Abstract: Porous zirconia or zirconium-containing particles, methods of making such particles and methods of using such particles including modifications to the surface of the particles are described. The method comprises heating zirconia particles to provide a substantially homogeneously liquid melt, quenching the particles of melt to effect spinodal decomposition to provide quench particles of a silica rich phase and a zirconia rich phase, annealing the quenched particles to provide non porous solid particles of zirconia and silica and, leaching the silica from these particles to produce porous solid zirconia particles comprising a three dimensionally substantially continuous interpenetrating network of interconnected pores.

Abstract: Macroporous ceramics were produced using the droplets of an emulsion as the templates around which the ceramic is deposited through a sol-gel process. Subsequent aging, drying and calcination yields a ceramic with pores in the range of 0.1 to several micrometers which have been left behind by the droplets. The unique deformability of the droplets prevents cracking and pulverization during processing and allows one to obtain porosities in excess of 74%. By starting with a monodisperse emulsion (produced through a repeated fractionation procedure) pores with a uniform and controllable size have been obtained. Self-assembly of these droplets into a colloidal crystal leads to ceramics which contain ordered arrays of pores. A wide range of porosities is obtainable with the advantages of low-temperature sol-gel processing, with a high degree of control and low cost.

Abstract: A method of making a molecularly imprinted porous structure makes use of a surfactant analog of the molecule to be imprinted that has the imprint molecule portion serving as the surfactant headgroup. The surfactant analog is allowed to self-assemble in a mixture to create at least one supramolecular structure having exposed imprint groups. The imprinted porous structure is formed by adding reactive monomers to the mixture and allowing the monomers to polymerize, with the supramolecular structure serving as a template. The resulting solid structure has a shape that is complementary to the shape of the supramolecular structure and has cavities that are the mirror image of the imprint group. Similarly, molecularly imprinted particles may be made by using the surfactant to create a water-in-oil microemulsion wherein the imprint groups are exposed to the water phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for pigmenting a porous sintered material comprising boride, carbide, silicide, nitride or phosphide compounds by applying a solution of a soluble pigment derivative to the non-coloured sintered material and regenerating the organic pigment by heating, whereby the organic pigment is deposited into the sintered material's pores, as well as to the new pigmented sintered materials themselves.

Abstract: Silicon carbide foam useful as a catalyst support has a BET specific surface area of at least 5 m2/g, and a compression strength exceeding 0.2 MPa. The foam is prepared by impreganting an organic foam with a suspension of silicon in a resin containing a cross-linking agent, incompletely cross-linking the resin, carbonizing the foam and resin, and carburizing the silicon.

Abstract: This invention provides a light-weight pottery article with lower specific gravity than that of general pottery as well as a process for producing the same. The light-weight pottery article of the invention is produced by adding a lightening agent to clay based on silica and alumina, forming the resulting kneaded material into a desired form and calcinating the formed material, wherein the lightening agent is microspherical hollow ceramic powder having a hollow structure based on silica and alumina, the surface of said hollow ceramic powder is coated with an inorganic coating layer based on a silicate compound (e.g. sodium silicate, potassium silicate etc.), said hollow ceramic powder is contained in such a state as to be uniformly dispersed at a proportion of 20 to 80% by weight in the base materials, and in said base materials there is a structure in which the neighboring hollow ceramic powders have been integrated with one another via said inorganic coating layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a porous ceramic used for producing alkali ion water. The ceramic of the invention includes finely particulate zeolite having an average particle size of 0.1 to 40 &mgr;m and an alkali ion producing material as components. Besides the above components, the invention preferably comprises a fibrous mineral and/or a clay mineral. To produce the ceramic of the invention, a slurry obtained by grinding zeolite by a wet process, a slurry obtained by grinding the alkali ion producing material and the clay mineral by a wet process and a slurry obtained by grinding the fibrous mineral are first mixed and stirred to prepare a mixed slurry. This mixed slurry is then dried and fired to obtain a sintered body.

