A sintered composite ceramic includes a lithium-garnet major phase; and a lithium dendrite growth inhibitor minor phase, such that the lithium dendrite growth inhibitor minor phase comprises lithium tungstate. A method includes sintering a metal oxide component and a garnet component at a temperature in a range of 750° C. to 1500° C. to form a sintered composite ceramic.

Set forth herein are garnet material compositions, e.g., lithium-stuffed garnets and lithium-stuffed garnets doped with alumina, which are suitable for use as electrolytes and catholytes in solid state battery applications. Also set forth herein are lithium-stuffed garnet thin films having fine grains therein. Disclosed herein are novel and inventive methods of making and using lithium-stuffed garnets as catholytes, electrolytes and/or anolytes for all solid state lithium rechargeable batteries. Also disclosed herein are novel electrochemical devices which incorporate these garnet catholytes, electrolytes and/or anolytes. Also set forth herein are methods for preparing novel structures, including dense thin (<50 um) free standing membranes of an ionically conducting material for use as a catholyte, electrolyte, and, or, anolyte, in an electrochemical device, a battery component (positive or negative electrode materials), or a complete solid state electrochemical energy storage device. Also, the methods set forth herein disclose novel sintering techniques, e.g., for heating and/or field assisted (FAST) sintering, for solid state energy storage devices and the components thereof.

The disclosure relates to sintered ceramic grains comprising 3-55 wt. % alumina, 40-95 wt. % zirconia and 1-30 wt. % of one or more other inorganic components. The invention further relates to a method for preparing ceramic grains according to the invention, comprising: making a slurry comprising alumina, zirconia; making droplets of the slurry; introducing the droplets in a liquid gelling-reaction medium wherein the droplets are gellified; drying the gellified deformed droplets.

A layered body, which has a change in texture derived from zirconia, particularly a change in translucency and is suitable as a dental prosthetic member, a precursor thereof, or a method for producing these. The layered body has a structure in which two or more layers containing zirconia containing a stabilizer are layered, the layered body including at least: a first layer containing zirconia having a stabilizer content of higher than or equal to 4 mol %; and a second layer containing zirconia having a stabilizer content different from that of the zirconia contained in the first layer. At least one layer contains one or more elements capable of coloring zirconia.

A ceramic matrix composite has fibers, a ceramic matrix bonded to the fibers, and ceramic particles, distributed throughout the matrix. A method includes mixing a high char ceramic resin precursor with ceramic particles, adding a catalyst to create a mixture, heating the mixture to produce functionalized ceramic particles, and cooling the mixture to produce a resin having functionalized particles.

A sintered bead and an associated method. The sintered bead has the following chemical composition, as mass percentages on the basis of the oxides: ZrO.sub.2+HfO.sub.2+Y.sub.2O.sub.3+CeO.sub.2: remainder to 100%; 0%≤Al.sub.2O.sub.3≤1.5%; CaO≤2%; oxides other than ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, Y.sub.2O.sub.3, CeO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and CaO: ≤5%. The contents of Y.sub.2O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2, as molar percentages on the basis of the sum of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, Y.sub.2O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2, being such that 1.8%≤Y.sub.2O.sub.3≤2.5% and 0.1%≤CeO.sub.2≤0.9%. The sintered bead has following crystalline phases, as mass percentages on the basis of the crystalline phases and for a total of 100%: stabilized zirconia: remainder to 100%; monoclinic zirconia: ≤10%; crystalline phases other than stabilized zirconia and monoclinic zirconia: <7%.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a ceramic powder, which includes forming a slurry by mixing of first ceramic particles, binder and water, spraying and drying the slurry to form a first ceramic core portion, and thermally treating and shaping the first ceramic core portion. The first ceramic core portion has a first flexural strength and a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The method further includes forming another slurry to form a second ceramic shell portion formed by second ceramic particles and covering the first ceramic core portion. The second ceramic shell portion has a second flexural strength and a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The ceramic powder is formed by thermally treating and shaping the first ceramic core portion and the second ceramic shell portion.

Disclosed is a method of manufacturing a ceramic powder, which includes forming a slurry by mixing of first ceramic particles, binder and water, spraying and drying the slurry to form a first ceramic core portion, and thermally treating and shaping the first ceramic core portion. The first ceramic core portion has a first flexural strength and a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The method further includes forming another slurry to form a second ceramic shell portion formed by second ceramic particles and covering the first ceramic core portion. The second ceramic shell portion has a second flexural strength and a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The ceramic powder is formed by thermally treating and shaping the first ceramic core portion and the second ceramic shell portion.

A ZrO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3-based ceramic sintered compact containing tetragonal ZrO.sub.2 particles having a crystallite size of from 5 to 20 nm as a main component and having an α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 crystallite size of not greater than 75 nm and a relative density of not less than 99% can be produced by preparing a Y.sub.2O.sub.3 partially stabilized ZrO.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3-based powder having a molar ratio (mol %) of zirconia (ZrO.sub.2) and yttria (Y.sub.2O.sub.3) of from 96.5:3.5 to 97.5:2.5 and a mass ratio (mass %) of ZrO.sub.2 containing Y.sub.2O.sub.3 and alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) of from 85:15 to 75:25, molding this powder by cold isostatic pressing, and then performing sintering to a high density by microwave sintering for 45 to 90 min in an inert gas atmosphere at 1200 to 1400° C. When performing microwave sintering, a heating rate is preferably from 5 to 20° C./min up to 600° C. and from 50 to 150° C./min at 600° C. or higher.

A particle mixture having: ZrO.sub.2+HfO.sub.2+Y.sub.2O.sub.3+CeO.sub.2; 0%≤Al.sub.2O.sub.3≤1.5%; other oxides than ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, Y.sub.2O.sub.3, CeO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2O.sub.3: between 0.5% and 12%. The contents of Y.sub.2O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2, on the basis of the sum of ZrO.sub.2, HfO.sub.2, Y.sub.2O.sub.3 and CeO.sub.2, being such that 1.8%≤Y.sub.2O.sub.3≤3% and 0.1%≤CeO.sub.2≤0.9%. The mixture includes between 0.5% and 10% of particles of an oxide pigment. The content of other oxides and which are not included in the oxide pigment being less than 2%. The particles of the oxide pigment including, for more than 95%, of a material chosen from: oxide(s) of perovskite structure or equivalent of precursor(s) of these oxides, oxides of spinal structure or an equivalent amount of precursor(s) of these oxides, and oxides of hematite structure E.sub.2O.sub.3, oxides of rutile structure FO.sub.2, with “E” and “F” being chosen.