A method of producing polycrystalline Y.sub.3Ba.sub.5Cu.sub.8O.sub.y (Y-358) whereby powders of yttrium (III) oxide, a barium (II) salt, and copper (II) oxide are pelletized, calcined at 850 to 950° C. for 8 to 16 hours, ball milled under controlled conditions, pelletized again and sintered in an oxygen atmosphere at 900 to 1000° C. for up to 72 hours. The polycrystalline Y.sub.3Ba.sub.5Cu.sub.8O.sub.y thus produced is in the form of elongated crystals having an average length of 2 to 10 μm and an average width of 1 to 2 μm, and embedded with spherical nanoparticles of yttrium deficient Y.sub.3Ba.sub.5Cu.sub.8O.sub.y having an average diameter of 5 to 20 nm. The spherical nanoparticles are present as agglomerates having flower-like morphology with an average particles size of 30 to 60 nm. The ball milled polycrystalline Y.sub.3Ba.sub.5Cu.sub.8O.sub.y prepared under controlled conditions shows significant enhancement of superconducting and flux pinning properties.

The invention relates to a material in the form of a cellular solid monolith consisting of an inorganic oxide polymer. Said monolith comprises macropores which have an average size d.sub.A of 4 μm to 50 μm, mesopores that have an average size d.sub.E of 20 to 30 Å, and micropores which have an average size d.sub.1 of 5 à 10 Å, said pores being interconnected. The inorganic oxide polymer has organic groups R of formula —(CH.sub.2).sub.n—R.sup.1, wherein 0≤n≤5, and R.sup.1 is selected from among a thiol group, a pyrrole group, an amino group having one or more optional, optionally substituted alkyl, alkylamino, or aryl substituents, an alkyl group, or a phenyl group optionally having an alkyl-type substituent R.sup.2. The disclosed material can be used as a substrate for a metal catalyst and for decontaminating liquid or gaseous media.

The present invention provides a method for producing a lamination-shaped fired body. This production method includes a shaping step (S10) of shaping a lamination-shaped article by using a lamination shaping powder that contains non-hydrating reaction raw material particles, an impregnation step (S20) of impregnating the lamination-shaped article with a coupling liquid that contains a coupling agent, and a firing step (S30) of firing the lamination-shaped article so as to obtain a lamination-shaped fired body, implemented following the impregnation step.

A method for masking the appearance of a support structure underlying a highly translucent ceramic dental restoration s provided. The porous form of a zirconia ceramic dental restoration is treated with a liquid masking composition comprising 0.4 wt % to 50 wt % of one or more masking agents. The masking composition is applied to the internal surface of a restoration and a region of the facial surface of the restoration that is opposite the internal surface. After application of the masking compositions, treated zirconia restoration is sintered to greater than 98% theoretical density.

A method for producing a solid composition according to the present disclosure is a method for producing a solid composition that is used for forming a functional ceramic having a first crystal phase. The method for producing a solid composition includes: producing an oxide composed of a second crystal phase different from the first crystal phase; and mixing the oxide and an oxo acid compound.

Provided are a SiC/ZrC composite fiber, a preparation method and use thereof. The SiC/ZrC composite fiber has a diameter of 10 to 70 μm. The method includes mixing liquid polycarbosilane with a zirconium-containing polymer to obtain a hybrid spinning solution, and then performing electrospinning to obtain a SiC/ZrC composite fiber precursor, crosslinking and thermally treating the SiC/ZrC composite fiber precursor in a protective atmosphere to obtain the SiC/ZrC composite fiber. The SiC/ZrC composite fiber is continuous and uniform, has an adjustable diameter, and thus has outstanding tensile strength and breaking strength and excellent high-temperature resistance. Without use of any organic solvent or spinning agent, the method achieves short process flow and high yield, indicating wide application prospects.

Disclosed is a method for fabricating a solid article from a boron carbide powder comprising boron carbide particles that are coated with a titanium compound. Further disclosed herein are the unique advantages of the combined use of titanium and graphite additives in the form of water soluble species to improve intimacy of mixing in the green state. The carbon facilitates sintering, whose concentration is then attenuated in the process of forming very hard, finely dispersed TiB2 phases. The further recognition of the merits of a narrow particle size distribution B4C powder and the use of sintering soak temperatures at the threshold of close porosity which achieve post-HIPed microstructures with average grain sizes approaching the original median particle size. The combination of interdependent factors has led to B.sub.4C-based articles of higher hardness than previously reported.

A multiferroic material for magnetic and electric switching including Iron selenide (Fe.sub.3Se.sub.4) nanoparticles and its derivatives or doped with at least one element selected from transitional metals, rare earths elements or combination of the two and chalcogens. Ferroelectric polarization and coupling of magnetic and ferroelectric behavior in the doped Fe3Se4 is observed at a temperature ranging from 15 to 30° C.

Disclosed is a modified preceramic polymer having a polymer backbone consisting of silicon or a combination of silicon and carbon; and a pendant modifier bonded to the backbone wherein the modifier includes silicon, boron, aluminum, a transition metal, a refractory metal, or a combination thereof. The modified preceramic polymer can be used to form a ceramic matrix composite.

A method of producing a metal oxide fiber is described, including a spinning step of spinning a composition containing a polymetalloxane and an organic solvent to obtain a thread-like product; and a firing step of firing the thread-like product obtained in the spinning step at a temperature of 200° C. or higher and 2,000° C. or lower to obtain a metal oxide fiber, where the polymetalloxane has a repeating structure composed of a metal atom selected from the group consisting of Al, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag, In, Sn, Sb, Hf, Ta, W and Bi, and an oxygen atom and where the weight average molecular weight of the polymetalloxane is 20,000 or more and 2,000,000 or less.