Abstract: An improved porous ceramic article and a method for forming such porous ceramic article. A mixture of ceramic particles and pliable organic hollow spheres is prepared in a liquid, typically as a suspension. The article is formed by pressing, slip casting, extruding or injection molding the mixture. The article is dried to remove the liquid, and then is fired so that the ceramic particles are bonded such as by sintering, and the organic spheres are burned off, resulting in a strong porous ceramic article having uniformly spaced interconnected voids.

Abstract: Macroporous ceramics were produced using the droplets of an emulsion as the templates around which the ceramic is deposited through a sol-gel process. Subsequent aging, drying and calcination yields a ceramic with pores in the range of 0.1 to several micrometers which have been left behind by the droplets. The unique deformability of the droplets prevents cracking and pulverization during processing and allows one to obtain porosities in excess of 74%. By starting with a monodisperse emulsion (produced through a repeated fractionation procedure) pores with a uniform and controllable size have been obtained. Self-assembly of these droplets into a colloidal crystal leads to ceramics which contain ordered arrays of pores. A wide range of porosities is obtainable with the advantages of low-temperature sol-gel processing, with a high degree of control and low cost.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a self-supporting porous ceramic material, which is typically used in ceramic filters as a substrate prior to coating with a thin dense membrane layer of additional ceramic material. Conventional ceramic support structures are not necessarily designed as membrane support substrates. They are typically made with monosized particles and have a uniform cross section. The present support structure is made via a polydisperse slurry method where a functionally gradient structure is achieved by a colloidal destabilization technique. The key for achieving this structure is to colloidally unstable or metastable suspensions of a controlled and broad particle size distribution, so that segregation based on particle diameter will occur during consolidation. This produces a continuously finer mean particle diameter axial profile from one major surface to the other on the cross section of the consolidated structure.

Abstract: A porous spinel type oxide shows a large surface area and a uniform micro-porous structure. The oxide is expressed by general formula MO—Al2O3 and shows a surface area per unit weight of not less than 80 m2/g. Such a porous spinel type compound oxide is obtained by impregnating a specific &ggr;-alumina carrier with a solution of a compound of metal element M capable of taking a valence of 2, drying the impregnated carrier and calcining it at a temperature of 600° C. or higher. The specific &ggr;-alumina carrier shows a surface area per unit weight of not less than 150 m2/g, a micro-pore volume per unit weight of not less than 0.55 cm3/g and an average micro-pore diameter between 90 and 200 angstroms. The micro-pores with a diameter between 90 and 200 angstroms occupy not less than 60% of the total micro-pore volume of the carrier.

Abstract: A method of producing a mesoporous silica material, including reacting, with stirring, a liquid mixture containing a tetraalkyl orthosilicate, a linear alkylamine, an inorganic acid and water, and drying and thermally treating the thus obtained solid product, wherein the amounts of the inorganic acid, alkylamine and water are 0.05-0.6 mol, 0.2-1.0 mol and 10-100 mol, respectively, per mol of the tetraalkyl orthosilicate. Mesoporous silica hard spheres having an average pore diameter of 1.5-4 nm and a volume average diameter of 40-80 &mgr;m. The mesoporous silica hard spheres may contain metal components other than silica.

Abstract: A large-format fireclay refractory brick for use as bottom block in a tin bath and a method for its manufacture, said brick formed of material of the Al2O3—SiO2 system filling material and opening material. The preferred embodiment of the brick has an upper and a lower layer with the filling and/or opening material contained only in the lower layer. The brick has an open porosity of 20 to 25 percent by volume, a gas permeability of less than 3 nPm and an H2-diffusion of less than 150 mm H2O, resulting in a brick with improved resistance to alkali attack and decreased caloric conductivity.

Abstract: An alumina-based porous support with uniform physical properties is obtained in a rapid sintering process. An alumina raw material including a raw alumina powder and an inorganic binder is molded into an article, and the article is then sintered for 5 to 8 hours at 1520 to 1560.degree. C. using a roller hearth kiln.

