An armor component including a body having a first portion including calcium boride compounds include non-stoichiometric calcium boride (CaB.sub.x) and stoichiometric calcium boride (TiO.sub.2) and having a density of at least about 80% theoretical density. In one aspect, the first portion can include a first phase comprising silicon carbide (SiC) and a second phase comprising calcium boride (TiO.sub.2). In another aspect, the first portion can further include a third phase comprising boron carbide (B.sub.4C).

In one aspect, sintered ceramic bodies are described herein which, in some embodiments, demonstrate improved resistance to wear and enhanced cutting lifetimes. For example, a sintered ceramic body comprises tungsten carbide (WC) in an amount of 40-95 weight percent, alumina in an amount of 5-30 weight percent and ditungsten carbide (W.sub.2C) in an amount of at least 1 weight percent.

Disclosed 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 disclosed herein are lithium-stuffed garnet thin films having fine grains therein. Also disclosed herein are 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 electrochemical devices which incorporate these garnet catholytes, electrolytes and/or anolytes. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing 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 disclosed herein are sintering techniques, e.g., for heating and/or field assisted (FAST) sintering, for solid state energy storage devices and the components thereof.

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 inorganic fiber molded body of the present invention is characterized in that the molded body has an extremely light weight, and is free from problems such as scattering of fibers and particulate matters from a surface thereof and environmental pollution such as generation of harmful gases. In addition, the present invention provides an inorganic fiber molded body that is excellent in not only thermal shock resistance and mechanical shock resistance but also a high-speed wind erosion resistance, well-balanced in properties and can be used in the applications of various heat-insulating materials. The present invention relates to an inorganic fiber molded body comprising inorganic fibers and inorganic binder particles and having at least one set of a high-fiber density region and a low-fiber density region, in which a ratio of a content of the binder particles in the high-fiber density region to a content of the binder particles in the low-fiber density region as measured by a predetermined method is 0.5:1 to 5:1; and a number-average particle diameter and the number of the inorganic binder particles on an outermost surface of the molded body as measured by a predetermined method are 20 to 35 m and less than 15, respectively.

A piezoelectric device has a piezoelectric ceramic layer obtained by sintering a piezoelectric ceramic composition that contains an alkali-containing niobate type perovskite composition which is represented by (Li.sub.lNa.sub.mK.sub.1-l-m).sub.n(Nb.sub.1-oTa.sub.o)O.sub.3 (wherein 0.04l0.1, 0m1, 0.95n1.05, 0o1) and Ag component, as well as a conductor layer sandwiching the piezoelectric ceramic layer. The piezoelectric ceramic layer has Ag segregated in voids present in a sintered compact of the perovskite composition in terms of oxides relative to the perovskite composition.

Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric material having satisfactory and stable piezoelectric constant and mechanical quality factor in a wide practical use temperature range. The piezoelectric material includes a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by Formula (1): (Ba.sub.1xCa.sub.x).sub.a(Ti.sub.1yZr.sub.y)O.sub.3 (wherein, 1.00a1.01, 0.125x0.300, and 0.041y0.074), Mn, and Mg. The content of Mn is 0.12 parts by weight or more and 0.40 parts by weight or less based on 100 parts by weight of the perovskite-type metal oxide on a metal basis. The content of Mg is 0.10 parts by weight or less (excluding 0 part by weight) based on 100 parts by weight of the perovskite-type metal oxide on a metal basis.

A corrosion-resistant component configured for use with a semiconductor processing reactor, the corrosion-resistant component comprising: a) a ceramic insulating substrate; and, b) a white corrosion-resistant non-porous outer layer associated with the ceramic insulating substrate, the white corrosion-resistant non-porous outer layer having a thickness of at least 50 m, a porosity of at most 1%, and a composition comprising at least 15% by weight of a rare earth compound based on total weight of the corrosion-resistant non-porous layer; and, c) an L* value of at least 90 as measured on a planar surface of the white corrosion-resistant non-porous outer layer. Methods of making are also disclosed.

Gadolinium-doped cerium oxide slurries used to form a patchwork type surface structure with nanoporous grain boundary prepared by mixing gadolinium-doped cerium oxide and a polymer binder to form a first mixture; wet-atomizing the first mixture under a pressure of at least 100 MPa to obtain a second mixture; coating the second mixture to a substrate to form in a coated substrate; and sintering the coated substrate. The patchwork type structure is a polygonal or honeycomb structure having a size of from 0.1 m to 3 m.

Gadolinium-doped cerium oxide slurries used to form a patchwork type surface structure with nanoporous grain boundary prepared by mixing gadolinium-doped cerium oxide and a polymer binder to form a first mixture; wet-atomizing the first mixture under a pressure of at least 100 MPa to obtain a second mixture; coating the second mixture to a substrate to fog in a coated substrate; and sintering the coated substrate. The patchwork type structure is a polygonal or honeycomb structure having a size of from 0.1 m to 3 m.