Abstract: An opaque glass-ceramic having a beta-spodumene solid solution as its primary crystal phase, and a method of controlling color in the glass-ceramic. The glass-ceramic is produced from a Li.sub.2 O-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 -SiO.sub.2 precursor glass containing 3-6% TiO.sub.2 +ZrO.sub.2 as a nucleating agent and having colorants controlled at levels of 1500-4,000 ppm Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, 1500-4000 ppm CeO.sub.2 and 50-500 ppm V.sub.2 O.sub.5.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a method for producing colored glazes having controlled textures, the method comprising the following steps:(a) a first frit containing a colorant is prepared;(b) a slip of that frit is applied to a glass-ceramic body and dried;(c) a second frit either containing another colorant or being colorless is prepared;(d) a slip of that frit is applied atop the layer of dried particles of the first frit and is dried thereon;(e) the two layers of frit particles are fused into an integral glaze coating.

Abstract: This invention relates to glass-ceramic articles containing lithium disilicate crystals as the predominant crystal phase and consisting essentially, in weight percent, of 8-19% Li.sub.2 O, 0-5% Na.sub.2 O, 0-7% K.sub.2 O, 0-8% Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O, 0-10% CaO, 0-6% SrO, 0-6% BaO, 2-12% Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O+CaO+SrO+BaO, 0-7% ZnO, 0-11% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 1.5-11% ZnO+Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, with a molar ratio (Na.sub.2 O+K.sub.2 O) (ZnO+Al.sub.2 O.sub.3) between 0.075-1.25, 65-80% SiO.sub.2, and as a nucleating agent 1.5-7% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 and/or 0.0001-0.1% Pd. Glass-ceramics having certain compositions within those ranges are self-glazing.

Abstract: This invention is directed to the production of glass-ceramic articles comprising an interior portion and a surface layer exhibiting a variegated color, textured surface appearance. In the most preferred embodiment lithium disilicate crystals constitute the predominant crystal phase in both the interior portion and in the surface layer.

Abstract: A method of producing a pure enstatite material involves dissolving thermally decomposable magnesium and silicon compounds, generating an aerosol from the solution(s), subjecting the aerosol droplets to a thermal influence to convert the droplets into solid particles, dispersing the particles in an organic liquid to form a colloidal sol, subjecting the sol to a gelling agent to form a semi-solid gel, drying the gel and sintering the dried gel to a dense enstatite body.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for synthesizing fluorine-containing, aluminosilicate crystals having a stoichiometry approximating that of topaz. The method comprises three basic steps:(1) vapors of a readily-oxidizable compound of silicon and of a readily-oxidizable compound of aluminum and fluorine are passed to a flame oxidation burner;(2) amorphous fluorine-containing, aluminosilicate particles resulting from the combustion of those gases are collected; and(3) the collected particles are sintered into an integral body at a temperature between about 650.degree.-925.degree. C.