Abstract: The production of open-celled porous inorganic sintered products comprises the stepsa) introducing a flowable mixture comprising an aqueous polymer dispersion, sinterable inorganic powder and dispersant into a precipitation bath in which the polymer precipitates or coagulates to form a non-flowable product comprising polymer, inorganic powder and dispersant,b) removing the product from the precipitation bath and drying the product,c) heating the product to remove polymer and dispersant and sintering the product.The porous open-celled sintered products comprising sintered inorganic powder have a pore volume of from 50 to 95%, a surface area of from 0.1 to 50 m.sup.2 /g and an at least bimodal pore size distribution having maxima in the ranges from 0.02 to 5 .mu.m and from 20 to 500 .mu.m.

Abstract: A nuclear medical drug for localize radiotheraphy of a tumor and methods for its preparation. The drug includes a radioactive ceramic or glass particle having biocompatiblity. Ceramic or glass particles prepared by traditional processes become radioactive particles with pure .beta.-particle-emitting radionuclides after being irradiated with an appropriate flux of neutrons. The radioactive particle with suitable particle size can then be dispersed into a contrast medium for injection or can be implanted by operation.

Abstract: A method for making very strong gas mantles and other ceramic structures, and the resulting products, are provided. According to the method, an organic or composite structure is first pyrolyzed in the absence of oxygen to remove hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, leaving a porous carbon or composite structure, which is then impregnated with a metal compound-containing solution or slurry which is later fired in the presence of an oxidizing atmosphere to produce a refractory metal oxide which has about the same shape as the precursor carbon or composite structure. Due to minimal shrinkage of the mostly carbon or composite precursor, the resulting mantles and other ceramic structures have few defects in the fibers and great strength.

Abstract: A ceramic porous membrane in which aggregate particles are bound by binding portions composed of a titania, is provided. The binding portions composed of a titania are contained in an amount of 1-30% by weight based on the aggregate particles, and the aggregate particles comprise an .alpha.-alumina. The porous membrane is formed on a porous substrate to form a ceramic filter. A slurry comprising aggregate particles and 1-70% by weight of binding portions composed of a titania based on the aggregate particles are prepared, and thermally treating the slurry at a temperature of 300-700.degree. C. under ambient atmosphere to form the porous membrane.

Abstract: A process for preparing a porous amorphous silica-alumina refractory oxide is described in which a source of silica, such as tetra ethyl ortho silicate, in a non-aqueous solvent, such as an alcohol, is hydrolysed by adding an aqueous solution containing aluminum ions, in particular a solution of aluminum nitrate, thereby to form a sol and calcining the sol at, for example, 200.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. The product, which may have a microporous or mesoporous structure, is useful in the separation of fluids, especially the separation of carbon dioxide from natural gas.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for treating various kinds of drain water and waste liquid which treatment now becomes a problem, for example, drain water and waste liquid containing hardly removable phosphorus and nitrogen, waste liquid containing organochlorine compounds such as tetrachloroethylene, etc., excretive drain water from a piggery containing organonitrogen compounds at a high level, waste liquid containing heavy metals such as lead, hexavalent chromium, cadmium and the like, drain water from dairy product plants, fishery processing plates, slaughterhouses, etc. which contains water soluble protein at a high level, drain water from pulp plants, photo developing waste liquid, car wash drain water containing a mixture of car polishing wax and detergent and the like by the use of porous ceramics provided with amorphous pore surfaces.

Abstract: This present invention relates to microporous oxidic solids based on organofunctional compounds of metals, transition metals and semiconductor elements, preferably elements of the third and fourth main group and/or the fourth sub-group of the periodic system of elements, which are produced by tempering and calcining said compounds in an oxygen or ozone-containing gas atmosphere, and their use as adsorbent, for substance separation, as catalyst or as catalyst carrier material. The solids have a pore size of 0.3 to 2 nm, a pore volume of 0.05 to 0.9 ml/g and a BET surface of 10 to 1,000 m.sup.2 /g.

