Organosilicon chemistry, polymer derived ceramic materials, and methods. Such materials and methods for making polysilocarb (SiOC) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) materials having 3-nines, 4-nines, 6-nines and greater purity. Processes and articles utilizing such high purity SiOC and SiC.

A high zirconia electrically fused cast refractory of high electric resistance having long time durability, less suffering from cracking during production and upon temperature rising, excellent in productivity, less forming zircon crystals even upon heating the refractory in itself and when the refractory is in contact with molten glass, generating less cracks even when undergoing heat cycles during operation of a glass melting furnace is provided. A high zirconia electrically fused cast refractory has, as chemical components, 85 to 95% by weight of ZrO.sub.2, 0.1 to less than 0.8% by weight of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 3.5 to 10.0% by weight of SiO.sub.2, less than 0.05% by weight of Na.sub.2O and K.sub.2O in total, 0.1 to 1.5% by weight of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 0.1% by weight or less of MgO, 0.01 to 0.2% by weight of CaO, in the case where any one of BaO and SrO is contained, from 0.05 to 3.0% by weight of BaO or 0.01 to 3.0% by weight of SrO, or in the case where both of them are contained, 0.01% by weight or more of SrO and from 0.01% to 3.0% by weight in total of SrO and BaO, 0.1 to 0.7% by weight of SnO.sub.2, 0.3% by weight or less of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and TiO.sub.2 in total, less than 0.01% by weight of P.sub.2O.sub.5, and less than 0.01% by weight of CuO.

The present invention related to a method to make capacitor grade powder. The method includes the use of a spray dryer that includes a rotating atomizer disk to form agglomerated powder and the method further includes a heat treatment step. Capacitor grade powder formed by the methods of the present invention are further described.

Segmented silicon carbide liners for use in a fluidized bed reactor for production of polysilicon-coated granulate material are disclosed, as well as methods of making and using the segmented silicon carbide liners. Non-contaminating bonding materials for joining silicon carbide segments also are disclosed. One or more of the silicon carbide segments may be constructed of reaction-bonded silicon carbide.

A high zirconia electrically fused cast refractory having long time durability with less cracking during production and in the course of temperature rising, excellent in productivity, less forming zircon crystals in the refractory itself and even in contact with molten glass, excellent in bubble foamability to molten glass, less generating cracks even undergoing heat cycles during operation of a glass melting furnace. A high zirconia electrically fused cast refractory comprises, as chemical component, 85 to 95% by weight of ZrO.sub.2, 0.4 to 2.5% by weight of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, 3.5 to 10.0% by weight of SiO.sub.2, 0.05% by weight or more of Na.sub.2O, 0.05 to 0.7% by weight of Na.sub.2O and K.sub.2O in total, 0.01 to 0.04% by weight of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of SrO or BaO when one of BaO and SrO is contained, 0.1% by weight or more of SrO and 0.1 to 3.0% by weight of SrO and BaO in total when both of BaO and SrO are contained, 0.01 to 0.2% by weight of CaO, 0.1% by weight or less of MgO, 0.01 to 0.7% by weight of SnO.sub.2, 0.3% by weight or less of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and TiO.sub.2 in total, less than 0.01% by weight of P.sub.2O.sub.5, and less than 0.01% by weight of CuO.

According to the state of the art, piezoceramic multi-layer elements are sintered in air at temperatures of approximately 1100 DEG C or higher. Therefore, only a noble metal having a high melting temperature can be used as the inner electrode. Non-noble metals would oxidize. Therefore, a silver-palladium alloy having up to 40% palladium is normally used. However, such a measure is associated with high material costs. Lower melting temperatures of the inner electrode material, however, also require a ceramic material having correspondingly low sintering temperatures. The invention therefore proposes that an electrically non-conductive sintering additive added be added to the base material, and that the inner electrode comprise silver, preferably pure silver, as the main material component thereof, and an electrically non-conductive material component and/or a metal alloy or metal oxide mixture.

A fly ash composition including fly ash and a plasticizing agent and being in a powder form is disclosed. The plasticizing agent is capable of binding the fly ash particles in the fly ash composition together on pressing of the fly ash composition. Processes of forming shaped articles containing fly ash may utilize the fly ash composition and/or mixtures containing fly ash and have low water content and may exhibit sufficient green strength to be handled by industrial equipment.

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes secondary particles of a lithium transition metal complex oxide as a main component. The main component is represented by a formula: Li.sub.t (Ni.sub.1-xCo.sub.x).sub.1-yMn.sub.yB.sub.P.sub.S.sub.O.sub.2, where t, x, y, , , and satisfy inequalities of 0x1, 0.00y0.50, (1x).Math.(1y)y, 0.0000.020, 0.0000.030, 0.0000.030, and 1+3+3+2t1.30, and satisfy at least one of inequalities of 0.002, 0.006, and 0.004. The secondary particles exhibit a pore distribution, where a pore volume Vp(1) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 m and not more than 0.15 m satisfies an inequality of 0.035 cm.sup.3/gVp(1) and where a pore volume Vp(2) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 m and not more than 10 m satisfies an inequality of Vp(2)0.450 cm.sup.3/g.

A method for manufacturing a diboride powder MB.sub.2 by dry route where M is a chemical element belonging to group 4 of the periodic table, from the reduction of an oxide MO.sub.2 of the element M according to the balance reaction MO.sub.2+B.sub.2O.sub.3+yR+xA.sub.2O.fwdarw.MB.sub.2+A.sub.2xR.sub.YO.sub.5+x, wherein R is a reducing element selected from Al, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Y, Sc, and the lanthanides and A.sub.2O is an oxide of alkali element A.

A sintered product made from a starting batch containing 5 to 50% zircon and having the following average chemical composition, in weight percentages on the basis of the oxides and for a total of 100%: silica and zirconia, the zirconia content (ZrO.sub.2) being at least 64%, at least 0.2% of a dopant selected from V.sub.2O.sub.5, Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, Ta.sub.2O.sub.5, and mixtures thereof, optionally, a stabilizer selected from Y.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO, CaO, CeO.sub.2, and mixtures thereof, at a content of 6% or less, other oxides at a content of 6.7% or less.