Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a titania-zirconia powder having at least a part of the zirconia solid-dissolved in the titania crystalline phase or at least a part of the titania solid-dissolved in the zirconia crystalline phase, (2) a titania-zirconia powder containing 3 to 30 wt % of zirconia and 0.5 to 10 wt % of yttria and containing less than 20 wt %, in total, of at least a complex oxide having a composition of ZrTiO4 or (Ti,Zr) O2, monoclinic phase zirconia, and tetragonal phase zirconia, wherein the titania-zirconia powder comprises an anatase phase, and which retains a specific surface area of 34 m2/g or more after heat-treated at 900° C. for 5 hours in the air, and (3) a titania-zirconia powder wherein the titania-zirconia powder (1) or (2) having an average particle size of 1 &mgr;m or smaller is mutually dispersed with an alumina powder; and processes for producing the powders are disclosed.

Abstract: A solid solution particle of oxides contains a solid solution of oxides in which one oxide is dissolved into the other oxide, and in which the degree of dissolution of one oxide into the other oxide is not less 50%, and in which an average diameter of crystallite is not more than 100 nm. The solid solution particle of oxides has small average diameter of a crystallite and large specific surface area, and it improves capacities such as an oxygen storage ability due to high degree of dissolution. A catalyst for purifying exhaust gases has excellent purifying performance by employing the solid solution comprising ceria and zirconia which has large OSC and high oxygen adsorption and discharge speed.

Abstract: A catalyst for purifying exhaust gases includes a porous support; a cerium oxide or a solid solution of a cerium oxide and a zirconium oxide in a state of mutual solid solution, loaded on the porous support; and a noble metal element loaded on the porous support. The cerium oxide or the solid solution has an average particle diameter of from 5 to 100 nm. The cerium oxide is present in the solid solution in an amount of from 0.2 to 4.0 by molar ratio with respect to the zirconium oxide therein. The catalyst can be prepared by: coating and calcinating on a support substrate a slurry of a cerium oxide sol, a cerium oxide sol and a zirconium oxide sol, on a solid solution powder of a cerium oxide and a zirconium oxide in a state of mutual solid solution; and loading a noble metal element thereon.

Abstract: A method for producing a catalyst having high catalytic activity even at high temperatures of 1200.degree. C. or higher. Fine alumina particles, of which 50% by weight or more have a particle size of 100 nm or less, are mixed with a catalytic component and a substance of inhibiting the sintering of fine alumina particles to form a slurry mixture. This slurry is dried and then calcined to obtain a porous catalyst. The fine alumina particles in the porous catalyst have a large specific surface area even at high temperatures and therefore the porous catalyst maintains its high catalytic activity even at high temperatures of 1200.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: A silicon nitride sintered body includes silicon nitride as a principal component, silicon carbide dispersed therein and at least one of boron and boron compounds in an amount of from 0.005 to 0.5% by weight in terms of the weight of boron with respect to the total weight of the sintered body. The addition of boron or boron compounds improves the high-temperature characteristics such as creep resistance of the sintered body.

Abstract: Heat-insulating cellular glass having a surface on which an adhesive layer and a coating layer are formed. The adhesive layer comprises a solidified mixture of water glass, and a porous substance containing polyvalent ions of metals, such as Ca, Mg, Ba and Al, and the coating layer comprises a laminate of flakes of a laminar mineral. This cellular glass is widely used as a heat-insulating material having an improved thermal shock resistance.

Abstract: Impurities are removed from chaff by acid treatment, and the chaff is heated for carbonization. Silicon is reduced from the carbonized chaff, and nitrided to form silicon nitride.

Abstract: A converter for the purification of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines and the like which comprises a first converting layer of a catalyst of a sintered body structure selected from the group consisting of nickel oxide-copper oxide; manganese oxide-cerium oxide; manganese oxide-lanthanum oxide; manganese oxide-iron oxide; manganese oxide-niobium oxide; manganese oxide-nickel oxide; and either niobium oxide or yttrium oxide or mixtures of both with cobalt oxide; and a second converting layer of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of platinum; platinum-rhodium; platinum-palladium; and nickel oxide, chromium oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide and barium oxide; wherein the converter is constructed so that the exhaust gases pass through said first converting layer and then through said second converting layer. A copper-filled layer consisting of a copper-containing material may be further provided upstream of said first and second converting layers.

Abstract: A resistor built-in spark plug comprises an insulator formed with an axially extending inner hole, a stem fitted in the upper part of said hole in said insulator, a center electrode fitted in the lower part of said hole, a resistor disposed in the central part of said hole, and copper-glass electrode layers disposed between said resistor and said stem and between said resistor and said center electrode. Said resistor is made by firing and solidifying powder of resistor mixture consisting of 75 to 38 volume percent of main resistor component containing tin oxide and 25 to 62 volume percent of glass powder with softening temperature of 300.degree. to 600.degree.C. Said copper-glass electrode layers are made by firing and solidifying a mixture of copper powder and glass powder with the softening temperature of above 530.degree.C and more than 30.degree.C higher than the softening point of glass in the resistor portion.