Abstract: A lubricant for the topical application to objects that will contact various forms of water, e.g., liquid, snow, ice, or mixtures thereof, to reduce friction and thereby increase speed, glide and maneuverability. The lubricant consists essentially of hexagonal boron nitride and a binder of single or mixed oxides or organics, the boron nitride content (after drying) being from about 36 wt. % to about 99 wt. %. Binders of particular interest are water-based colloidal aluminum oxide and colloidal silicon dioxide. This lubricant is suitable for topical applications in a thin layer to various sports objects, such as skis, snowboards, ice skates, snowmobiles, toboggans, sleds, boats, etc., where reduced friction, and thus higher speed, glide and maneuverability is desired. Although a solid stick form (by drying or pressure-less sintering) is preferred, the lubricant can be in the form of a paste or a powder.

Abstract: A relatively chemically inert ceramic material produced from a clay-like mixture of boron nitride powder and aluminum oxide, where the aluminum oxide is derived from colloidal aluminum oxide, peptized aluminum oxide, or a dissolved aluminum salt. The clay-like mixture can be dried in a near net shape without cracking and then pressure-less sintered, or bulk dried. Alternatively, pressure-less sintered bodies can be easily machined to a given shape. The ceramic has properties very similar to those of boron nitride in that it resists damage from molten materials, has a high electrical resistance, has high strength at ambient and elevated temperatures, etc. A typical pressure-less sintered body is formed from a clay made with finely-divided boron nitride mixed with at least one of the listed sources of aluminum oxide such that the final sintered composition contains about 85 wt. % boron nitride.