Abstract: A powder injection molding composition or feedstock is made of 70% or more by weight of a powdered metal or ceramic and 30% or less by weight of a binder system. The binder system contains a sufficient amount of polypropylene or polyethylene to hold the so-called brown preform of the molded metal or ceramic powder together for the sintering step of the injection molding process and a sufficient amount of partially hydrolyzed cold water soluble polyvinyl alcohol water and plasticizer to facilitate molding of the composition into the so- called green preform of the article to be manufactured. The debinding step of the injection molding process for transforming the green preform into the brown preform consists simply of immersing the green preform in water at ambient temperature to dissolve the polyvinyl alcohol. The binder system is nonhazardous, safe, harmless and fully degradable.

Abstract: A method of forming an electrolyte matrix for a carbonate fuel cell. An .alpha.-LiAlO.sub.2 ceramic is mixed in an aqueous solvent having a citric acid dispersant and deflocculated using a high energy attrition milling. The deflocculated mixture is added to an alcohol/glycerol aqueous binder system to form a slurry which is degassed and then tape cast to form the matrix.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a ceramic multilayer component, comprising electrically conductive and electrically insulating layers which are stacked in alternate arrangement in a multilayer structure, which method comprises the following steps:providing three extrudable polymeric mixtures, each mixture comprising a binder and a particulate filler, whereby:(a) a first mixture comprises a ceramic filler;(b) a second mixture comprises a metallic filler and a first binder;(c) the third mixture comprises a metallic filler and a second binder;with the aid of an extrusion device having an extrusion channel which is provided with a layer-multiplication element, manufacturing an extruded multilayer stack comprising a plurality of the basic units abac, in which layers a,b,c correspond respectively to the first, second and third mixtures, the stack having two oppositely situated side walls along which part of each layer is exposed;with the aid of a first solvent, dissolving away part of each layer b exposed along a first s

Abstract: A process for production of a moulded ceramic and/or metallic body from a ductile material comprising one or more ceramic and/or metallic components, which material is fed into the pre-heated mould cavity (1) of a moulding tool. The moulded tool includes at least two mould parts (4, 5) of which at least one wholly or partly consists of a microporous material with communicating micropores. At least one mould cavity (1) comprising at least one mould surface (2, 3) exhibiting closed micropores is arranged in the microporous mould part (4, 5) or in a microporous section (6) thereof. The microporous mould part (4, 5) or the microporous section (6) thereof is pre-heated by supply of warm fluid, such as a heated gas. Said part (4, 5) or section (6) is after terminated moulding cooled by supply of cold fluid, such as a condensed gas. the invention includes in a further aspect a moulded body produced according to the process.

Abstract: A powder injection molding composition or feedstock is made of 70% or more by weight of a powdered metal or ceramic and 30% or less by weight of a binder system. The binder system contains a sufficient amount of polypropylene or polyethylene to hold the so-called brown preform of the molded metal or ceramic powder together for the sintering step of the injection molding process and a sufficient amount of partially hydrolyzed cold water soluble polyvinyl alcohol, water and plasticizer to facilitate molding of the composition into the so-called green preform of the article to be manufactured. The debinding step of the injection molding process for transforming the green preform into the brown preform consists simply of immersing the green preform in water at ambient temperature to dissolve the polyvinyl alcohol. The binder system is nonhazardous, safe, harmless and fully degradable.

Abstract: A method of injection molding ceramic or metal parts having an internal cavity or other complicated shape. A fugitive core is formed of a particulate and a first binder. The core is then suspended in a conventional injection molding cavity. The part is then injection molded by injecting a ceramic or metal powder mixed with a second binder while in a plastic state into the mold cavity and around the suspended core. Once the second different binder hardens or gels, the molded part together with the core are removed from the mold cavity. The molded part and core are then subject to a debinding process to debind the first binder to thereby remove the core. Because two different binders were used for the core and molding, the binder used to form the molded part remains unaffected when removing the core.

Abstract: Disclosed is a molding method for powder particles, which is excellent in molding performance, and which makes it possible to obtain a preliminary molded product excellent in strength by enhancing mutual bonding between particles in the preliminary molded product. A molding apparatus for powder particles includes an outer frame die having a mold space with a lower punch and an upper punch to be slidably fitted thereto. Slight clearances exist between the outer frame die and the lower and upper punches. A mixture is prepared by mixing a powdery raw material with a liquid additive to cause an exothermic reaction therewith.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of producing a ceramic article. The method includes forming an intercalated or exfoliated solution of smectite clay and a polymer selected from polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxides, polystyrene sulfonates, polyacrylamides, polymers of styrene, alkyl acrylates, alkyl methacrylates, olefins, acrylonitriles, polyurethanes and polyester ionomers. The solution is mixed with zirconia stabilized with at least one rare earth oxide element selected from Mg, Ca, Y, Sc and Ce to form a mixture. The mixture is molded into a green part. The green part is sintered to form the ceramic article.

Abstract: In a process for producing polychrome ceramic shaped parts, at least two granulates formed from ceramic powder, binder and color-producing particles are shaped, subjected to binder removal and sintered. The granulates are formed from different color-producing particles and/or different concentrations of the same color-producing particles.