Abstract: A ceramic composition is provided to insulate ceramic matrix composites under high temperature, high heat flux environments. The composite comprises a plurality of hollow oxide-based spheres of varios dimentions, a phosphate binder, and at least one oxide filler powder, whereby the phosphate binder partially fills gaps between the spheres and the filler powders. The spheres are situated in the phosphate binder and the filler powders such that each sphere is in contact with at least one other sphere. The spheres may be any combination of Mullite spheres, Alumina spheres, or stabilized Zirconia spheres. The filler powder may be any combination of Alumina, Mullite, Ceria, or Hafnia. Preferably, the phosphate binder is Aluminum Ortho-Phosphate. A method of manufacturing the ceramic insulating composition and its application to CMC substates are also provided.

Abstract: The production of open-celled porous inorganic sintered products comprises the stepsa) introducing a flowable mixture comprising an aqueous polymer dispersion, sinterable inorganic powder and dispersant into a precipitation bath in which the polymer precipitates or coagulates to form a non-flowable product comprising polymer, inorganic powder and dispersant,b) removing the product from the precipitation bath and drying the product,c) heating the product to remove polymer and dispersant and sintering the product.The porous open-celled sintered products comprising sintered inorganic powder have a pore volume of from 50 to 95%, a surface area of from 0.1 to 50 m.sup.2 /g and an at least bimodal pore size distribution having maxima in the ranges from 0.02 to 5 .mu.m and from 20 to 500 .mu.m.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a ceramic foam made by mixing a liquid pre-ceramic resin and a liquid phenolic resin, allowing the resultant mixture to chemically foam, curing the mixture for a time and at a temperature sufficiently to convert the mixture to a polymeric foam, and then heating the resultant polymeric foam for a time and at a temperature sufficient to break-down polymers of the polymeric foam and convert the polymeric foam to a ceramic foam. The ceramic foam of the present invention contains residual decomposed components of the liquid phenolic resin and/or liquid pre-ceramic resin.

Abstract: Insulating sleeve mixes that contain hollow aluminosilicate microspheres, an organic binder, and boric acid and/or a phosphate, and their uses.

Abstract: A ceramic composite material consisting of two or more crystal phases of different components, each crystal phase having a non-regular shape, said crystal phases having three dimensional continuous structures intertwined with each other, at least one crystal phase thereof being a single crystal. Further, by removing at least one crystal phase from this ceramic composite material, there is provided a porous ceramic material consisting of at least one crystal phase and pores, said crystal phase and pores having non-regular shapes and being three dimensionally continuous and intertwined with each other.

Abstract: A ceramic particulate material which comprises particles having an irregular three dimensional surface profile having jagged projections and a median particle diameter of 200 micrometers or less, the particles being fractals produced by comminution of foamed ceramic material. The material may be such that in a sphere of rotation of the particle, from 30% to 80% of the volume of the sphere is void, the remainder being continuous solid material. The material may be produced by a process which includes providing a suspension of ceramic forming particles e.g., of an aluminosilicate such as clay, in a liquid medium; incorporating a gas in the liquid medium before or after formation of the suspension therein to produce a foamed suspension; extruding the foamed suspension; optionally drying the extrudate formed thereby; calcining the extrudate; and comminuting the calcined material, e.g. by crushing. The material may be used as a substitute for diatomite.

