The present invention is directed to battery technologies and processing techniques thereof. In various embodiments, ceramic electrolyte powder material (or component thereof) is mixed with two or more flux to form a fluxed powder material. The fluxed powder material is shaped and heated again at a temperature less than 1100 C. to form a dense lithium conducting material. There are other variations and embodiments as well.

A product according to one embodiment includes a first layer having a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density; and a second layer above the first layer, the second layer having: a second composition, a second microstructure, and/or a second density. A gradient in composition, microstructure, and/or density exists between the first layer and the second layer, and either or both of the first layer and the second layer comprise non-spherical particles aligned along a longitudinal axis thereof.

A product according to one embodiment includes a first layer comprising a first material, the first layer having a gradient in composition, microstructure and/or density in an x-y plane, and the x-y plane being oriented parallel to a plane of deposition of the first layer. The first material includes non-spherical particles; and the product is optically transparent. A ceramic according to another embodiment includes a plurality of layers comprising non-spherical particles of a non-cubic material. Each layer is individually characterized by the non-spherical particles thereof being aligned in a common direction. A product in another embodiment includes a first layer having a first composition, a first microstructure, and a first density; and a second layer above the first layer, the second layer having: a second composition, a second microstructure, and/or a second density. A gradient in composition, microstructure, and/or density exists between the first layer and the second layer.

A metal oxide film includes indium, , ( is Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), and zinc and includes a region where a peak having a diffraction intensity derived from a crystal structure is observed by X-ray diffraction in the direction perpendicular to the film surface. Moreover, a plurality of crystal parts is observed in a transmission electron microscope image in the direction perpendicular to the film surface. The proportion of a region other than the crystal parts is higher than or equal to 20% and lower than or equal to 60%.

Aluminum nitride particles used as a material of an aluminum nitride sintered compact are disclosed. The aluminum nitride particles may have a same crystal orientation. The aluminum nitride particles each have an aspect ratio of 3 or more, a plate-like shape, a planar length of 0.6 m or more and 20 m or less, and a thickness length of 0.05 m or more and 2 m or less.

An oriented piezoelectric film, wherein a crystal forming the oriented piezoelectric film, is a perovskite type crystal of the general formula of Ba.sub.1-xCa.sub.xTi.sub.1-yZr.sub.yO.sub.3 (0x0.2, and 0y0.2), and the oriented piezoelectric film has (111) orientation according to a pseudocubic crystal notation.

Aluminum nitride crystal particles, aluminum nitride powders containing the same, production processes for both of them, an organic polymer composition comprising the aluminum nitride crystal particles and a sintered body. Each of the aluminum nitride crystal particles has a flat octahedral shape in a direction where hexagonal faces are opposed to each other, which is composed of two opposed hexagonal faces and 6 rectangular faces, in which the average distance D between two opposed corners of each of the hexagonal faces is 3 to 110 m, the length L of the short side of each of the rectangular faces is 2 to 45 m, and L/D is 0.05 to 0.8; each of the hexagonal faces and each of the rectangular faces cross each other to form a curve without forming a single ridge; and the true destiny is 3.20 to 3.26 g/cm.sup.3.

Sintered product having a relative density of greater than 90%, with, to more than 80% of the volume thereof, a stack of flat ceramic platelets, the assembly of the platelets having a mean thickness of less than 3 m, having a width of greater than 50 mm, and including more than 20% of alumina, as a percentage on the basis of the weight of the product. The width of the product is the largest dimension measured in the plane in which the length of the product is measured, along a direction perpendicular to the direction of the length. The length of the product is the largest dimension thereof in a plane parallel to the general plane in which the platelets extend.

Provided is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate for use in a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery. The lithium complex oxide sintered plate has a structure where a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure are bonded, and has a porosity of 3 to 40%, a mean pore diameter of 15 m or less, an open pore rate of 70% or more, and a thickness of 40 to 200 m, a primary grain diameter of 20 m or less, the primary grain diameter being a mean diameter of the primary grains, and a mean pore aspect ratio of 1.2 or more.

Disclosed is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate including a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure, the primary grains being bonded. The lithium complex oxide has a composition represented by the formula: Li.sub.x(Co.sub.1-yM.sub.y)O.sub.2 (wherein, 1.0x1.1, 0<y=0.1, 0<1, and M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ni, Al, and Mn), and the primary grains have a mean tilt angle of more than 0 to 30 or less, the mean tilt angle being a mean value of the angles defined by the (003) planes of the primary grains and the plate face of the lithium complex oxide sintered plate.