Articles and methods in which an electric field is used to actuate a material are generally described. Provided in one embodiment is a method including applying an electric field to a ceramic material. Applying the electric field to the ceramic material can transform the ceramic material from a first solid phase to a second distinct solid phase. The applied electric field is less than a breakdown electric field of the ceramic material, according to certain embodiments.

Articles and methods in which an electric field is used to actuate a material are generally described. Provided in one embodiment is a method including applying an electric field to a ceramic material. Applying the electric field to the ceramic material can transform the ceramic material from a first solid phase to a second distinct solid phase. The applied electric field is less than a breakdown electric field of the ceramic material, according to certain embodiments.

A method for selectively metallizing a surface of a ceramic substrate, a ceramic product and use of the ceramic product are provided. The method comprises steps of: A) molding and sintering a ceramic composition to obtain the ceramic substrate, in which the ceramic composition comprises a ceramic powder and a functional powder dispersed in the ceramic powder; the ceramic powder is at least one selected from a group consisting of an oxide of E, a nitride of E, a oxynitride of E, and a carbide of E; E at least one selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Al, Ga, Si, Ge, P, As, Sc, Y, Zr, Hf, is and lanthanide elements; the functional powder is at least one selected from a group consisting of an oxide of M, a nitride of M, a oxynitride of M, a carbide of M, and a simple substance of M; and M is at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, In, Sn, Sb, Pb, Bi, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu; B) radiating a predetermined region of the surface of the ceramic substrate using an energy beam to form a chemical plating active center on the predetermined region of the surface of the ceramic substrate; and C) performing chemical plating on the ceramic substrate formed with the chemical plating active center to form a metal layer on the predetermined region of the surface of the ceramic substrate.

A method for selectively metallizing a surface of a ceramic substrate, a ceramic product and use of the ceramic product are provided. The method comprises steps of: A) molding and sintering a ceramic composition to obtain the ceramic substrate, in which the ceramic composition comprises a ceramic powder and a functional powder dispersed in the ceramic powder; the ceramic powder is at least one selected from a group consisting of an oxide of E, a nitride of E, a oxynitride of E, and a carbide of E; E at least one selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Al, Ga, Si, Ge, P, As, Sc, Y, Zr, Hf, is and lanthanide elements; the functional powder is at least one selected from a group consisting of an oxide of M, a nitride of M, a oxynitride of M, a carbide of M, and a simple substance of M; and M is at least one selected from a group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, In, Sn, Sb, Pb, Bi, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu; B) radiating a predetermined region of the surface of the ceramic substrate using an energy beam to form a chemical plating active center on the predetermined region of the surface of the ceramic substrate; and C) performing chemical plating on the ceramic substrate formed with the chemical plating active center to form a metal layer on the predetermined region of the surface of the ceramic substrate.

Provided are an insulating ceramic paste, a ceramic electronic component, and a method for producing the ceramic electronic component that allow prevention of solder shorts between narrow-pitch terminal electrodes and suppression of generation of cracks in an insulator covering a portion of terminal electrodes during a firing step. The ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic multilayer substrate, terminal electrodes formed on a surface of the ceramic multilayer substrate, and an insulating ceramic film formed on the surface of the ceramic multilayer substrate so as to cover a portion of the terminal electrodes. An exposed surface portion (celsian-crystal-rich layer) of the insulating ceramic film has a thermal expansion coefficient that is lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic multilayer substrate.

Provided are an insulating ceramic paste, a ceramic electronic component, and a method for producing the ceramic electronic component that allow prevention of solder shorts between narrow-pitch terminal electrodes and suppression of generation of cracks in an insulator covering a portion of terminal electrodes during a firing step. The ceramic electronic component includes a ceramic multilayer substrate, terminal electrodes formed on a surface of the ceramic multilayer substrate, and an insulating ceramic film formed on the surface of the ceramic multilayer substrate so as to cover a portion of the terminal electrodes. An exposed surface portion (celsian-crystal-rich layer) of the insulating ceramic film has a thermal expansion coefficient that is lower than the thermal expansion coefficient of the ceramic multilayer substrate.

A dielectric ceramic composition includes: Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 as main component; R-containing, Cu-containing, and B-containing compounds, and Li-containing glass, as sub-component. R is an alkali earth metal. R-containing compound greater than or equal to 0.2 part by mass and less than or equal to 4.0 parts by mass, contained in terms of oxide, Cu-containing compound of greater than or equal to 0.5 part by mass and less than or equal to 3.0 parts by mass, contained in terms of oxide, and B-containing compound greater than or equal to 0.2 part by mass and less than or equal to 3.0 parts by mass, contained in terms of oxide, to 100 parts by mass of main component. Li-containing glass of greater than or equal to 2 parts by mass and less than or equal to 10 parts by mass contained to total a 100 parts by mass of main component, and sub-component excluding Li-containing glass.

A dielectric ceramic composition includes: Mg.sub.2SiO.sub.4 as main component; R-containing, Cu-containing, and B-containing compounds, and Li-containing glass, as sub-component. R is an alkali earth metal. R-containing compound greater than or equal to 0.2 part by mass and less than or equal to 4.0 parts by mass, contained in terms of oxide, Cu-containing compound of greater than or equal to 0.5 part by mass and less than or equal to 3.0 parts by mass, contained in terms of oxide, and B-containing compound greater than or equal to 0.2 part by mass and less than or equal to 3.0 parts by mass, contained in terms of oxide, to 100 parts by mass of main component. Li-containing glass of greater than or equal to 2 parts by mass and less than or equal to 10 parts by mass contained to total a 100 parts by mass of main component, and sub-component excluding Li-containing glass.

A refractory has the form of a dry, mineral batch of fire-resistant mineral materials combined in such a way that refractories which are long-term resistant to fayalite-containing slags, sulfidic melts (mattes), sulfates and non-ferrous metal melts and are used for refractory linings in industrial non-ferrous metal melting furnaces can be manufactured. The refractory at least contains: at least one coarse-grained olivine raw material as the main component; magnesia (MgO) meal; at least one fire-resistant reagent which, during the melting process, acts (in situ) in a reducing manner on non-ferrous metal oxide melts and/or non-ferrous metal iron oxide melts and converts same into non-ferrous metal melts.

A refractory has the form of a dry, mineral batch of fire-resistant mineral materials combined in such a way that refractories which are long-term resistant to fayalite-containing slags, sulfidic melts (mattes), sulfates and non-ferrous metal melts and are used for refractory linings in industrial non-ferrous metal melting furnaces can be manufactured. The refractory at least contains: at least one coarse-grained olivine raw material as the main component; magnesia (MgO) meal; at least one fire-resistant reagent which, during the melting process, acts (in situ) in a reducing manner on non-ferrous metal oxide melts and/or non-ferrous metal iron oxide melts and converts same into non-ferrous metal melts.