Abstract: Opaque silica glass having a density of 2.0 to 2.18 g/cm.sup.3, sodium and potassium elements concentrations in the silica glass of each 0.5 ppm or less and an OH group concentration of 30 ppm or less, and containing bubbles which are independent bubbles having the following physical values: a bubble diameter of 300 .mu.m or less, and a bubble density of 100,000 to 1,000,000 bubbles/cm.sup.3, and a production process for opaque silica glass, including: filling quartz raw material grain having a particle size of 10 to 350 .mu.m in a heat resistant mold, heating it in a non-oxidizing atmosphere from a room temperature up to a temperature lower by 50 to 150.degree. C. than a temperature at which the above raw material grain is melted at a temperature-raising speed not exceeding 50.degree. C./minute, then, slowly heating it up to a temperature higher by 10 to 80.degree. C. than the temperature at which the quartz raw material grain is melted at the speed of 10.degree. C.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method a method of making a material for thermal cores and the material so made. In particular, the present invention disclose a method including the steps of applying thermally conductive particles over at least a portion of a fiber layer, providing another fiber layer upon the fiber layer, and repeating the above steps as desired. In another aspect of the present invention is disclosed a method of making a thermally conductive material including applying thermally conductive particles upon at least a portion of a fiber prepreg layer, providing another fiber prepreg layer upon the fiber layer, repeating the above steps as desired, and bonding the fiber prepreg layers, including the thermally conductive particles, together. The material in accordance with the present invention includes a plurality of layers made of thermally conductive fibers bonded by a resin, and a plurality of interposed layers of resin having a high concentration of high conductivity particles therein.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a porous composite oxide is provided. The method includes the steps of: (a) slowly mixing a solution including a silicon oxide source and a solution including an aluminum oxide source; (b) adding hydrochloric acid to the mixed solution prepared in said step (a) to obtain a sol; and (c) adding sodium hydroxide to said sol, reacting the obtained resultant at room temperature for 30 minutes to 12 hours, and drying the resultant. The porous composite oxide has an abundance of fine pores and the distribution of pore size is relatively uniform, so that the porous composite oxide is suitable for a carrier.

Abstract: SiC foam-based catalyst carrier in the form of a moulded part having walls reinforced with a SiC skin having mechanical characteristics higher than those of the foam, this skin allowing the carrier to be handled and used without damage.

Abstract: A ceramic composite is provided comprising ceramic fibers, glass microballoons and/or diatoms, bound together with a ceramic reinforcing cloth with a sol-gel ceramic binder. The composite is particularly useful as a high strength, high temperature insulation material.

Abstract: A ceramic filter for filtering molten metals includes aggregate particles consisting of fused alumina and/or sintered alumina, and a binder material, wherein the binder is present in an amount of 10 to 22 parts, by weight, per 100 parts of the aggregate particles. The binder material consists of 15 to 25%, by weight, of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, 35 to 52% of B.sub.2 O.sub.3, not less than 7% and less than 15% of Sio.sub.2, and the balance of MgO. The ceramic filter may be prepared by kneading 100 parts of aggregate particles consisting essentially of either or both of fused alumina and sintered alumina, 10 to 22 parts of the foregoing binder material, an appropriate amount of an organic binder and an appropriate amount of water; molding the resulting mixture; drying the molded mixture; and then firing the same at a temperature ranging from 1150 to 1300.degree. C.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a high-porosity, high-strength porous silicon nitride having great tolerance with respect to strain and stress, and a method for producing the same, and the present invention relates to a high-porosity, high-strength porous silicon nitride having great tolerance with respect to strain and stress, characterized in that rodlike grains of silicon nitride with a minor diameter of 0.5 to 10 .mu.m and an aspect ratio of 10 to 100 are oriented in a single direction, and the rest of the structure other than the rodlike grains consists solely of pores with a porosity of 5 to 30%, and further the above-mentioned porous silicon nitride is produced by mixing rodlike particles of silicon nitride with a minor diameter of 0.5 to 10 .mu.

Abstract: Porous zirconia or zirconium-containing particles, methods of making such particles and methods of using such particles including modifications to the surface of the particles are described. The method comprises heating zirconia particles to provide a substantially homogeneously liquid melt, quenching the particles of melt to effect spinodal decomposition to provide quench particles of a silica rich phase and a zirconia rich phase, annealing the quenched particles to provide non porous solid particles of zirconia and silica and, leaching the silica from these particles to produce porous solid zirconia particles comprising a three dimensionally substantially continuous inter penetrating network of interconnected pores.

Abstract: The present invention provides for microporous ceramic materials having a surface area in excess of 70 m.sup.2 /gm and an open microporous cell structure wherein the micropores have a mean width of less than 20 Angstroms and wherein said microporous structure comprises a volume of greater than about 0.03 cm.sup.3 /gm of the ceramic. The invention also provides for a preceramic composite intermediate composition comprising a mixture of a ceramic precursor and finely divided silicon carbide or silicon nitride, whose pyrolysis product in inert atmosphere or in an ammonia atmosphere at temperatures of up to less than about 1100.degree. C. gives rise to the microporous ceramics of the invention. Also provided is a process for the preparation of the microporous ceramics of the invention involving pyrolysis of the ceramic intermediate under controlled conditions of heating up to temperatures of less than 1100.degree. C. to form a microporous ceramic product.

