Abstract: The invention relates to a textile comprising a woven or nonwoven textile backing and a flame retardant coating, characterized in that the flame retardant coating comprises nanoparticles of a mineral flame retardant selected from the group consisting of aluminum monohydroxide (AlOOH), aluminum trihydroxide (Al(OH)3) and a mixture thereof and poly(vinyl alcohol).

Abstract: The invention relates to fused ceramic beads, which have the following chemical composition in % by weight on the basis of the oxides:40 to 95% of ZrO.sub.2 and HfO.sub.2 ;at least one of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2, with the provisos that Y.sub.2 O.sub.3, when present, represents 0.1 to 10% and CeO.sub.2, when present, represents 1 to 25%, the total of Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2 representing 0.1 to 25%;a quantity of SiO.sub.2 representing 10 to 45% of the composition when CeO.sub.2 is absent from the composition and 0.5 to 45% when CeO.sub.2 is present in the composition. Application to grinding and to dispersion in wet medium is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to ceramic articles.It relates to an article made of ceramic material produced by fusing and casting in a mold a composition based on alumina, zirconia, silica and an alkali metal oxide, said article consisting of crystalline corundum and zirconia phases and of a vitreous phase, said zirconia being substantially in monoclinic form from the core to the skin of said article, and having, in at least one of its parts, a thickness lower than or equal to 30 mm and being intended for an application where mechanical strength and/or abrasion resistance are of primary importance, said composition consisting essentially, in % by weight based on the oxides, of:______________________________________ Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 40-75 ZrO.sub.2 20-55 SiO.sub.2 5-20 Na.sub.2 O 0-2.7 K.sub.2 O 0.15-4.25 Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 + TiO.sub.2 + CaO + MgO 0-2, ______________________________________with the condition that the weight ratio ##EQU1## is between 0.07 and 0.14 inclusive.