Abstract: A method of producing a glass structure includes forming a green body having an inner layer of a first powder of a first glass composition in a first organic material matrix and an outer layer of a second powder of a second glass composition in a second organic material matrix, the outer layer covering at least two opposing major surfaces or all surfaces of the inner layer, the first glass composition being different from the second glass composition, the first and second powders having respective first and second sintering temperatures, the second sintering temperature being within 0 to 30° C. of the first sintering temperature; and debinding and sintering the green body to remove the organic materials and to sinter together the first and second glass powders to produce a sintered glass structure having an inner layer of the first glass composition and an outer layer of the second glass composition.

Abstract: A method of cutting a glass sheet comprising a transparent oxide glass includes directing a laser beam from a middle-infrared (mid-IR) laser source onto a major surface of the glass sheet. A wavelength of the laser beam is tuned thereby adjusting an absorption depth of the laser beam in the glass sheet. The glass sheet is cut using the laser beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a glass parison are disclosed. A glass parison forming apparatus includes a feeder spout having an orifice ring, a plunger carried in the feeder spout and including a blow conduit therethrough, and a neck ring located immediately downstream of the orifice ring, with no chutes, scoops, or other gob handling devices therebetween. A glass container produced by the disclosed method and apparatus is also described.

Abstract: A ceramic for construction or technical applications, composed of at least one of Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator Bottom Ash (MSWIBA) and other recycled industrial solid waste and different methods of forming such ceramics. Various techniques illustrate how ceramics are formed using at least one of extrusion shaping, dry powder compaction and agglomeration, any of which can be preceded by a pre-treatment process of received feedstock.

Abstract: A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing ceramic tape includes a step of directing a tape of partially-sintered ceramic into a furnace. The tape is partially-sintered such that grains of the ceramic are fused to one another yet the tape still includes at least 10% porosity by volume, where the porosity refers to volume of the tape unoccupied by the ceramic. The method further includes steps of conveying the tape through the furnace and further sintering the tape as the tape is conveyed through the furnace. The porosity of the tape decreases during the further sintering step.

Abstract: Described are cementitious reagent materials produced from globally abundant inorganic feedstocks. Also described are methods for the manufacture of such cementitious reagent materials and forming the reagent materials as microspheroidal glassy particles. Also described are apparatuses, systems and methods for the thermochemical production of glassy cementitious reagents with spheroidal morphology. The apparatuses, systems and methods makes use of an in-flight melting/quenching technology such that solid particles are flown in suspension, melted in suspension, and then quenched in suspension. The cementitious reagents can be used in concrete to substantially reduce the CO2 emission associated with cement production.

Abstract: An installation for quenching a glass hollow body includes a plurality of external nozzles and an axial nozzle. The plurality of external nozzles are positioned around a main axis. Each of the plurality of external nozzles includes an axial slot configured to direct an air jet towards the main axis. The axial nozzle is aligned along the main axis and includes a shape configured to form an internal air jet forming a ring with an opening at a center thereof in a plane transverse to the main axis. The axial nozzle forming the internal air jet positioned substantially external to and above the bore.

Abstract: A gradient fining tank and a method of operating the tank to refine foamy molten glass is disclosed. The gradient fining tank includes a floor, a roof, and two laterally-spaced sidewalls that at least partially define an interior chamber of the tank. The floor of the tank is profiled to provide the tank with an extended shallow portion that defines an inlet to the interior chamber and a deep holding portion that defines an outlet from the interior chamber. An entry section of the floor provides the extended shallow portion of the tank and a transition section and exit section of the floor provide the deep holding portion. A depth of the interior chamber at an outlet end of the deep holding portion is greater than a depth of the interior chamber at the outlet end of the extended shallow portion.

Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the ceramic honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the ceramic honeycomb body by placing an aluminum metal layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the ceramic honeycomb body. The aluminum metal layer oxidizes to form a porous Al2O3 layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the ceramic honeycomb body.

