Abstract: A sintered ceramic that exhibits an average linear coefficient of thermal expansion (25-800° C.) below about 5.0×10−7° C.−1, a total porosity between the range of 20% to about 30%. Furthermore, the sintered ceramic article exhibits a pore size distribution such that at least about 86% of pores are of a pore size of less than about 2 &mgr;m. Lastly, the ceramic article exhibits an interconnected pore structure with the pores exhibiting a generally elongated shape, i.e., the pores are predominately oriented with their long axis in the plane of the webs. This invention also relates to a method for producing a sintered cordierite ceramic article involving first compounding and plasticizing a cordierite-forming inorganic powder batch comprising a platy talc having median particle of size less than about 2 &mgr;m, and preferably a talc morphology index greater than about 0.75.

Abstract: A ceramic powder of grains having a shape-anisotropy is mixed with a calcined or uncalcined (or both) powder of a ceramic raw material. A ceramic slurry containing the produced mixed powder, a solvent and a binder is prepared and the ceramic slurry is formed into a sheet. A laminate comprised of a plurality of the sheets laminated to each other is uniaxially pressed to form an oriented product in such a manner that the length of the laminate in the direction parallel to the pressing axis becomes larger than that before the pressing, and the area of a plane perpendicular to the pressing axis of the laminate becomes larger than that before the pressing. The oriented formed product is fired and sintered.

Abstract: A succession of superposed digitized sections of an object are produced from a three-dimensional representation of the object. A powder or a mixture of powders is spread in the form of a fine layer and heated to a temperature close to solid phase sintering temperature of the powder or the mixture of powders. The layer is brought to the sintering temperature by scanning with a laser beam the layer such that a selected part of the powder, corresponding to one of the digitized sections of the object to be produced, is sintered in solid phase by the additional energy supplied by the laser. Additional layers of the powder or the mixture of powders are spread, heated and scanned with the laser beam until all the digitized superposed sections of the object to be produced are obtained.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing (U,Pu)O2 mixed oxide nuclear fuel pellets. In a first blending operation, PuO2 is mixed with a UO2 powder and/or fuel manufacturing scrap, forming a first blend. The first blend is micronized and sieved to form a conditioned first blend. Non-free-flowing UO2 is selected as a second portion of UO2. The second portion of UO2 is mechanically granulated to form granulated free-flowing UO2. In a second blending operation, the conditioned first blend is further mixed with the granulated free-flowing UO2 and possibly scrap. Lubricants and/or poreformers are added. The blend is pelletized and sintered. During granulation, the non free-flowing UO2 is compressed to form tablets. The tablets are then crushed until a free-flowing crushed material has been formed. At least one portion of this free flowing crushed material is used in the second blending operation.

Abstract: A method for reaction forming refractory metal carbides. The method involves the fabrication of a glassy carbon preform by casting an organic, resin-based liquid mixture into a mold and subsequently heat treating it in two steps, which cures and pyrolizes the resin resulting in a porous carbon preform. By varying the amounts of the constituents in the organic, resin-based liquid mixture, control over the density of the carbon preform is obtained. Control of the density and microstructure of the carbon preform allows for determination of the microstructure and properties of the refractory metal carbide material produced. The glassy carbon preform is placed on a bed of refractory metal or refractory metal—silicon alloy. The pieces are heated above the melting point of the metal or alloy. The molten metal wicks inside the porous carbon preform and reacts, forming the refractory metal carbide or refractory metal carbide plus a minor secondary phase.

Abstract: A method of making an EUV lithography stage structure includes depositing a layer of a Ti doped SiO2 glass powder in a confined region to provide an underlying layer; applying a binder to form a primitive with the binder bonding the glass powder together at one or more selected regions; depositing an above layer of the glass powder above the deposited layer; applying the binder to the above layer with the binder bonding the glass powder together at one or more selected regions; repeating the deposition and binding steps to produce a number of successive layers with the binder bonding the successive layers together; and removing the unbonded glass powder to provide a bonded glass powder lithography stage structure which is then sintered and densified into a densified nonpowder glass lithography stage.

Abstract: A method for preparation of a solid state electrochemical device having a cathode, and anode and an electrolyte positioned between the cathode and the anode is disclosed, comprising the steps of forming a controlled geometry feedrod having a cross sectional area, having at least a first extrusion compound and a second extrusion compound, and co-extruding the controlled geometry feedrod through a reduction die at least once to achieve a desired reduction in cross sectional area. Such microfabrication by thermoplastic co-extrusion enhances production of complex and multiphase electrodes and electrolytes.

Abstract: A high density ceramic thick film is fabricated by providing vehicle comprising an organic binder and solvent, dispersing ceramic powders into the vehicle to be paste, forming the paste to thick film by screen printing, removing the organic binder from the film, applying sol or sol-like solution to the surface of the film so that the sol or sol-like solution can infiltrate into the film, removing remaining sol or sol-like solution from the surface of the film, drying and preheating the film, and sintering the film.