Abstract: The need for silicas with large pore sizes can be met by hydrothermal treatment of a silica powder with a mineralizing agent. Pore sizes in the range 300-25,000 angstroms, and more particularly in the range up to 10,000 angstroms, are readily obtained using mineralizing agents such as hydroxide, carbonate, and fluoride at temperatures in the range 85-300.degree. C. A narrow, unimodal distribution of pores is typical.

Abstract: A porous lithium aluminate carrier for catalyst has a spinel structure which has a mean pore diameter in the range of 40 to 1,000 angstroms and a total pore volume in the range of 0.2 to 1.5 mL/g. The porous lithium aluminate carrier can be used for supporting a catalyst compound containing a platinum group metal. The catalyst on the carrier can be favorably employed for promoting catalytic reaction of a nitrite ester and carbon monoxide to prepare a carbonate diester such as dimethyl carbonate.

Abstract: A method for producing a porous body with high porosity is provided.An adhesive is coated on a synthetic resin foam having three-dimensional network structure, such as urethane foam, serving as a base material, to impart stickiness to the surface of the resin foam, and thereafter a powder such as copper oxide powder is applied thereto, followed by heating to remove the substrate and sinter the powder. Thus, a porous body to which the pattern of the base material has been transferred is produced.The powder may be appropriately selected to obtain porous bodies having a great strength, without limitations on materials.

Abstract: A method for producing engineered materials from salt/polymer aqueous solutions in which an aqueous continuous phase having at least one metal cation salt is mixed with a hydrophilic organic polymeric disperse phase so as to form a metal cation/polymer gel. The metal cation/polymer gel is then treated to form a structural mass precursor, which structural mass precursor is heated, resulting in formation of a structural mass having predetermined characteristics based upon the intended application of the structural mass.

Abstract: The present invention provides for amorphous, nanoporous, ceramic material having a surface area in excess of 70 m.sup.2 /gm and characterized by a high content of open microporous cell structure wherein the micropores have a mean width of less than 20 Angstroms and wherein said microporous structure comprises a volume of greater than about 0.03 cm.sup.3 /gm of the ceramic. The invention also provides a process for the preparation of such nanoporous ceramics wherein a ceramic precursor polymer or oligomer is gradually heated in the presence of an inert gas or vacuum up to a maximum temperature in the range of greater than 400.degree. C. up to about 650.degree. C. Optionally, the process may also include a crosslinking step conducted prior to the heating step wherein the precursor polymer or oligomer is heated in the presence of a crosslinking agent capable of undergoing addition or substitution reactions with backbone atoms present in said precursor material, at an intermediate temperature of about 100.

Abstract: A fibrous ceramic mat is molded from a slurry of ceramic fibers and/or ceramic microparticles and/or a metal. The mat is impregnated with a sol prior to drying. A catalyst for the sol is introduced into the mat to cause the sol to gel. The sol-gel binder forms bonds so that the mat is dimensionally stabilized. The mat is dried to produce the desired ceramic insulation that has preferably a consistent microstructure and a fully gelled sol-gel binder through its entire thickness. When a metal is used, it corrodes (i.e., oxidizes) or otherwise reacts to form a refractory binder that augments the sol and reduces the need to infuse sol incrementally to achieve strength. Using metal powder significantly reduces the cost of manufacture.

Abstract: This invention aims to provide an inorganic porous body which can be ensured with high strength and high porosity and which is applicable to soil conditioners. The inorganic porous body has a pellet-shape having pores, includes 50% and more silica by weight, and 20% and more alumina by weight. Also, the inorganic porous body has a porosity of 40% and more by volume. The sludge, which discharged from casting foundries as sludge-wastes and which has an ignition loss of 20%, is utilized as a starting material. The starting material is mixed with water to make a mixture, the mixture is formed to become pellets, and the pellets are burned.