Abstract: A ceramic spinneret used for producing manufactured fibers and formed from a fine grained, essentially pure structural ceramic such as aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, composites of aluminum oxide and zirconium oxide known as toughed ceramics, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, or any fine grained essentially pure structural ceramic. Such spinnerets are formed as a single piece and contain non-circular capillaries suitable for forming shaped or void containing fibers.

Abstract: A neutral pH foamed glass article is produced from a mixture of pulverized glass particles, foaming agent, binder, and water, wherein the glass article is heated to remove excess moisture and organic materals, then further heated to cause the foaming agent to emit a foaming gas, thereby causing foaming of the glass article. The foamed glass article is annealed in a controlled cooling fashion to avoid thermal stress, cracking and devitrification. The foamed glass articles may be used as artificial pumice stones in the stone-washed garment industry. Preferably, the mixture contains an amount of lignosulfonate to produce foamed glass having substantially neutral pH values in a range of from about 7.0 to 8.4.

Abstract: A method of producing a formable mixture involves combining a powder material, and a plurality of gel-forming polymers, wherein at least one gel-forming polymer is a proton donor, and at least one gel forming polymer is a proton acceptor. A method of making a monolithic structure involves producing a formable mixture of powder material which can be ceramic, metal, glass, glass ceramic, molecular sieve and combinations thereof, a plurality of gel-forming polymers as described above, extruding the mixture to form a green monolithic structure, and drying and firing the green structure.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing ceramic, metallic shaped bodies or layers a castable moldable material mass consisting of sugar and/or urea-containing compounds as well as metal components is produced and from that material mass a shaped body is formed or the material mass is applied to a material structure and the shaped body or material structure is then heated and sintered. The sugar material mass includes for example sugar syrup, sugar or beets, cane sugar, fruits, honey, alcohol-sugar solutions and beer.

Abstract: A process of molding inorganic materials into desired shapes comprises mixing the material with a dispersant, milling, molding the mixture, drying the mixture and sintering.

Abstract: This invention relates to tape casting a silicon carbide slip to eventually produce a silicon carbide wafer having a thickness of between 0.5 and 1 mm and a diameter of at least 150 mm, the wafer preferably having a strength of at least 30 MPa, and a porosity wherein at least 85% of the pores are no larger than 12 microns.

Abstract: A method of preparing ceramics having the steps of forming an aqueous slurry of deflocculant, ceramic powder and binder and causing the slurry to get into a semi-rigid solid by adding a chemical initiator and/or increasing the temperature of the slurry.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming an aluminum nitride article. The method includes the steps of adding platinum to a composition including a binder, aluminum nitride particles and a sintering aid; forming the composition into an article; placing the article in a substantially non-carbonaceous container; and sintering the article in a reducing atmosphere to cause removal of the binder and densification of the aluminum nitride article, wherein the platinum catalyzes the removal of the binder.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed including a substantially monolithic stator. The stator is formed by a metal injected molding (MIM) process in which high silicon iron is sintered to produce a stator made from loss magnetic material. The low loss magnetic material is a low hysteresis loss, high resistivity material. A substantially monolithic stator without multiple laminations is thus achieved. Avoiding stator laminations in this manner permits the fabrication of a disk drive having a significantly reduced vertical profile while still suppressing undesired eddy current and hysteresis losses in the stator. The stator is advantageously directly machined with a central bore to receive a bearing assembly for the spindle of the hub of the drive motor. The disclosed stator geometry is optimized in three dimensions to minimize stator volume and maximize the stator winding volume.

Abstract: A low-cost thermal decomposition degreasing method capable of drastically reducing the time required for a degreasing process which involves heating, vaporization and thermal decomposition, while assuring the shape retention property of an injection molded product during degreasing. The degreasing process comprises: (i) a first step wherein a molded product placed under a reduced pressure less than or equal to atmospheric pressure is heated at a temperature lower than the melting point of a thermoplastic binder so that the thermoplastic binder partially evaporates by 5 wt % or more, and then the molded product is further heated at a temperature lower than higher one of the melting points of a more volatile organic compound and a thermoplastic resin whereby the thermoplastic binder further evaporates by 10 wt % or more, and wherein the final temperature is set to 200.degree. C.

Abstract: Raw material powder for a bismuth oxide superconductor is molded with addition of an organic vehicle, and the molded raw material is heat treated for removing the organic vehicle before the molded raw material is metal-coated. In this heat treatment, conditions not more than those expressed as T=-1.5.times.logH+600 are applied as to relation between temperature (T) and time (H). Thus, phase transformation of 2212 phases mainly composing the raw material is suppressed so that a large amount of 2223 phases having a relatively high critical temperature are formed when heat treatment is performed after metal coating.

Abstract: A method of engraving pre-sintered ceramic articles involves providing a source of laser energy for forming a polyester mask having a predetermined spiral pattern etched therein. To form the polyester mask, means are provided for computationally communicating a predetermined engraving pattern to the source of laser energy. Once the polyester mask is formed, it is overlaid onto the ceramic article forming a laminate and the laminate is bombarded with a hard alumina grit to form the spiral pattern in the ceramic article. After the ceramic article is engraved with the predetermined spiral pattern, the polyester mask is removed exposing an engraved ceramic article.

