Provided is a zirconia sintered body having both high translucency and high strength. The zirconia sintered body includes crystal grains that include a cubic domain and a tetragonal domain, wherein a stabilizer and lanthanum is dissolved as a solid solution therein. The sintered body can be obtained by a manufacturing method including: a mixing step of obtaining a mixed powder by mixing a zirconia source, a stabilizer source, and a lanthanum source; a molding step of obtaining a green body by molding the obtained mixed powder; a sintering step of obtaining a sintered body by sintering the obtained green body at a sintering temperature of 1650° C. or higher; and a temperature lowering step of lowering the temperature from the sintering temperature to 1000° C. at a temperature lowering rate exceeding 1° C./min.

A solid ionic conducting material for use in an electrochemical device comprises an oxyhydroxide or hydrated oxide derived from of an oxide with a perovskite, Brownmillerite, layered oxide, and/or K.sub.4CdCl.sub.6 structure, the elemental composition of the initial oxide being selected to provide suitable conduction properties for the derived anhydrous or hydrated oxyhydroxide or hydrated oxide. A method of making such a solid ionic conducting material, including treatment with water, and an electrochemical device incorporating such a solid ionic conducting material (optionally as an electrolyte) are also disclosed.

Methods of forming a carbon fiber reinforced carbon foam are provided. Such a method may comprise heating a porous body composed of a solid material comprising covalently bound carbon atoms and heteroatoms and having a surface defining pores distributed throughout the solid material, in the presence of an added source of gaseous hydrocarbons. The heating generates free radicals in the porous body from the heteroatoms and induces reactions between the free radicals and the gaseous hydrocarbons to form covalently bound carbon nanofibers extending from the surface of the solid material and a network of entangled carbon microfibers within the pores the porous body, thereby forming a carbon fiber reinforced carbon foam. Carbon fiber reinforced carbon foams and ballistic barriers incorporating the foams are also provided.

The present invention relates to a process for sintering a compacted powder of at least one oxide of a metal selected from an actinide and a lanthanide, this process comprising the following successive steps, carried out in a furnace and under an atmosphere comprising an inert gas, dihydrogen and water: (a) a temperature increase from an initial temperature T.sub.I up to a hold temperature T.sub.P, (b) maintaining the temperature at the hold temperature T.sub.P, and (c) a temperature decrease from the hold temperature T.sub.P down to a final temperature T.sub.F, in which the P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O) ratio is such that: 500<P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O)≦50 000, during step (a), from T.sub.I until a first intermediate temperature T.sub.i1 between 1000° C. and T.sub.P is reached, and P(H.sub.2)/P(H.sub.2O)≦500, at least during step (c), from a second intermediate temperature T.sub.i2 between T.sub.P and 1000° C., until T.sub.F is reached.

Provided are an oxide sintered compact whereby low carrier density and high carrier mobility are obtained when the oxide sintered compact is used to obtain an oxide semiconductor thin film by a sputtering method, and a sputtering target which uses the oxide sintered compact. This oxide sintered compact contains oxides of indium, gallium, and aluminum. The gallium content is from 0.15 to 0.49 by Ga/(In+Ga) atomic ratio, and the aluminum content is from 0.0001 to less than 0.25 by Al/(In+Ga+Al) atomic ratio. A crystalline oxide semiconductor thin film formed using this oxide sintered compact as a sputtering target is obtained at a carrier density of 4.0×10.sup.18 cm.sup.−3 or less and a carrier mobility of 10 cm.sup.−2V.sup.−1sec.sup.−1 or greater.

Methods of forming solid carbon products include disposing a plurality of nanotubes in a press, and applying heat to the plurality of carbon nanotubes to form the solid carbon product. Further processing may include sintering the solid carbon product to form a plurality of covalently bonded carbon nanotubes. The solid carbon product includes a plurality of voids between the carbon nanotubes having a median minimum dimension of less than about 100 nm. Some methods include compressing a material comprising carbon nanotubes, heating the compressed material in a non-reactive environment to form covalent bonds between adjacent carbon nanotubes to form a sintered solid carbon product, and cooling the sintered solid carbon product to a temperature at which carbon of the carbon nanotubes do not oxidize prior to removing the resulting solid carbon product for further processing, shipping, or use.

The present invention relates to a metal-halide composite, articles comprising a metal-halide composite and method of making and using same. The metal-halide matrix materials used in such composite have the desired properties of high thermal conductivity, resistance to thermal induced microstructural changes, and ease of use. As a result, they permit the fabrication of higher performance cryogenic magnets, motors, generators, and cables. Additionally, they permit the fabrication of plate reinforced composites that are useful in lightweight armor and other articles. Additionally, an optoelectronic composite could be built depending on the choice of metal-halide matrix and reinforcement.

Provided according to embodiments of the invention are varistor ceramic formulations that include zinc oxide (ZnO). In particular, varistor ceramic formulations of the invention may include dopants including an alkali metal compound, an alkaline earth compound, an oxide of boron, an oxide of aluminum, or a combination thereof. Varistor ceramic formulations may also include other metal oxides. Also provided according to embodiments of the invention are varistor ceramic materials formed by sintering a varistor ceramic formulation according to an embodiment of the invention. Further provided are varistors formed from such ceramic materials and methods of making such materials.

A ceramic and a preparation method therefor are provided. The ceramic includes a zirconia matrix, and an additive dispersed inside and on an outer surface of the zirconia matrix. The additive is an oxide including elements A and B, where A is selected from at least one of Ca, Sr, Ba, Y, and La, and B is selected from at least one of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni.

diboride-silicon carbide (SiC) multiphase ceramic, including: (S1) mixing a transition metal oxide mixed powder, nano carbon black and a silicon hexaboride (SiB.sub.6) powder to obtain a precursor powder; and (S2) subjecting the precursor powder to pressureless sintering to obtain the high-entropy carbide-high-entropy diboride-SiC multiphase ceramic with a relative density of 96% or more.