According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a mirrored apparatus includes a substrate with a non-metal inorganic material that is non-diamond turnable. The mirrored apparatus further includes a finish layer arranged on the surface of the substrate. The finish layer has a polished surface opposite the substrate. The mirrored apparatus also includes a reflective layer arranged on the polished surface of the finish layer.

An electronic component includes a ceramic element, glass-containing Au layers formed on both surfaces of the ceramic element, and an Au—Sn alloy layer formed on at least one of the glass-containing Au layers; the electronic component further includes a pure-Au layer between the glass-containing Au layer and the Au—Sn alloy layer; furthermore, the Au—Sn alloy layer has an Au—Sn eutectic structure.

An electronic component includes a ceramic element, glass-containing Au layers formed on both surfaces of the ceramic element, and an Au—Sn alloy layer formed on at least one of the glass-containing Au layers; the electronic component further includes a pure-Au layer between the glass-containing Au layer and the Au—Sn alloy layer; furthermore, the Au—Sn alloy layer has an Au—Sn eutectic structure.

A ceramic material, a varistor and methods for forming a ceramic material and a varistor are disclosed. In an embodiment, a ceramic material includes ZnO as a main component and additives selected from the group consisting of an Al.sup.3+-containing solution, a Ba.sup.2+-containing solution, and at least one compound containing a metal element, wherein the metal element is selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sb, Co, Mn, Ni, Y, and Cr.

A ceramic material, a varistor and methods for forming a ceramic material and a varistor are disclosed. In an embodiment, a ceramic material includes ZnO as a main component and additives selected from the group consisting of an Al.sup.3+-containing solution, a Ba.sup.2+-containing solution, and at least one compound containing a metal element, wherein the metal element is selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sb, Co, Mn, Ni, Y, and Cr.

A range of processes is described herein for the preparation of a range of ceramic glazes with traditional firing methods that represents significant efficiency and ecological advancements over existing methods and allows for the replacement of commercial ceramic colorant methods, while retaining the costly equipment and firing methods already used. The process allows for ceramic surface color while breaking standards for minimal amounts of transition metal colorant used. The nanoparticle-based glazes described here add new colors to the known ceramic surface palette and offers greater consumer safety as an alternative to existing coloring processes that use higher concentrations of toxic metal and an increased risk of metal leaching from the final ceramic vessel into its contents (e.g., soil, beverage, food).

A range of processes is described herein for the preparation of a range of ceramic glazes with traditional firing methods that represents significant efficiency and ecological advancements over existing methods and allows for the replacement of commercial ceramic colorant methods, while retaining the costly equipment and firing methods already used. The process allows for ceramic surface color while breaking standards for minimal amounts of transition metal colorant used. The nanoparticle-based glazes described here add new colors to the known ceramic surface palette and offers greater consumer safety as an alternative to existing coloring processes that use higher concentrations of toxic metal and an increased risk of metal leaching from the final ceramic vessel into its contents (e.g., soil, beverage, food).

A range of processes is described herein for the preparation of a range of gold nanoparticle (Au NP) ceramic glazes with traditional firing methods that represents significant efficiency and ecological advancements over existing methods and allows for the replacement of commercial ceramic colorant methods, while retaining the costly equipment and firing methods already used. The process allows for ceramic surface color while breaking standards for minimal amounts of transition metal colorant used. The nanoparticle-based glazes described here add new colors to the known ceramic surface palette and offers greater consumer safety as an alternative to existing coloring processes that use higher concentrations of toxic metal and an increased risk of metal leaching from the final ceramic vessel into its contents (e.g., soil, beverage, food).

A range of processes is described herein for the preparation of a range of gold nanoparticle (Au NP) ceramic glazes with traditional firing methods that represents significant efficiency and ecological advancements over existing methods and allows for the replacement of commercial ceramic colorant methods, while retaining the costly equipment and firing methods already used. The process allows for ceramic surface color while breaking standards for minimal amounts of transition metal colorant used. The nanoparticle-based glazes described here add new colors to the known ceramic surface palette and offers greater consumer safety as an alternative to existing coloring processes that use higher concentrations of toxic metal and an increased risk of metal leaching from the final ceramic vessel into its contents (e.g., soil, beverage, food).

Disclosed are a micrometer/nanometer silver-loaded barium titanate foam ceramic and a preparation method therefor. An organic additive is used as an auxiliary; deionized water is used as a solvent; nanometer barium titanate is used as a ceramic raw material; and same are mixed and ground so as to form a slurry. A pre-treated polymer sponge is impregnated in the slurry for slurry coating treatment and a barium titanate foam ceramic blank is obtained after drying; and then a barium titanate foam ceramic is obtained through sintering. Through dopamine modification, micrometer/nanometer silver is in-situ deposited on a skeleton surface so as to obtain a modified micrometer/nanometer silver-loaded barium titanate foam ceramic. The modified micrometer/nanometer silver-loaded barium titanate foam ceramic is then put into a newly prepared Tollens' reagent for further reduction so as to obtain a micrometer/nanometer silver-loaded barium titanate foam ceramic with a three-dimensional network skeleton structure.