PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING INORGANIC SHEET

1 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A method for making an inorganic sheet, the method comprising:

passing a sheet-forming composition comprising a major amount of inorganic particulate material through at least one pair of indented rollers, thereby forming an inorganic board; and

passing the inorganic board through at least one pair of finishing rollers, thereby forming an inorganic sheet.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a surface of each of indented rollers includes a series of raised segments and/or protrusions about the surface.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the raised segments and or protrusions traverse laterally along the surface of the respective indented roller.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the finishing rollers are smoothing rollers.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the finishing rollers comprise at least one roller having a surface configured to impart a regular surface pattern to the inorganic board as it passes through the at least one pair of finishing rollers.

21 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the sheet-forming composition comprises from about 60 to about 100 wt. % inorganic particulate material and from about 0 to about 40% organic additives.

22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the sheet-forming composition comprises at least one of inorganic fibers and organic fibers.

23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein the sheet-forming composition comprises at least one of a ceramic precursor composition, a porcelain tile precursor composition, a heavy clay, a porcelain aluminous ceramic precursor composition, an alumina-zircon containing composition, a magnesium silicate composition, steatite, and cordierite.

24 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the sheet-forming composition is aged prior to sheet-forming.

25 . A method for making a sintered ceramic sheet, the method comprising:

the method of claim 23 , and further comprising:

drying the ceramic sheet to form a green ceramic sheet, and

sintering the green ceramic sheet to form a sintered ceramic sheet.

26 . A method for making a multilayered ceramic composite, the method comprising:

the method of claim 23 , and further comprising at least one of:

drying the ceramic sheet to form a green ceramic sheet,

stacking the green ceramic sheet with at least one additional green ceramic sheet to form a green laminated product, and

sintering the green laminated product to form a multilayered ceramic composite; or

stacking the ceramic sheet with at least one additional ceramic sheet having a different composition to form a laminated product,

drying the laminated product to form a green laminated product, and

sintering the green laminated product to form a multilayered ceramic composite.

27 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the sheet-forming composition is prepared under vacuum conditions.

28 . An apparatus configured to form at least one of an inorganic sheet, a sintered ceramic sheet, and a multi-layered ceramic composite, the apparatus comprising:

a pair of indented rollers, and

at least one pair of finishing rollers positioned downstream from the pair of indented rollers.

29 . The apparatus of claim 28 , wherein the at least one pair of finishing rollers comprise at least one roller having a surface configured to impart a regular surface pattern to the inorganic board as it passes through the at least one pair of finishing rollers.

30 . An inorganic sheet formed by the method of claim 16 .

31 . A sintered ceramic sheet formed by the method of claim 25 .

32 . A multilayered ceramic composite formed by the method of claim 26 .