A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.

A wave-length conversion inorganic member can includes a base body and an inorganic particle layer on the base body. The inorganic particle layer can include particles of an inorganic wave-length conversion substance which is configured to absorb light of a first wave-length and to emit light of a second wave-length different from the first wave-length. The inorganic particle layer can include an agglomerate of a plurality of the particles. Each of the plurality of the particles are in contact with at least one of the other particles or the base body. A cover layer comprises an inorganic material, and the cover layer continuously covers a surface of the base body and surfaces of the particles. The inorganic particle layer has an interstice enclosed by the particles, or by the particles and one of the base body and the cover layer.

A thixomolding material includes: a metal body that contains Mg as a main component; and a coating portion that is adhered to a surface of the metal body via a binder and contains SiC particles containing SiC as a main component. A mass fraction of the SiC particles in a total mass of the metal body and the SiC particles is 2.0 mass % or more and 40.0 mass % or less. The binder may contain waxes. A content of the binder may be 0.001 mass % or more and 0.200 mass % or less.

There is provided an article comprising at least a first surface having: (a) a first binder layer; (b) a plurality of transparent microspheres partially embedded in the first binder layer wherein the transparent microspheres have refractive indices that are less than a refractive index of the first binder layer and wherein the plurality of transparent microspheres consist of microspheres having a refractive index of no more than 1.490. There is also provided a transfer article comprising: (a) a transfer carrier, the transfer carrier comprising: (i) a support layer; and (ii) a thermoplastic release layer bonded to the support layer; (b) a layer of a plurality of transparent microspheres, formed on a side of the thermoplastic transparent microsphere release layer opposite the support layer, wherein the plurality of transparent microspheres consist of microspheres having a refractive index of no more than 1.490.

A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.

Article comprising a transparent substrate having an anti-reflective, structured surface and a coating comprising a porous network of silica nanoparticles thereon, wherein the silica nanoparticles are bonded to adjacent silica nanoparticles.

A process for preparing roofing granules includes forming kaolin clay into green granules and sintering the green granules at a temperature of at least 900 degrees Celsius to cure the green granules until the crystalline content of the sintered granules is at least ten percent as determined by x-ray diffraction.

Algae-resistant roofing granules are formed by extruding a mixture of mineral particles and a binder to form porous granule bodies, and algaecide is distributed in the pores. Release of the algaecide is controlled by the structure of the granules.

There is provided an article comprising at least a first surface having: (a) a first binder layer; (b) a plurality of transparent microspheres partially embedded in the first binder layer such that about 20% to about 70% of the average diameter of the transparent microspheres is exposed at the outermost surface of the article, wherein the transparent microspheres have refractive indices that are less than a refractive index of the first binder layer and wherein the plurality of transparent microspheres consist of microspheres having a refractive index of no more than 1.490. There is also provided a transfer article comprising: (a) a transfer carrier, the transfer carrier comprising: (i) a support layer; and (ii) a thermoplastic release layer bonded to the support layer; (b) a layer of a plurality of transparent microspheres, formed on a side of the thermoplastic transparent microsphere release layer opposite the support layer, wherein the plurality of transparent microspheres consist of microspheres having a refractive index of no more than 1.490.

Article comprising a transparent substrate having an anti-reflective, structured surface and a coating comprising a porous network of silica nanoparticles thereon, wherein the silica nanoparticles are bonded to adjacent silica nanoparticles.