Abstract: A method of forming hollow fiber bundles includes the step of providing a mat having a plurality of hollow fibers forming a weft and a plurality of soluble fibers forming a warp. Each hollow fiber extends between a first side and an opposed second side of the mat. The mat is bundled so as to form a bundle with the first side of the mat defining a first end of the bundle and the second side of the mat defining a second end of the bundle. At least a portion of the bundle is potted so as to substantially fix a position of the hollow fibers relative to each other. The soluble fibers are at least partially dissolved so as to remove the soluble fibers from the bundle.

Abstract: An adjustable mold is used to mold material to form a first support. A first ceramic article is supported by the first support during firing. The adjustable mold may be adjusted and used to mold material to form a second support having a second configuration. The second support is used to support a second ceramic article during firing. The first and second supports may advantageously be formed with projections which engage the ceramic articles during firing. The length of these projections may be varied by adjusting the mold. A second adjustable mold may be used to form a first retainer which limits upward movement of the first ceramic article during firing. The second adjustable mold may be adjusted and used to form a second retainer which limits upward movement of the second ceramic article during firing.

Abstract: A ceramic brake lining which is reinforced with carbon fibers and has a matrix which consists essentially of silicon carbide together with silicon and/or carbon, wherein the reinforcing fibers used are long fibers having a mean length of at least 10 mm which are aligned in the plane parallel to the friction surface, a process for its production and its use in combination with brake discs made of C/SiC or CFC or as lining in friction clutches.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ceramic sheet having uniform quality over its entire surface with a decreased number of defects such as foreign matters and flaws. When the ceramic sheet was divided into sections of 30 mm square or smaller, each divided section has 5 or less defects detected based on an image obtained with a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. The present invention also relates to a method of producing the ceramic sheet. In this method, a green sheet or a calcined sheet mainly including spherical ceramic particles having an average particle diameter of 0.1 to less than 5 ?m was used as a spacer. By using this spacer, the green sheet for ceramic sheet slides smoothly on the spacer surface when it shrinks in baking, and the friction resistance between the green sheet for ceramic sheet and the spacer is lowered. In this manner, the method of the present invention can mass-produce the above-described high quality ceramic sheets.

Abstract: A method and device for producing shaped ceramic bodies, particularly ceramic sheets or multilayer hybrids provided with printed circuit traces, switching elements and/or plated-through holes. The shaped ceramic bodies are initially present as green bodies and also contain organic auxiliary agents, for example as a binder. During sintering and/or removal of the binder from the shaped ceramic bodies, they are compressed between porous setter plates in whose pores a catalytically active substance is introduced, so that the gaseous, organic, bake-out products of the green bodies, these products developing during sintering and/or binder removal, are catalytically converted when escaping through the porous setter plates. The setter plates be provided with separating layers that likewise may contain the catalytically active substance. The method should provide a considerable time savings when sintering and/or removing binder from the shaped ceramic bodies.

Abstract: A new method is disclosed for producing thin plates by sintering a thin gel plate (e.g., silica) made using a sol-gel process, which substantially eliminates warpage of the plate during the sintering step. Sintering a sol-gel based silica plate to a dense glass typically causes significant shrinkage, and this can cause the plate to curl, especially around its edges. This phenomenon is referred to as warpage. In the method of the invention, the sintering step is performed while the gel plate is mounted on a support surface, separated by a thin layer of refractory powder. At the high sintering temperature, the powder partially fuses and sticks to both the gel plate and the support surface, which prevents non-uniform stresses in the gel plate from warping the plate.

Abstract: Flexible setter powder deposition sheets containing setter powders were developed for sintering of ceramic articles including tapes by an economical, fast and simple method. The sheets provide for deposition of a thin and uniform layer of setter powders on a green ceramic article after burnout of a binder in the sheet. Because of high strength and low burnout temperature, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose binder is preferred for production of these sheets. Tape cast sheets with low solids loading can be obtained by optimizing the wetting behavior of aqueous slurries on tape carrier. Setter, powder deposition sheets are of particular benefit in processing of thin ceramic tapes, particularly for processing of piezoelectric ceramic tapes. Tapes can be processed in a sandwich formed by layering setter powder deposition sheets between tapes and cover plates employed to maintain tape flatness and to reduce evaporation of volatile components of the ceramic.

Abstract: The invention utilizes green support structures during sintering to maintain the shape, reduce sagging and prevent separate part sections from coming into contact and fusing together during the sintering process. In the most preferred embodiment, monolithic green structures are form with integrated support green structures that are released from the parts after sintering. Preferably monolithic green structures are formed by the Mold Shape Deposition Manufacturing (Mold SDM) process. By the method described, complex sintered structures can be made having interlocking and independently movable interlocking parts.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic arc chamber (420) comprising providing a sintering tray (412) including a plurality of bores (422). The bores (422) having a first diameter upper section (424) and a second narrower diameter lower section (426). Positioning a plurality of ceramic end caps (212) having a main body portion (216), and a leg portion (219) in the bores (422) such that the leg portion (219) passes downwardly through the narrower diameter lower section (426) and the main body portion (216) is retained within the upper section (424). Moreover, the second diameter lower section (426) acts as a shoulder supporting the end cap (210). Next, a ceramic arc tube (214) is positioned within the first diameter upper section (424) and mated with the ceramic end cap (212). A second end cap (210) is mated to a second upper open end of the ceramic arc tube (214) to form an arc tube preform (420). The arc tube preforms (420) are then sintered to join the components via controlled shrinkage.

Abstract: Disclosed are a ceramics sheet which has an area of 400 cm.sup.2 or more, thickness of 0.4 mm or less, maximum waviness height of 100 .mu.m or less, and warp of 0.1% or less and in which frequency of generated cracking and breakage is 10% or less when a load-applying test and a deflection-loading test each described in the text are carried out in succession, and a flat and large ceramics sheet having an area of 600 cm.sup.2 or more and thickness of 1 mm or less.

Abstract: A method for sintering tube pre-forms in an furnace for obtaining ceramic tubes which are extremely straight is provided, in which, during sintering, the tube preforms are placed inside supporting tubes in ceramic material, the support tubes 1 containing the tube preforms being arranged parallel to each other forming stacks 7 of layers 3 supported by support plates 4 in a refractory material, the inside surface of the support tubes being out-of-true by less than 0.1 mm over a length of 90 mm.

Abstract: A stacking system includes a frame having recesses therein used to partially define openings that permit gas generated during firing of a substrate within the space defined by the frame to escape without adversely affecting the substrate. A relatively thin tile placed on the frame provides the system with an additional level for substrates.