A conductive paste includes a high melting point metal particle having a melting point exceeding a baking temperature, a molten metal particle containing a metal or an alloy which melts at a temperature equivalent to or lower than the baking temperature and has a melting point of 700 C. or lower, an active metal particle containing an active metal, and an organic vehicle.

A fiber comprises a bulk material comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, boron, silicon carbide, and boron nitride; and a metal whose affinity for oxygen is greater than the affinity for oxygen of any of the one or more materials. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium. At least a first portion of the metal may be present in un-oxidized form at the entrance to and/or within grain boundaries within the fiber.

A method of improving at least one of the strength, creep resistance, and toughness of a fiber comprises adding to a fiber, initially comprising a bulk material having a first affinity for oxygen, a metal that has a second affinity for oxygen higher than the first affinity. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium.

A fiber comprises a bulk material comprising one or more materials selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, boron, silicon carbide, and boron nitride; and a metal whose affinity for oxygen is greater than the affinity for oxygen of any of the one or more materials. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium. At least a first portion of the metal may be present in un-oxidized form at the entrance to and/or within grain boundaries within the fiber.

A method of improving at least one of the strength, creep resistance, and toughness of a fiber comprises adding to a fiber, initially comprising a bulk material having a first affinity for oxygen, a metal that has a second affinity for oxygen higher than the first affinity. The metal may be selected from the group consisting of beryllium, titanium, hafnium and zirconium.

Methods are disclosed for producing an organic functionalized solid inorganic substrate, a surface of the inorganic substrate comprising a hydroxide and/or an oxide comprising an element M, the element M being a metal or a metalloid. The method includes drying the surface; optionally removing protons from the surface; and contacting the surface with an organometallic reagent comprising at least one organic functional moiety, thereby obtaining the organic functionalized inorganic substrate, the at least one organic functional moiety being attached to the element M of the hydroxide and/or the oxide by means of a direct M-C bond. The drying step includes contacting the surface with a flow comprising an inert gas. The organic functionalized inorganic substrate obtained by the method may be used as a membrane, a catalyst, a sorbent, a sensor or an electronic component, or as a substrate in filtration, adsorption, chromatography and/or separation processes.

Methods are disclosed for producing an organic functionalized solid inorganic substrate, a surface of the inorganic substrate comprising a hydroxide and/or an oxide comprising an element M, the element M being a metal or a metalloid. The method includes drying the surface; optionally removing protons from the surface; and contacting the surface with an organometallic reagent comprising at least one organic functional moiety, thereby obtaining the organic functionalized inorganic substrate, the at least one organic functional moiety being attached to the element M of the hydroxide and/or the oxide by means of a direct M-C bond. The drying step includes contacting the surface with a flow comprising an inert gas. The organic functionalized inorganic substrate obtained by the method may be used as a membrane, a catalyst, a sorbent, a sensor or an electronic component, or as a substrate in filtration, adsorption, chromatography and/or separation processes.

One object is to provide a deposition technique for forming an oxide semiconductor film. By forming an oxide semiconductor film using a sputtering target including a sintered body of a metal oxide whose concentration of hydrogen contained is low, for example, lower than 1?10.sup.16 atoms/cm.sup.3, the oxide semiconductor film contains a small amount of impurities such as a compound containing hydrogen typified by H.sub.2O or a hydrogen atom. In addition, this oxide semiconductor film is used as an active layer of a transistor.

One object is to provide a deposition technique for forming an oxide semiconductor film. By forming an oxide semiconductor film using a sputtering target including a sintered body of a metal oxide whose concentration of hydrogen contained is low, for example, lower than 1?10.sup.16 atoms/cm.sup.3, the oxide semiconductor film contains a small amount of impurities such as a compound containing hydrogen typified by H.sub.2O or a hydrogen atom. In addition, this oxide semiconductor film is used as an active layer of a transistor.

An example method may include applying a bond coat comprising silicon or a silicon alloy on a surface of a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite substrate, where the bond coat comprises a plurality of pores; infiltrating a precursor into at least some pores of the plurality of pores; and heat-treating the bond coat and the precursor, where after heat-treating a porosity of the bond coat is less than about 5 vol. %, and where after heat-treating, the bond coat is substantially free of continuous porosity extending through a thickness of the bond coat.

An example method may include applying a bond coat comprising silicon or a silicon alloy on a surface of a ceramic or ceramic matrix composite substrate, where the bond coat comprises a plurality of pores; infiltrating a precursor into at least some pores of the plurality of pores; and heat-treating the bond coat and the precursor, where after heat-treating a porosity of the bond coat is less than about 5 vol. %, and where after heat-treating, the bond coat is substantially free of continuous porosity extending through a thickness of the bond coat.

A metal/ceramic bonding substrate wherein the bonding strength of an aluminum plate bonded directly to a ceramic substrate is higher than that of conventional metal/ceramic bonding substrates, and a method for producing same, wherein the method includes arranging a ceramic substrate in a mold; putting the mold in a furnace; lowering an oxygen concentration to 25 ppm or less and a dew point to 45 C. or lower in the furnace; injecting a molten metal of aluminum into the mold to contact the surface of the ceramic substrate; and cooling and solidifying the molten metal to form a metal plate for a circuit pattern of aluminum on one side of the ceramic substrate to bond one side of the metal plate for a circuit pattern directly to the ceramic substrate, while forming a metal base plate of aluminum on the other side of the ceramic substrate.