A refractory article can include a body including a content of alumina of at least 60 wt %, a content of silica of not greater than 20 wt %, a content of zirconia of not greater than 20 wt % for a total weight of the body. In a particular embodiment, the body includes a third phase including composite grains including mullite and zirconia. The third phase including the composite grains can be present within a range including at least 1 wt % and not greater than 35 wt % for a total weight of the body.

A polycrystalline composite comprising diamond particles and non-diamond carbon, wherein: the sum of the content Vd of the diamond particles and the content Vg of the non-diamond carbon is more than 99% by volume based on the total volume of the polycrystalline composite; the median diameter d50 of the diamond particles is 10 nm or more and 200 nm or less; the dislocation density of the diamond particles is 1.010.sup.13 m.sup.2 or more and 1.010.sup.16 m.sup.2 or less; and the content Vd of the diamond particles and the content Vg of the non-diamond carbon satisfy the relationship represented by the formula 1:0.01<Vg/(Vd+Vg)0.5 Formula 1.

A sintered bead has a chemical composition, as mass percentages on the basis of the oxides of ZrO.sub.2+HfO.sub.2+Y.sub.2O.sub.3+CeO.sub.2: balance to 100%; 0%Al.sub.2O.sub.31.5%; CaO2%; and 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, are such that 1.3%Y.sub.2O.sub.32.5%, in particular 1.3%Y.sub.2O.sub.3<1.8%, and 0.1%CeO.sub.21.7%, in particular 0.5%CeO.sub.21.7%, in particular 0.9%<CeO.sub.21.7%. The chemical composition has the following crystalline phases, as mass percentages on the basis of the crystalline phases and for a total of 100%: stabilized zirconia: balance to 100%; monoclinic zirconia: 15%; and crystalline phases other than stabilized zirconia and monoclinic zirconia: <7%, with the proviso that: Y.sub.2O.sub.3<1.8% with the proviso that 0.5%CeO.sub.2, and/or 0.9%<CeO.sub.21.7%, and/or 10%<monoclinic zirconia15%.

A refractory object can include at least 10 wt % Al.sub.2O.sub.3. In an embodiment, the refractory object can further include a dopant including an oxide of a rare earth element, Ta, Nb, Hf, or any combination thereof. In another embodiment, the refractory object may have a property such that the averaged grain size does not increase more than 500% during sintering, an aspect ratio less than approximately 4.0, a creep rate less than approximately 1.010.sup.5 m/(mhr), or any combination thereof. In a particular embodiment, the refractory object can be in the form of a refractory block or a glass overflow forming block. The glass overflow forming block can be useful in forming an AlSiMg glass sheet. In a particular embodiment, a layer including MgAl oxide can initially form along exposed surfaces of the glass overflow forming block when forming the AlSiMg glass sheet.

Provided herein are rapid, high quality film sintering processes that include high-throughput continuous sintering of lithium-lanthanum zirconium oxide (lithium-stuffed garnet). The instant disclosure sets forth equipment and processes for making high quality, rapidly-processed ceramic electrolyte films. These processes include high-throughput continuous sintering of lithium-lanthanum zirconium oxide for use as electrolyte films. In certain processes, the film is not in contact with any surface as it sinters (i.e., during the sintering phase).

A barium titanate piezoelectric ceramic having good piezoelectric properties and mechanical strength and a piezoelectric element that includes the ceramic are provided. A method for making a piezoelectric ceramic includes forming a compact composed of an oxide powder containing barium titanate particles, sintering the compact, and decreasing the temperature of the compact after the sintering. The sintering includes (A) increasing the temperature of the compact to a first temperature within a temperature range of a shrinking process of the compact; (B) increasing the temperature of the compact to a second temperature within a temperature range of a liquid phase sintering process of the compact after (A); (C) decreasing the temperature of the compact to a third temperature within the temperature range of the shrinking process of the compact after (B); and (D) retaining the third temperature after (C).

A barium titanate piezoelectric ceramic having good piezoelectric properties and mechanical strength and a piezoelectric element that includes the ceramic are provided. A method for making a piezoelectric ceramic includes forming a compact containing barium titanate particles, sintering the compact, and decreasing the temperature of the compact. The sintering includes (A) increasing the temperature of the compact to a temperature range of a shrinking process of the compact; (B) increasing the temperature of the compact to a temperature range of a liquid phase sintering process of the compact; (C) decreasing the temperature of the compact to the temperature range of the shrinking process of the compact; and (D) retaining the third temperature.

The present invention provides a solid-state ion capacitor. In the solid-state ion capacitor, the particle number in the thickness direction of the solid electrolyte sandwiched between the electrodes was at least 1 and the average particle number was 80 or less. Further, the solid electrolyte includes particles with D10D90 in the particle diameters of particle size distribution of 0.5 m or more and 100 m or less.

To provide a lead-free piezoelectric material having a high and stable piezoelectric constant in a wide operating temperature range. The piezoelectric material contains a perovskite type metal oxide having the general formula (1), Mn, Mg,
(Ba.sub.1-xCa.sub.x).sub.a(Ti.sub.1-y-zSn.sub.yZr.sub.z)O.sub.3(1) (wherein x is in the range of 0.050x0.200, y is in the range of 0.010y0.040, and z is in the range of 0z0.040, provided that x0.375(y+z)+0.050, and a is in the range of 0.9925+ba1.0025+b) wherein the amount b (mol) of Mn on a metal basis per mole of the metal oxide is in the range of 0.0048b0.0400, and the Mg content on a metal basis per 100 parts by weight of the metal oxide is 0.100 parts by weight or less.

The sliding member according to the embodiment includes a silicon nitride sintered body that includes silicon nitride crystal grains and a grain boundary phase, in which a percentage of a number of the silicon nitride crystal grains including dislocation defect portions inside the silicon nitride crystal grains among any 50 of the silicon nitride crystal grains having completely visible contours in a 50 m50 m observation region of any cross section or surface of the silicon nitride sintered body is not less than 0% and not more than 10%. The percentage is more preferably not less than 0% and not more than 3%.