Provided is a solid oxide fuel cell having a service life of approximately 90,000 hours, a level required to encourage the widespread use of SOFC. The solid oxide fuel cell is provided with a solid electrolyte layer, an oxygen electrode layer provided on one side of the solid electrolyte layer, and a fuel electrode layer provided on the other side of the solid electrolyte layer. The oxygen electrode layer is made from a material containing iron or manganese, and the solid electrolyte layer contains an yttria-stabilized zirconia solid electrolyte material having a lanthanoid oxide dissolved therein.

A ceramic composite material and a method for producing same. The ceramic composite material has a ceramic matrix comprising zirconium oxide and at least one secondary phase dispersed therein. The matrix is composed of zirconium oxide as at least 51 vol.-% of composite material, and the secondary phase is in a proportion of 1 to 49 vol.-% of composite material, wherein 90 to 99% of the zirconium oxide is present in the tetragonal phase based on the total zirconium oxide portion. The tetragonal phase of the zirconium oxide is stabilized by at least one member selected from the group consisting of chemical stabilization and mechanical stabilization. The ceramic composite is damage-tolerant.

Provided are metal oxide ceramic materials and intermediate materials thereof (e.g., nanozirconia gels, nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles). The nanozirconia gels are formable gels. Also provided are methods of making and using the metal oxide materials and intermediate materials. The nanozirconia gels can be made using, for example, osmotic processing. The nanozirconia gels can be used to make nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental article. The nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles have desirable properties (e.g., optical properties and mechanical properties).

Provided is a zirconia sintered body that suppresses discoloration due to porcelain. The zirconia sintered body comprises at least one of a coloring agent A: erbium oxide and a coloring agent B: nickel oxide, and a composite oxide of zirconium and vanadium.

A method of producing barium titanate that includes making a slurry by dispersing barium titanate powder in a solvent such as ethanol. Then, in a high-pressure vessel, substituting supercritical fluid including carbon dioxide gas, for example, for the solvent in the slurry. Then, separating the barium titanate powder from the supercritical fluid by gasifying the supercritical fluid. Then, performing a heat treatment on the separated barium titanate powders to produce the barium titanate.

Provided herein are methods for making a freeze-cast material having a internal structure, the methods comprising steps of: determining the internal structure of the material, the internal structure having a plurality of pores, wherein: each of the plurality of pores has directionality; and the step of determining comprises: selecting a temperature gradient and a freezing front velocity to obtain the determined internal structure based on the selected temperature gradient and the selected freezing front velocity; directionally freezing a liquid formulation to form a frozen solid, the step of directionally freezing comprising: controlling the temperature gradient and the freezing front velocity to match the selected temperature gradient and the selected freezing front velocity during directionally freezing; wherein the liquid formulation comprises at least one solvent and at least one dispersed species; and subliming the at least one solvent out of the frozen solid to form the material.

A method of manufacturing a solid-state electrolyte, the method including: providing a substrate; providing a precursor composition including a compound including a compound including lithium, a compound including lanthanum, and a compound including zirconium, and a solvent; disposing the precursor composition on the substrate to provide a coated substrate; treating the coated substrate at a temperature between −40° C. and 25° C. to form a precursor film on the substrate; and heat-treating the precursor film at a temperature of 500° C. to 1000° C. to manufacture the solid-state electrolyte, wherein the solid-state electrolyte includes Li.sub.(7-x)Al.sub.x/3La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 wherein 0≤x≤1, and wherein the solid-state electrolyte in the form of a film having a thickness of 5 nanometers to 1000 micrometers.

The invention relates to a method for the preparation of a blank of a ceramic material, wherein a first ceramic material and then a second ceramic material of different compositions are filled into a die and wherein the materials are pressed and after pressing are sintered. A layer of the first ceramic material is thereby filled into the die and a first cavity formed in the layer, the second ceramic material is then filled into the first open cavity and the materials pressed together and then heat-treated.

Provided herein are methods for making a freeze-cast material having a internal structure, the methods comprising steps of: determining the internal structure of the material, the internal structure having a plurality of pores, wherein: each of the plurality of pores has directionality; and the step of determining comprises: selecting a temperature gradient and a freezing front velocity to obtain the determined internal structure based on the selected temperature gradient and the selected freezing front velocity; directionally freezing a liquid formulation to form a frozen solid, the step of directionally freezing comprising: controlling the temperature gradient and the freezing front velocity to match the selected temperature gradient and the selected freezing front velocity during directionally freezing; wherein the liquid formulation comprises at least one solvent and at least one dispersed species; and subliming the at least one solvent out of the frozen solid to form the material.

A complex sintered body includes a lamination of a layer composed of a zirconia sintered body containing 0.5% or more by mole and less than 4% by mole of an oxide of cerium in terms of CeO.sub.2, 2% or more by mole and less than 6% by mole of yttria and 0.1% or more by mass and less than 2% by mass of an oxide of aluminum; and at least one of a layer composed of a zirconia-based sintered body containing 2.0% or more by mass and 20.0% or less by mass of an oxide of aluminum, and a layer composed of a zirconia-based sintered body containing 2% or more by mole and less than 6% by mole of yttria and a coloring agent.