Abstract: A resin molding apparatus provided with a first mold and a second mold for pressing a flat thermoplastic resin sheet into a molded article, wherein the molded article has a shape provided with a flat plate part and a concave-convex part continuous with the flat plate part, and a heating part is provided to locally heat a concave-convex molding region corresponding to the concave-convex part in the thermoplastic resin sheet when the thermoplastic resin sheet is pressed.

Abstract: A resin molding apparatus provided with a first mold and a second mold or pressing a flat thermoplastic resin sheet into a molded article, wherein the molded article has a shape provided with a flat plate part and a concave-convex part continuous with the flat plate part, and a heating part is provided to locally heat a concave-convex molding region corresponding to the concave-convex part in the thermoplastic resin sheet when the thermoplastic resin sheet is pressed.

Abstract: A structural member for a vehicle includes: a first member (2) having a channel section having an open side facing in an outboard direction, and formed by a fiber reinforced resin containing a knitted fabric (5) and a matrix resin; and a second member (3) positioned on and attached to an outboard side of the first member, and made of metallic material.

Abstract: A ceramic composite particle having an average particle size of 0.1-120 &mgr;m, which comprises uniformly dispersed fine ceramic particle phases and a binder phase. The fine ceramic particle phases, each having a particle size of 1 nm to 1 &mgr;m and comprising a ceramic primary particle, are bound together through the binder phase which is formed by a reaction between a sintering aid and a ceramic particle. The ceramic composite particle may be produced by heat-treating a homogeneous mixture of the ceramic particle and the sintering aid until the binder phase appears. The ceramic composite particle has a good moldability and provides a highly densified sintered body with a high strength.

Abstract: A ceramic composite particle having an average particle size of 0.1-120 .mu.m, which comprises uniformly dispersed fine ceramic particle phases and a binder phase. The fine ceramic particle phases, each having a particle size of 1 nm to 1 .mu.m and comprising a ceramic primary particle, are bound together through the binder phase which is formed by a reaction between a sintering aid and a ceramic particle. The ceramic composite particle may be produced by heat-treating a homogeneous mixture of the ceramic particle and the sintering aid until the binder phase appears. The ceramic composite particle has a good moldability and provides a highly densified sintered body with a high strength.

Abstract: A silicon nitride reaction-sintered body having a high mechanical strength without surface working can be produced by (1) forming a silicon powder mixture of at least two types of silicon powders having substantially independent particle size distribution ranges into a green body, the silicon powder mixture having an average particle size ranging from 5 .mu.m to 300 .mu.m; (2) heating the green body in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere for nitrogenation; and (3) sintering the nitrogenated green body at a temperature of 1900.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: A composite powder having a specific surface area of 7 m.sup.2 /g or more is produced by mixing a silicon powder with a carbonaceous powder and a sintering aid powder, and heat-treating the resultant mixed powder in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of 1,450.degree. C. or lower thereby nitriding and carbonizing silicon in the mixed powder. The temperature elevation speed in the heat treatment for nitriding and carbonizing is less than 2.degree. C./minute at least in a range from a temperature at which the nitriding and carbonizing of silicon starts to take place to a temperature at which the composite powder is kept for nitriding and carbonizing of silicon. The composite sintered body is produced by sintering such a composite powder at a temperature of 1,600.degree. C. to 2,200.degree. C.

Abstract: A composite sintered body of silicon carbide and silicon nitride having a nano-composite structure in which fine SiC particles are dispersed in Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 particles and grain boundaries and fine Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 particles are dispersed in SiC particles is produced by (a) adding at least one sintering aid, boron and carbon to a mixed powder of silicon carbide and silicon nitride to form a green body, the sintering aid being (i) Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 or AlN and/or (ii) at least one oxide of an element selected from Groups 3A and 4A of the Periodic Table, and (b) sintering the green body by HIP or by a high-temperature normal sintering method.

Abstract: A composite sintered body of silicon nitride and silicon carbide is manufactured by sintering a composite powder or green body of silicon nitride and silicon carbide in a nitrogen gas atmosphere. The composite powder having a percentage of .alpha.-silicon nitride which is at least 30% based on all silicon nitride is produced by mixing a silicon powder with a carbonaceous powder and a sintering aid powder, and heat-treating the resultant mixed powder in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of 1,450.degree. C. or lower thereby nitriding and carbonizing silicon contained in the mixed powder to produce a composite powder, a temperature elevation speed being less than 2.degree. C./minute. The composite green body having a percentage of .alpha.

Abstract: A silicon nitride reaction-sintered body having a high mechanical strength without surface working can be produced by (1) forming a silicon powder mixture of at least two types of silicon powders having substantially independent particle size distribution ranges into a green body, the silicon powder mixture having an average particle size ranging from 5 .mu.m to 300 .mu.m; (2) heating the green body in a nitrogen-containing atmosphere for nitrogenation; and (3) sintering the nitrogenated green body at a temperature of 1900.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: A sintered composite body of silicon nitride and silicon carbide is manufactured by mixing a silicon powder with a carbonaceous powder and a sintering additive, producing a mixture, molding the mixture into a molded body, heat-treating the molded body in an atmosphere containing a nitrogen gas for thereby simultaneously nitriding and carbonizing silicon contained in the molded body, and subsequently firing the molded body in a nitrogen gas atmosphere. A composite powder of silicon nitride and silicon carbide which is produced by simultaneously nitriding and carbonizing silicon contained in the molded body has a content of .alpha.-type silicon nitride which is at least 30% of all silicon nitride in the composite powder. To produce such a composite powder, a silicon powder is mixed with a carbonaceous powder and a sintering additive, producing a mixture, and the mixture is heat-treated in an atmosphere containing a nitrogen gas at a temperature of at most 1450.degree. C.

Abstract: A silicon nitride sintered body formed by sintering a mixture of silicon nitride powder mixed with a combined sintering aid of aluminum nitride powder and a powder of at least one rare earth oxide selected from the group consisting of Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2 O.sub.3, Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3, Dy.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ho.sub.2 O.sub.3, Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, Tm.sub.2 O.sub.3, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Lu.sub.2 O.sub.3. Another sintered body is a composite sintered body of silicon nitride and silicon carbide formed by sintering a mixture of silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride and at least one rare earth oxide selected from the group consisting of Ce.sub.2 O.sub.3, Pr.sub.2 O.sub.3, Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3, Ho.sub.2 O.sub.3, Er.sub.2 O.sub.3, Tm.sub.2 O.sub.3, Yb.sub.2 O.sub.3 and Lu.sub.2 O.sub.3.

Abstract: In the method of heat-treating a silicon nitride sintered body which was produced from silicon nitride powder and sintering aid powder in order to provide it with an increased crystallinity, the silicon nitride sintered body is heat-treated in a non-oxidizing atmosphere under conditions such that the silicon nitride sintered body is embedded in at least one selected from the group consisting of powders of W, Mo, Ta, Re and carbides thereof.