Abstract: A process for preparing an inorganic porous material, includes the steps of forming a solution of a hydrolyzable inorganic compound with a non-ionic surfactant having organic molecules; inducing growth and condensation of a solid composition comprising an inorganic composition in intimate contact with said organic molecules; and extracting said organic molecules from said inorganic composition so as to provide said inorganic porous material having wall portions defining mesopore-sized channels having a mean diameter of between about 15 .ANG. to about 100 .ANG. and a narrow diameter distribution of less than or equal to about 30 .ANG., said material having a void volume from said mesopore-sized channels of at least about 0.1 cc/g.

Abstract: Mesoporous desigels are fabricated as nitrides, carbides, borides, and silicides of metals, particularly transition metals, and most particularly early transition metals. The desigels are prepared by forming a gel of a metallic compound, and removing solvent from the gel. In some instances, the thus produced desigel may be further reacted to change its composition, while preserving its mesoporous structure. The materials are particularly suited as electrodes for capacitors, including ultracapacitors, and for batteries.

Abstract: This invention relates to heat cured binder systems comprising as separate Parts: Part I comprising (a) a soluble source of silica, (b) an alcohol, and preferably (c) a surfactant; and Part II comprising an alkali aluminate. The binder systems are mixed with a refractory to form a refractory mix. The resulting refractory mix is shaped and heated at an elevated temperature to form a cured refractory shape, particularly a preform. Heat is applied by warm air, baking in an oven, microwave, or preferably by hot-box equipment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microporous carbon-bound molded SiC body with granular SiC, secondarily formed SiC and a secondarily formed silicon compound, for use as inwall brick for lining a blast furnace as well as for use as susceptor for heating ceramic, electrically non-conductive molded bodies, inorganic melts, glasses and slags.

Abstract: Provided is a method for the efficient preparation of fine hollow spherical glassy bodies having a high strength and excellent whiteness from a volcanic vitreous deposit as the starting material. The fine hollow spherical glassy bodies as desired can be prepared by dispersing 100 parts by weight of a powder of a volcanic vitreous deposit in an aqueous solution containing 1 to 10 parts by weight of aluminum sulfate, adding an aqueous alkaline solution to this liquid suspension to cause deposition of an alumina hydrate onto the surface of the particles of said powder and washing and drying of the solid material followed by a heat treatment for 1 second to 1 minute at a temperature of 900.degree. to 1100.degree. C.

Abstract: This invention aims to provide an inorganic porous body which can be ensured with high strength and high porosity and which is applicable to soil conditioners. The inorganic porous body has a pellet-shape, having pores, includes 50% and more silica by weight, and 20% and more alumina by weight. Also, the inorganic porous body has a porosity of 40% and more by volume. The sludge, which discharged from casting foundries as sludge-wastes and which has an ignition loss of 20%, is utilized as a starting material. The starting material is mixed with water to make a mixture, the mixture is formed to become pellets, and the pellets are burned.

Abstract: A high-porosity and high-strength porous silicon nitride body comprises columnar silicon nitride grains and an oxide bond phase containing 2 to 15 wt. %, in terms of oxide based on silicon nitride, of at least one rare earth element, and has an SiO.sub.2 /(SiO.sub.2 +rare earth element oxide) weight ratio of 0.012 to 0.65 and an average pore size of at most 3.5 .mu.m. The porous silicon nitride body is produced by compacting comprising a silicon nitride powder, 2 to 15 wt. %, in terms of oxide based on silicon nitride, of at least one rare earth element, and an organic binder while controlling the oxygen content and carbon content of said compact; and sintering said compact in an atmosphere comprising nitrogen at 1,650.degree. to 2,200.degree. C. to obtain a porous body having a three-dimensionally entangled structure made up of columnar silicon nitride grains and an oxide bond phase, and having an SiO.sub.2 /(SiO.sub.2 +rare earth element oxide) weight ratio of 0.012 to 0.65.