Abstract: This application relates generally to an optical fiber for the delivery of infrared light where the polarization state of the light entering the fiber is preserved upon exiting the fiber and the related methods for making thereof. The optical fiber has a wavelength between about 0.9 ?m and 15 ?m, comprises at least one infrared-transmitting glass, and has a polarization-maintaining (PM) transverse cross-sectional structure. The infrared-transmitting, polarization-maintaining (IR-PM) optical fiber has a birefringence greater than 10?5 and has applications in dual-use technologies including laser power delivery, sensing and imaging.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a part made of a ceramic matrix composite material, includes coating an outer surface of a porous preform with a layer of a fugitive material to form a model of the part to be obtained, the fugitive material being wax or resin, the fugitive material layer in the model not exceeding the highest peak of surface undulations of the preform, and ceramic and/or carbon particles being present in the porosity of the preform, coating the model formed with a ceramic powder composition, heat treating the coated model to remove the fugitive material and form a ceramic shell mold by sintering of the ceramic powder composition, introducing a molten composition including silicon into the shell mold to obtain the part in the shell mold, the molten composition infiltrating the porosity of the preform to form the ceramic matrix, and separating the shell mold from the part obtained.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus of porous glass base material includes deposition apparatuses that manufacture a porous glass base material by generating raw material particles from vaporized raw material compounds in an oxyhydrogen flame, and then depositing the generated raw material particles on a rotating starting material. The manufacturing apparatus includes a storage container that stores liquid raw material compounds for each compound, a vapor generation mechanism that vaporizes the raw material compounds, and a gas channel that supplies the vaporized raw material compounds to the deposition apparatuses. The gas channel includes a common gas channel shared to supply vaporized raw material compounds to the plurality of deposition apparatuses, and individual gas channels branched off from the common gas channel to supply vaporized raw material compounds to each of the deposition apparatuses individually. Each of the individual gas channels has a flow controller, a steam valve, and a valve.

Abstract: Methods of firing ceramic-forming honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the honeycomb body by placing a layer selected from the group consisting of a graphite layer, a graphite-containing layer, an activated carbon layer, or an amorphous carbon layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the honeycomb body. The layer oxidizes to form a porous layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the honeycomb body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure. The method includes molding a molded body from a mixture containing silicon carbide particles, an organic component, and a dispersion medium, removing the organic component included in the molded body to obtain a porous honeycomb body, and impregnating an inner portion of partition walls of the porous honeycomb body with metal silicon. In a state in which the porous honeycomb body is placed on a support inside a container containing solid metal silicon, the impregnating an inner portion of the partition walls is performed by heating the inside of the container to a temperature higher than or equal to a melting point of the metal silicon so that the porous honeycomb body is impregnated with molten metal silicon through the support that is porous.

Abstract: A high-strength zirconia-alumina composite ceramic substrate suitable for semiconductor devices has been invented. It is manufactured by a procedure starting with mixing powder formula of alumina, zirconia, and a self-made synthetic additive for ball milling in an organic solvent at room temperature. The resulting mixture is homogenously dispersed and is then subjected to the steps of slurry preparation, degassing, green embryo forming, punching, calculation, and sintering to yield the final composite ceramic substrate with an excellent mechanical property of three-point bending strength>600 MPa and superior thermoelectric properties of thermal conductivity>26 W/mK, insulation resistance>1014 ?·cm and surface leakage current (150° C.)<200 nA.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the manufacture of ceramic products by aqueous gelcasting. Exemplary ceramic products include sanitary ware, such as toilets and sinks. The process includes a slurrying step, a mixing step, a molding step involving aqueous gelcasting, a drying step, a glazing step, and a firing step.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) and a method of actuating a parison plunger includes transforming linear force applied to a plunger extension (54) into roto-translational motion of the plunger extension (54) via a cam path (98) between the plunger extension (54) and a piston (94).

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for refining molten glass. The apparatus includes a porous body having an inlet, an outlet, and a plurality of pores through which molten glass can flow between the inlet and the outlet. The plurality of pores are defined by walls having wall surfaces that are configured to interact with the molten glass as the molten glass flows between the inlet and the outlet to help refine the molten glass.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing large glass preforms with minimal clad to-core waveguide distortion from a glass body having a weight, an outer surface, core rods, and a cladding surrounding and separated from the core rods by a gap. The apparatus includes collars affixed to the top and bottom of the cladding; a spacer upon which the core rods rest; a first unit holding and supporting both the bottom collar and the spacer; a second unit holding and supporting the top collar; and a frame defining a heating zone having a heating element to heat the glass body. The weight of the glass body above and below the molten glass in the heating zone is supported by the first and second units without contacting the outer surface of the glass body.