered object; and (e) sintering the debindered printed object to produce the superhard material-containing object.

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

Silicon-carbon composite materials and related processes are disclosed that overcome the challenges for providing amorphous nano-sized silicon entrained within porous carbon. Compared to other, inferior materials and processes described in the prior art, the materials and processes disclosed herein find superior utility in various applications, including energy storage devices such as lithium ion batteries.

An embodiment of a PCD insert comprises an embodiment of a PCD element joined to a cemented carbide substrate at an interface. The PCD element has internal diamond surfaces defining interstices between them. The PCD element comprises a masked or passivated region and an unmasked or unpassivated region, the unmasked or unpassivated region defining a boundary with the substrate, the boundary being the interface. At least some of the internal diamond surfaces of the masked or passivated region contact a mask or passivation medium, and some or all of the interstices of the masked or passivated region and of the unmasked or unpassivated region are at least partially filled with an infiltrant material.

An embodiment of a PCD insert comprises an embodiment of a PCD element joined to a cemented carbide substrate at an interface. The PCD element has internal diamond surfaces defining interstices between them. The PCD element comprises a masked or passivated region and an unmasked or unpassivated region, the unmasked or unpassivated region defining a boundary with the substrate, the boundary being the interface. At least some of the internal diamond surfaces of the masked or passivated region contact a mask or passivation medium, and some or all of the interstices of the masked or passivated region and of the unmasked or unpassivated region are at least partially filled with an infiltrant material.

An embodiment of a PCD insert comprises an embodiment of a PCD element joined to a cemented carbide substrate at an interface. The PCD element has internal diamond surfaces defining interstices between them. The PCD element comprises a masked or passivated region and an unmasked or unpassivated region, the unmasked or unpassivated region defining a boundary with the substrate, the boundary being the interface. At least some of the internal diamond surfaces of the masked or passivated region contact a mask or passivation medium, and some or all of the interstices of the masked or passivated region and of the unmasked or unpassivated region are at least partially filled with an infiltrant material.

A molding tool made of carbon or graphite, namely a casting mold or a casting core for the processing of molten metal or to a molding tool for the processing of molten glass, such as for example a blow mold and a method for producing the molding tool.

A method for producing carbon or graphite foam parts with high purity level for high-temperature insulation under vacuum or protective gas, as insulating material or as filter material, includes the following steps: introducing dry, foamable starch (1) into an open-top container (2) having a round or angular cross section, until the base (3) of the container (2) is covered amply and uniformly with starch (1); introducing the container (2) partly filled with starch (1) into an oven (4), and heating the container (2) to a foaming temperature of >180° C. over a prolonged period of several hours to foam the starch (1), until the container (2) has filled completely with carbon foam (6); withdrawing the container (2) from the oven (4) and extracting the carbon foam (6) after sufficient cooling, and optionally portioning the carbon foam (6) into carbon foam parts (6.1).

A method for producing carbon or graphite foam parts with high purity level for high-temperature insulation under vacuum or protective gas, as insulating material or as filter material, includes the following steps: introducing dry, foamable starch (1) into an open-top container (2) having a round or angular cross section, until the base (3) of the container (2) is covered amply and uniformly with starch (1); introducing the container (2) partly filled with starch (1) into an oven (4), and heating the container (2) to a foaming temperature of >180° C. over a prolonged period of several hours to foam the starch (1), until the container (2) has filled completely with carbon foam (6); withdrawing the container (2) from the oven (4) and extracting the carbon foam (6) after sufficient cooling, and optionally portioning the carbon foam (6) into carbon foam parts (6.1).