Abstract: An improvement in a process of forming ceramic articles comprising oil-based components or extrusion aids, the improvement including removing the oil-based components after drying and prior to firing by flowing a heated gas through the green ceramic honeycomb articles to evaporate and condense the oil-based components, with or without microwave radiation.

Abstract: An improvement in a process of forming ceramic articles comprising oil-based components or extrusion aids, the improvement including removing the oil-based components after drying and prior to firing by flowing a heated gas through the green ceramic honeycomb articles to evaporate and condense the oil-based components, with or without microwave radiation.

Abstract: The method for heating a plurality of ceramic bodies, includes: a) providing ceramic-forming raw materials and blending the raw materials with an effective amount of vehicle and forming aids to form a plastic mixture therefrom and thereafter forming the plastic raw material mixture into a plurality of green bodies; b) placing each one of the plurality of green bodies in proximity to an adjacent one of the plurality of green bodies such that upon heating with electromagnetic waves each green body is subject to no more than about 1.5 times the power density at the boundary than in the bulk thereof; and c) drying the green bodies utilizing energy in the form of electromagnetic waves. When the ceramic is a honeycomb cellular cordierite body, the method further includes heating the green bodies up to a maximum temperature of between about 1360° C. and about 1435° C.

Abstract: Methods of bonding glass articles that are subsequently drawn into sheets, rods, fibers, etc. are disclosed. Bonding is achieved without use of adhesives or high temperature fusion. The invention is particularly useful for bonding optical fiber preforms prior to drawing of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for processing a ceramic material includes placing the ceramic material in a microwave heating apparatus having a microwave cavity; subjecting the ceramic material to a combination of microwave radiation and conventional heat; and controlling the uniformity of the processing of the ceramic material so as to avoid deformations and cracking by applying the microwave radiation to the ceramic material through at least one branched slotted waveguide which substantially uniformly distributes the microwave radiation throughout the microwave cavity.

Abstract: Methods of bonding glass articles that are subsequently drawn into sheets, rods, fibers, etc. are disclosed. Bonding is achieved without use of adhesives or high temperature fusion. The invention is particularly useful for bonding optical fiber preforms prior to drawing of the optical fiber.

Abstract: Apparatus and a method for processing a ceramic material includes placing the ceramic material in a microwave heating apparatus having a microwave cavity; subjecting the ceramic material to a combination of microwave radiation and conventional heat; and controlling the uniformity of the processing of the ceramic material so as to avoid deformations and cracking by applying the microwave radiation to the ceramic material through at least one branched slotted waveguide which substantially uniformly distributes the microwave radiation throughout the microwave cavity.