Abstract: A method for producing ceramic green sheets allows the foreign substances on the surface of a carrier film to be reliably removed, prevents fluctuation of the path line when a carrier film is transferred by a foreign substance removal device, and enables a ceramic green sheet having a low local variation in thickness to be achieved. In this method for ceramic green sheets, a carrier film is transferred, the transfer direction of the carrier film is changed by a support roll, and the foreign substances on the carrier film surface are removed by an adhesive roll as a foreign substance removal device at the area where the carrier film is in contact with the peripheral surface of the support roll. Then ceramic slurry is applied on the carrier film using a ceramic slurry applying unit, and thereby a ceramic green sheet is formed.

Abstract: A method for producing ceramic matrix composites wherein the method has the steps of impregnating crystalline silicon carbide fibers coated with an interfacial coating with a ceramic matrix precursor; forming the impregnated fibers into the desired shape; curing the shape; and heating the cured shape to a temperature in the range of greater than 1450° C. to 1800° C. to convert the ceramic matrix precursor into a crystal containing ceramic. A densification step may be optionally carried out until the desired porosity/density of the ceramic matrix composite is achieved.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an improved process for the production of ceramic tiles using industrial wastes. The invention particularly relates to an improved process for the production of ceramic tiles using industrial wastes such as iron ore slime, fly ash and blast furnace slag.

Abstract: A method of preparing a ceramic artificial crown by applying at least one kind of dental porcelain onto the surface of a ceramic core molded by heating and softening a ceramic material and putting it into a mold with the application of a pressure followed by firing; wherein said mold is the one formed by burning a wax pattern after having removed a crucible former from an assembly which makes it possible to efficiently prepare a fully ceramic artificial crown of a high quality in a short period of time.

Abstract: A method of fabricating nanostructure bodies by integrating the steps of attriting precursor nanometer-sized particulate materials, desorbing the exposed surfaces of the attrited nanoparticulates, adsorbing a surfactant on at most 50% of the desorbed surfaces and dispersing the surfactant-coated nanoparticulates in an organic matrix to form a homogeneous thermoplastic compound from which green bodies are shaped, dewaxed and sintered.

Abstract: Methods for consolidation and densification of fibrous monolith composite structures are provided. Consolidation and densification of two- and three-dimensional fibrous monolith components having complex geometries can be achieved by pressureless sintering. The fibrous monolith composites are formed from filaments having at least a first material composition generally surrounded by a second material composition. The composites are sintered in an inert gas or nitrogen gas at a pressure of no more than about 30 psi to provide consolidated and densified fibrous monolith composites.

Abstract: A ferrite magnet having a basic composition represented by the following general formula: (A1−xRx)O.n[(Fe1−yMy)2O3] by atomic ratio, wherein A is Sr and/or Ba, R is at least one of rare earth elements including Y, M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Co, Mn, Ni and Zn, and x, y and n are numbers meeting the conditions of 0.01≦x≦0.4, [x/(2.6n)]≦y≦[x/(1.6n)], and 5≦n≦6, and substantially having a magnetoplumbite crystal structure, is obtained by uniformly mixing a compound of Sr and/or Ba with an iron compound; calcining the resultant uniform mixture; adding a compound of the R element and/or the M element to the resultant calcined powder at a pulverization step thereof; and sintering the resultant mixture. The compound of the R element and/or the M element may be added at a percentage of more than 0 atomic % and 80 atomic % or less, on an element basis, at a mixing step before calcination.

Abstract: A method including mixing powders of at least one of MgO, Mg(OH)2, and MgCO3, and powders of Fe2O3, CuO and ZnO, pre-sintering the mixed powder at 900° or lower, milling the pre-sintered raw powder, pressing the milled powder to form a pressed body and sintering the pressed body to form a magnetic ferrite powder such as MgCuZn, MgNiCuZn, or NiCuZn.

Abstract: A process for making a heat treated ground ceramic cutting tool and the resultant cutting tool. The process includes the steps of: providing an uncoated ground ceramic cutting tool having at least a portion thereof ground; and heat treating the uncoated ground ceramic cutting tool so as to form the heat treated ground ceramic cutting tool.

Abstract: A method for making silica includes delivering a silica precursor comprising a pseudohalogen to a conversion site and passing the silica precursor through a flame to produce silica soot.

Abstract: Precise control of the shrinkage upon sintering of bodies made from mixtures of particulate materials and organic binders is achieved through precision pycnometry of the particulate materials and of the resulting sintered bodies, thus allowing a single molding tool to be used to produce parts in different sizes and from different materials and to tight manufacturing tolerances.

Abstract: A method for producing mixed oxide nuclear fuel pellets comprises the steps of preparing an U-Pu oxide blend powder having a Pu content in excess of the finally desired value, preparing uranium oxide powder, mixing adequate quantities of both powders in order to achieve the desired plutonium content and compacting and sintering the mixture for obtaining the pellets. The step of preparing the uranium oxide powder involves the following sequence of substeps: a) preparing an aqueous solution of uranyl nitrate to which between 0.5 and 2 wt % of organic thickeners are added such that the viscosity of the solution is adjusted to values between 20 and 100 centipoise, b) dispersing of the solution into droplets, c) introducing the droplets into a hydroxide bath, d) washing the resulting beads, e) drying the beads by azeotropic distillation using an immiscible organic solvent, f) thermally treating the beads in an oxidizing atmosphere and g) thermally treating in a reducing atmosphere.