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.

A refractory object may include a zircon body that may include at least about 0.1 wt. % and not greater than about 5.5 wt. % of an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 containing component for a total weight of the zircon body. The zircon body may further include at least about 25 wt. % and not greater than about 35 wt. % of a SiO.sub.2 component for a total weight of the zircon body.

Solid lithium-ion ceramic electrolyte membranes have an average thickness of less than 200 micrometers. A constituent electrolyte material has an average grain size of less than 10 micrometers. The solid lithium-ion ceramic electrolyte is free-standing. Alternatively, solid lithium-ion electrolyte membranes have a composition represented by Li.sub.1+x−yM.sub.xM′.sub.2−x−yM″.sub.y(PO.sub.4).sub.3, where M is a 3.sup.+ ion, M′ is a 4.sup.+ ion, M″ is a 5.sup.+ ion, 0≤x≤2 and 0≤y≤2.

This document describes processes for preparing ceramics, especially lithium-based ceramics. The ceramics produced by this process and their use in electrochemical applications are also described as well as electrode materials, electrodes, electrolyte compositions, and electrochemical cells comprising them.

Disclosed is a rapid, reproducible solution-based method to synthesize solid sodium ion-conductive materials. The method includes: (a) forming an aqueous mixture of (i) at least one sodium salt, and (ii) at least one metal oxide; (b) adding at least one phosphorous precursor as a neutralizing agent into the mixture; (c) concentrating the mixture to form a paste; (d) calcining or removing liquid from the paste to form a solid; and (e) sintering the solid at a high temperature to form a dense, non-porous, sodium ion-conductive material. Solid sodium ion-conductive materials have electrochemical applications, including use as solid electrolytes for batteries.

Provided are a barium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics having satisfactory piezoelectric performance and a satisfactory mechanical quality factor (Q.sub.m), and a piezoelectric element using the same. Specifically provided are a piezoelectric ceramics, including: crystal particles; and a grain boundary between the crystal particles, in which the crystal particles each include barium titanate having a perovskite-type structure and manganese at 0.04% by mass or more and 0.20% by mass or less in terms of a metal with respect to the barium titanate, and the grain boundary includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Ba.sub.4Ti.sub.12O.sub.27 and Ba.sub.6Ti.sub.17O.sub.40, and a piezoelectric element using the same.

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.

An oxide electrolyte sintered body with high lithium ion conductivity and a method for producing the same, which can obtain the oxide electrolyte sintered body with high lithium ion conductivity by sintering at lower temperature than ever before. The method for producing an oxide electrolyte sintered body may comprise the steps of: preparing crystal particles of a garnet-type ion-conducting oxide which comprises Li, H, at least one kind of element L selected from the group consisting of an alkaline-earth metal and a lanthanoid element, and at least one kind of element M selected from the group consisting of a transition element that can be 6-coordinated with oxygen and typical elements belonging to the Groups 12 to 15, and which is represented by a general formula (Li.sub.x−3y−z,E.sub.y,H.sub.z)L.sub.αM.sub.βO.sub.γ (where E is at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Fe and Si, 3≦x−3y−z≦7, 0≦y<0.22, 0<z≦2.8, 2.5≦α≦3.5, 1.5≦β≦2.5, and 11≦γ≦13); preparing a lithium-containing flux; and sintering a mixture of the crystal particles of the garnet-type ion-conducting oxide and the flux by heating at 400° C. or more and 650° C. or less.

Disclosed herein are doped perovskite oxides. The doped perovskite oxides may be used as a cathode material in an electrochemical cell to electrochemically generate ammonia from N.sub.2. The doped perovskite oxides may be combined with nitride compounds, for instance iron nitride, to further increase the efficiency of the ammonia production.

A method of preparing a lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO) cubic garnet material is provided which comprises the following steps: (a) milling a slurry comprising one or more precursor compounds in an aqueous medium, wherein the one or more precursor compounds comprise lithium, lanthanum, zirconium and optionally one or more dopant elements, to provide a milled slurry; (b) spray drying the milled slurry to provide a spray-dried powder; and (c) annealing the spray-dried powder. The resultant LLZO cubic garnet material may be used as a lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte in secondary lithium-ion batteries.