Ngk Insulators, Inc.

Fumio Hattori

Takashi Harada

Toshiyuki Hamanaka

Ceramic materials to be insert-cast are disclosed, which each contain not less than 65% by volume of aluminum titanate as a crystalline phase, and have an average particle diameter of crystals thereof being not less than 10 .mu.m, Young's modulus of 50 to 2,000 kgf/mm.sup.2, compression strength of 5 to 40 kgf/mm.sup.2, and porosity of 5 to 35%. Ceramic port liners are also disclosed, which are free from cracking due to compression force during insert-casting, peeling-off during use, and facilitate insert-casting. To attain this, a reinforcement which meets either one or both of requirements that differences in coefficient of thermal expansion at 800.degree. C. and Young's modulus between the reinforcement and a material constituting the port liner body are in a range of .+-.0.1% and in a range of .+-.1,000 kgf/mm.sup.2, respectively, is filled into a depressed portion at an outer peripheral surface of the port liner body to form an integrated structure with a flat or swelled surface. Alternatively, the outer peripheral surface of the port liner body is worked to give uneven portions at a joining surface of the port liner body to a metal to insert-cast the port liner. Another alternative is to utilize a stress-releasing slit formed in a wall of the port liner body. Further, the outer peripheral surface of the ceramic port liner body may be covered with a ceramic sheet which is irreversively expandable by heating.

Ceramicm port liners

Ceramic materials to be insert-cast

Novel processes have been developed by the present invention for producing hollow ceramic articles. Such ceramic articles are produced by using a water-absorbable mold having water non-permeable faces on an inner surface of the mold at locations corresponding to valve holes. The thickness of a ceramic layer deposited on the inner surface of the mold is controlled by measuring an amount of a lowered liquid surface level of the slurry near a slurry-pouring opening of the mold. Open ends of a hollow ceramic article are formed by cutting corresponding closed ends after deposition of the slurry and firing. A uniform thickness of a slurry deposited onto the inner surface of the mold can be attained by rotating the mold around an arbitrary rotary axis at a rotation speed of 1 to 60 rpm. All ceramic material contained in the slurry fed inside the mold may be deposited on the inner surface of the mold while the mold is being rotated or swung.

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Ichinomiya, Japan

Fumio Hattori