A nanoparticle cluster reduction method yields a new composition of matter including a large percentage (e.g., 75% or higher percentage) of primary nanoparticles in the new composition of matter. The particle reduction method reduces the size of nanoparticle clusters in material of the new composition of matter, allows particle reduction of specific nanoparticle cluster sizes, and allows particle reduction to primary nanoparticles. This new composition of matter can include a high permittivity and high resistivity dielectric compound. This new composition of matter, according to certain examples, has high permittivity, high resistivity, and low leakage current. In certain examples, the new composition of matter constitutes a dielectric energy storage device that is a battery with very high energy density, high operating voltage per cell, and an extended battery life cycle. An example method can include a controlled gas evolution reaction to reduce the size of nanoparticle clusters.

A ceramic matrix composite has fibers, a ceramic matrix bonded to the fibers, and ceramic particles, distributed throughout the matrix. A method includes mixing a high char ceramic resin precursor with ceramic particles, adding a catalyst to create a mixture, heating the mixture to produce functionalized ceramic particles, and cooling the mixture to produce a resin having functionalized particles.

Disclosed is a gas sensing material for methylbenzene detection. Specifically, the gas sensing material includes a nanocomposite of Cr.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnCr.sub.2O.sub.4. The content of Cr in the nanocomposite is from 67.0 at. % to 90.0 at. %, based on the sum of the contents of Cr and Zn atoms. The gas sensing material is highly selective to methylbenzenes over other gases and is highly sensitive to methylbenzenes. Also disclosed are methods for preparing the gas sensing material. The methods facilitate control over the composition of the gas sensing material and enable rapid synthesis of the gas sensing material at low temperature. Also disclosed is a gas sensor including the gas sensing material.

An integrated polymer-derived ceramic (PDC) thin-film sensor produced by laser pyrolysis and additive manufacturing and a fabrication method thereof are provided. Using a metal component or an insulating material as a substrate, a PDC-doped composite insulating film layer with high density, high insulation, and high temperature resistance is formed by a layer-by-layer laser pyrolysis and additive manufacturing on the surface of the metal component, and a strain sensitive layer with excellent electrical conductivity is obtained by Weissenberg direct writing process PDC-doped filler sensitive grid on the composite insulating film layer and laser pyrolysis enhancing graphitization of PDC. In this way, the in situ integrated laser fabrication of highly insulating film layer, sensitive grid with excellent electrical conductivity, and metal substrate based on PDC materials is developed, which achieves the laser processing of “liquid-solid-function” transformation of PDC composites and allows the successful use thereof in strain sensing of metallic materials.

A method of fabricating a ceramic matrix composite includes infiltrating pores of a porous structure with a preceramic matrix polymer using a composite molding technique. The porous structure includes fibers and an exposed carbon coating on the fibers. The preceramic matrix polymer wets the exposed carbon coating. The preceramic matrix polymer is then pyrolyzed to convert the preceramic matrix polymer to a ceramic matrix.

A membrane electrode assembly includes an electrode consisting of lanthanum strontium cobalt complex oxide or consisting of a composite of lanthanum strontium cobalt complex oxide and an electrolyte material, and a first solid electrolyte membrane represented by a composition formula of BaZr.sub.1-xYb.sub.xO.sub.3-δ (0<x<1). The electrode is in contact with the first solid electrolyte membrane.

A method of producing low CTE graphite electrodes from needle coke formed from a coal tar distillate material having a relatively high initial boiling point.

Ceramic matrix composite articles include, for example, a plurality of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows in a matrix having a monomodal pore size distribution, and a fiber volume fraction between about 15 percent and about 35 percent. The articles may be formed by, for example, providing a shaped preform comprising a prepreg tape layup of unidirectional arrays of fiber tows, a matrix precursor, and a pore former, curing the shaped preform to pyrolyze the matrix precursor and burnout the pore former so that the shaped preform comprises the unidirectional arrays of fiber tows and a porous matrix having a monomodal pore size distribution, and subjecting the cured shaped preform to chemical vapor infiltration to densify the porous matrix so that the ceramic matrix composite article has a fiber volume fraction between about 15 percent and about 35 percent.

A layer by layer additive manufacturing system from liquid polymers for producing dense and defect free polymer-derived ceramic bodies of a three dimensional architecture.

The present disclosure provides methods for generating three-dimensional (3D) objects. The methods may comprise generating a green part corresponding to the 3D object. The green part may comprise a plurality of particles and reactants for conducting a self-propagating reaction. The reactants may be used to conduct a self-propagating reaction that generates heat sufficient to de-bind or pre-sinter the green part. External heat may be supplied to the green part to sinter the plurality of particles, thereby yielding the 3D object. The disclosure also provides methods for generating a 3D object using a resin. The methods may comprise using the resin to generate a green part, heating the green part at a first temperature to decompose a binder in the green part, heating the green part at a second temperature to decompose a polymeric material in the green part, and sintering the green part to yield the 3D object.