Articles and methods in which an electric field is used to actuate a material are generally described. Provided in one embodiment is a method including applying an electric field to a ceramic material. Applying the electric field to the ceramic material can transform the ceramic material from a first solid phase to a second distinct solid phase. The applied electric field is less than a breakdown electric field of the ceramic material, according to certain embodiments.

An electromagnetic effect material includes as a primary component, a polycrystalline oxide ceramic containing at least Sr, Co, and Fe. In the polycrystalline oxide ceramic, the crystal c-axis is oriented in a predetermined direction, and the degree of orientation of the c-axis is 0.2 or more by a Lotgering method. A component substrate is formed of this electromagnetic effect material.

The disclosure relates to sintered ceramic grains comprising 3-55 wt. % alumina, 40-95 wt. % zirconia and 1-30 wt. % of one or more other inorganic components.

The invention further relates to a method for preparing ceramic grains according to the invention, comprising: making a slurry comprising alumina, zirconia; making droplets of the slurry; introducing the droplets in a liquid gelling-reaction medium wherein the droplets are gellified; drying the gellified deformed droplets.

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 corrosion-resistant non-porous layer associated with the ceramic insulating substrate, the corrosion-resistant non-porous layer having 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, the corrosion-resistant non-porous layer characterized by a microstructure substantially devoid of microcracks and fissures, and having an average grain size of at least about 100 nm and at most about 100 m. Assemblies including corrosion-resistant components and methods of making are also disclosed.

There is provided a platy Mg-containing zinc oxide sintered compact containing 1 to 10 wt % Mg as a first dopant element and 0.005 wt % or more at least one second dopant element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga and In, the balance consisting essentially of ZnO and optionally at least one third dopant element selected from the group consisting of Br, CI, F, Sn, Y, Pr, Ge, B, Sc, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Mn, Ta, W, Cu, Ni, Cr, La, Gd, Bi, Ce, Sr and Ba, wherein the (002)-plane or (100)-plane orientation in the plate surface is 60% or more. The Mg-containing zinc oxide sintered compact of the present invention has excellent properties such as high orientation despite solid dissolution of Mg.

There is provided a platy zinc oxide sintered compact containing 0.80 wt % or less at least one first dopant element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga and In, the balance consisting essentially of ZnO and optionally at least one second dopant element selected from the group consisting of Br, Cl, F, Sn, Y, Pr, Ge, B, Sc, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Mn, Ta, W, Cu, Ni, Cr, La, Gd, Bi, Ce, Sr and Ba, the second dopant element being optional component, wherein the (002)-plane orientation in the plate surface is 60% or more. The zinc oxide sintered compact of the present invention has excellent properties such as high orientation in addition to transparency and conductivity.

A silicon nitride substrate including a phase encompassed of silicon nitride particles, and intergranular phase formed from a sintering aid, wherein a separation layer is formed on the surface of a molded body including silicon nitride powder, sintering aid powder, and organic binder, by using a boron nitride paste containing boron nitride powder, organic binder, and organic solvent; the separation layer and molded body are heated; the organic binder is removed from the separation layer and molded body; subsequently molded bodies stacked with a separation layer therebetween, are sintered. Boron nitride paste contains 0.01 to 0.50% by oxygen mass and 0.001 to 0.5% by carbon mass, and c/a is within range of 0.02 to 10.00, where c is oxygen content in the powder of the boron nitride paste, and a carbon content in the degreased separation layer, which includes 0.2 to 3.5 mg/cm.sup.2 of hexagonal boron nitride powder.

A method includes the following steps: a) the production of a slip including more than 4% and less than 50% of ceramic particles and including: b) a first particulate fraction including of orientable particles having a median length L50 and representing more than 1% of the ceramic particles, and c) a second particulate fraction having a median length D50 at least ten times shorter than L50 and representing more than 1% of the ceramic particles, the first and second particulate fractions together representing more than 80% of all of the ceramic particles, in volume percentages based on the total quantity of ceramic particles; d) oriented freezing of the slip by moving a solidification front at a lower speed than the speed of encapsulation of the ceramic particles; e) elimination of the crystals of the solidified liquid phase of the block; and f) optionally sintering.

Articles and methods in which an electric field is used to actuate a material are generally described. Provided in one embodiment is a method including applying an electric field to a ceramic material. Applying the electric field to the ceramic material can transform the ceramic material from a first solid phase to a second distinct solid phase. The applied electric field is less than a breakdown electric field of the ceramic material, according to certain embodiments.

A method of forming a ceramic body including forming a mixture made of at least a first powder material (PM1) including carbon having a first average particle size (PS1), a second powder material (PM2) including carbon and different than the first powder material, the second powder material having a second average particle size (PS2) less than the first average particle size (PS1), and an aluminum content (AC2) greater than the aluminum content (AC1) of the first powder material, and further including forming a green body from the mixture, and sintering the green body and forming a ceramic body having a first type of grain having an average grain size of not greater than about 8 times the first average particle size (PS1).