Abstract: A water soluble acrylate is polymerised to bind ceramic particles in a dispersion. The polymer is then burned away.

Abstract: Components whose palladium metal-containing constituent is not subject to delamination and which exhibit very good dielectric properties are obtained by means of a method of manufacturing a ceramic electronic component. The ceramic electronic component is essentially composed of a dielectric oxide ceramic and at least one palladium-containing component, and is obtained by firing and sintering of a green body containing an organic binder with the firing process including a first step in which the binder is removed from the binder-containing green body by means of a water-gas reaction in a water vapor-containing, essentially oxygen-free, atmosphere at temperatures between 20.degree. and 880 .degree. C., and a second step in which the dielectric oxide ceramic is re-oxidized in an atmosphere having an oxygen content of 10 to 100% by volume at a temperature in the range from 880 .degree. C. to 900 .degree. C.

Abstract: This manufacturing method of a powder injection molded part includes the steps of using a binder composition containing at least 2 kinds of thermoplastic binder components having an evaporation temperature higher than the injection molding temperature and a different evaporation initiating temperature from each other, elevating the temperature of a molded body above the evaporation initiating temperature of the binder component having the lowest evaporation initiating temperature rapidly, removing the binder component having the lowest evaporation initiating temperature from the molded body by holding this temperature, and thereafter, removing all binder components by elevating up to a temperature not lower than the evaporation initiating temperature of the binder component having the highest evaporation initiating temperature. By this method, the form unstability of final parts, which is a problem of the prior art, is resolved, dimensional accuracy is satisfied, and it is possible to shorten debinding times.

Abstract: A method for micromolding ceramic articles and structures having spatial features as small as 0.1 .mu.m and having a depth ranging from 2.0 .mu.m to 100 .mu.m. A master mold of the article or structure to be molded is first fabricated using a silicon wafer and dry etching technology. A negative master mold is then produced by placing the silicon master mold device in a surrounding mold form and filling the surrounding mold form with a silicone or silicone rubber, preferably an RTV.TM. (a room temperature-vulcanizing silicone rubber compound). Such material replicates each of the micro features of the master mold in great detail to a resolution on the order of 0.1 .mu.m. The negative master mold is then used in a die to mold the desired individual elements or structures from a ceramic powder which is capable of replicating each of the micro features of the negative master mold to the desired resolution.

Abstract: A method for forming parts from inorganic particulate materials is diclosed. The method utilizes a two-component binder composition which is removable at a faster rate than conventional binder compositions, thereby reducing the formation of voids and cracks that occur during binder removal. No toxic materials are required and the method does not rely on solvents. The method may be used with ceramics, metals, and cermets.

Abstract: A method of making a boron carbide article by sintering includes mixing boron carbide with an epoxidized resin in solution and drying to form a granulated homogenized mixture and a carbonization cycle in which the mixture is maintained at at least two constant temperatures for predetermined times. The rates of temperature rise are at controlled rates sufficient to allow outgassing of the gases evolved during the decomposition of the resin.

Abstract: A process for fabricating ceramic-metal composites having continuous ceramic and metallic phases. The process includes the steps of contacting a porous ceramic matrix material having the general shape of an article of manufacture with molten metal whereby capillary action pulls the metal into the open porosity of the ceramic matrix to substantially fill the open void space. The present invention also provides a ceramic-metal composite having continuous metal and ceramic phases.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel methods for shaping a filler material into a porous preform and subsequently filling at least a portion of the porous preform with a second material to form a composite body. Specific aspects of the invention include novel combinations of materials to form the preform in combination with novel processing techniques for shaping the combinations of materials into a porous preform.

Abstract: A new class of binders for binding finely divided inert inorganic molding particles when shaped into objects by known mechanical shaping techniques such as injection molding. The novel binders are solid polymer solutions containing a major fraction of a low molecular weight solid relatively non-volatile chemical as solvent in which is substantially dissolved a minor fraction of at least one high molecular weight solid polymer. The solid polymer solution binders when molten are homogeneous solutions and can be readily uniformly mixed with the usual inorganic molding particles into a readily flowable mixture which can be shaped and solidified. When solidified, the polymer and solid chemical remain a substantially homogeneous solution without appreciable phase separation.

Abstract: A method for making a composite ceramic article by infiltration of a sintered ceramic preform with an infiltrate phase. The ceramic preform is made by directionally solidifying a liquid medium containing a dispersion of ceramic particles to produce a green, porous ceramic preform a plurality of interconnected lamelli that are partially separated from one another by complementary interlamellar regions, removing the solidified liquid medium and sintering the ceramic preform. This method may be used to make silicon carbide composites where a silicon carbide preform is first infiltrated with carbon to coat the lamelli of the preform, followed by infiltration of the carbon coated preform with molten silicon, whereby the molten silicon and carbon react to form silicon carbide in the interlamellar regions.