A multilayer ceramic capacitor that includes a ceramic body including a stack of a plurality of dielectric layers and a plurality of first and second internal electrodes; and first and second external electrodes provided at each of both end faces of the ceramic body. Each of the plurality of dielectric layers contain Ba, Ti, P and Si. The plurality of dielectric layers include an outer dielectric layer located on an outermost side in the stacking direction; an inner dielectric layer located between the first and second internal electrodes; and a side margin portion in a region where the first and second internal electrodes do not exist. In at least one of the outer dielectric layer, the inner dielectric layer and the side margin portion, the P and the Si segregate in at least one of grain-boundary triple points of three ceramic particles.

A preform for making a component of a braking system having a fibre-reinforced ceramic composite material, obtained by forming and subsequent pyrolysis of a pre-preg is described. Also described is a component of a braking system made wholly or in part from the preform, and a method for making a preform in a fibre-reinforced ceramic composite material.

The present disclosure relates to a precursor solution for the preparation of a ceramic of the BZT-BXT type, where X is selected from Ca, Sn, Mn, and Nb, and is a molar fraction selected in the range between 0.10 and 0.90, said solution comprising: 1) at least one barium precursor compound; 2) a precursor compound selected from the group consisting of at least one calcium compound, at least one tin compound, at least one manganese compound, and at least one niobium compound; 3) at least one anhydrous precursor compound of zirconium; 4) at least one anhydrous precursor compound of titanium; 5) a solvent selected from the group consisting of a polyol and mixtures of a polyol and a secondary solvent selected from the group consisting of alcohols, carboxylic acids, esters, ketones, ethers, and mixtures thereof; and 6) a chelating agent, as well as method of using the same.

Superparamagnetic nanocomposites are provided. In an embodiment, a superparamagnetic nanocomposite comprises a superparamagnetic core comprising a first, soft superparamagnetic ferrite and a superparamagnetic shell comprising a second, soft superparamagnetic ferrite, the shell formed over the core, wherein the first and second soft superparamagnetic ferrites are different compounds and have different magnetocrystalline anisotropies.

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 m and an average width of 1 to 2 m, 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.

A method of manufacturing a solid-state electrolyte, the method including: providing a substrate; providing a precursor composition including a compound including a compound including lithium, a compound including lanthanum, and a compound including zirconium, and a solvent; disposing the precursor composition on the substrate to provide a coated substrate; treating the coated substrate at a temperature between 40 C. and 25 C. to form a precursor film on the substrate; and heat-treating the precursor film at a temperature of 500 C. to 1000 C. to manufacture the solid-state electrolyte, wherein the solid-state electrolyte includes Li.sub.(7-x)Al.sub.x/3La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 wherein 0x1, and wherein the solid-state electrolyte in the form of a film having a thickness of 5 nanometers to 1000 micrometers.

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 ?m and an average width of 1 to 2 ?m, 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.

A device for converting a carbon pill into graphene is provided including a space between at least two electrically conductive surfaces, wherein the electrically conductive surfaces are configured to support a carbon pill in the space. The device also includes at least two electrodes electrically coupled to the at least two electrically conductive surfaces. The device also includes a power supply connected to the electrodes for passing a current through the electrodes to convert the carbon pill into graphene. A carbon pill for graphene conversion is also provided including a first carbon material for synthesizing to graphene by joule heating. The first carbon material is compressed from a powder form into a pill form. The carbon pill includes a second material for at least one of binding the first carbon material from a powder form into a pill form and improving conductivity of the first carbon material.

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 m. 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.

Ceramic powder to be used for additive manufacturing of a ceramic object by irradiating the powder with laser light includes a first group of particles of a first inorganic compound showing an average particle diameter of not less than 10 m and not more than 100 m and a second group of particles of a second inorganic compound having an absorption band at the wavelength of the laser light and showing an average particle diameter smaller than the average particle diameter of the first group of particles. Particles belonging to the second group of particles are arranged on the surfaces of particles belonging to the first group of particles. A high-precision ceramic object can be obtained in a short time by using the ceramic powder.