Patent ID: 7632434
Filing Date: 2009-12-15
Classification: B24D,C09K

Abstract:
1. A process of making spherical beads comprising: a) using a cell sheet wherein the cell sheet has a array of cell sheet through holes; b) the cell sheet through holes each have a cross sectional area; c) the cell sheet having a nominal thickness; d) the cell sheet holes form cell sheet volumes wherein a cell sheet volume is equal to the cell sheet through hole cross sectional area multiplied by the cell sheet thickness; e) mixing materials into a liquid solution, the mixture solution comprising an inorganic oxide or a combination of inorganic oxides, and water, solvents or a combination thereof; f) filling the cell sheet holes with the liquid mixture solution to form mixture volumes wherein the volume of mixture solution contained in each mixture volume is equal to the cell sheet volume; g) ejecting the liquid mixture volumes from the cell sheet by subjecting the liquid mixture solution contained in each cell to an impinging jet of fluid wherein the impact of the impinging jet of fluid dislocates the liquid mixture volumes from the cell sheet thereby forming independent mixture solution lump entities; h) wherein the ejected independent liquid mixture solution lump entities are shaped into independent spherical entities by force comprising liquid mixture solution surface tension forces; i) the independent spherical entities are introduced into and subjected to a solidification environment wherein the independent spherical entities become solidified to form loose, green, spherical beads; and j) firing the loose, green, spherical beads at high temperatures to produce beads.