Provided is a lead-free piezoelectric ceramics having enhanced mechanical quality factor (Qm) and mechanical strength. The piezoelectric ceramics, includes at least a first crystal grain and a second crystal grain. The first crystal grain has an average equivalent circle diameter of 2 m or more and 30 m or less. The first crystal grain includes a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the following general formula (1) as a main component, and the second crystal grain includes a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the following general formula (2) as a main component: (1) xBaTiO.sub.3-yCaTiO.sub.3-zCaZrO.sub.3; and (2) xBaTiO.sub.3-yCaTiO.sub.3-zCaZrO.sub.3, provided that x, y, z, x, y, and z satisfy x+y+z=1, x+y+z=1, 0x0.15, 0.85y1, 0z0.05, x>x, 0<y<y, and z>0.

A varistor may include a varistor ceramic that includes zinc oxide having a molar percent greater than 90 percent and a set of metal oxides, where the set of metal oxides includes Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 having a molar fraction between 0.2 and 2.5 percent; Co.sub.3O.sub.4 having a molar fraction between 0.2 and 1.2 percent; Mn.sub.3O.sub.4 having a molar fraction between 0.05 and 0.5 percent; Cr.sub.2O.sub.3 having a molar fraction between 0.05 and 0.5 percent; NiO having a molar fraction between 0.5 and 1.5 percent; Sb.sub.2O.sub.3 oxide having a molar fraction between 0.05 and 1.5 percent; B.sub.2O.sub.3 having a molar fraction between 0.001 to 0.03 percent; and aluminum in the form of an oxide having a molar fraction between 0.001 and 0.05 percent.

A piezoelectric material that does not use lead and potassium and has a high piezoelectric constant and good insulating properties and a piezoelectric element that uses the piezoelectric material are provided. The piezoelectric material contains a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by general formula (1): (Na.sub.xBa.sub.1-y)(Nb.sub.yTi.sub.1-y)O.sub.3 (1) (where 0.80x0.95 and 0.85y0.95), and an auxiliary component containing at least one selected from the group consisting of Si and B. A content of the auxiliary component on a metal basis is 0.001 parts by weight or more and 4.000 parts by weight or less relative to 100 parts by weight of the perovskite-type metal oxide.

Provided are a powder which contains zirconia as a main component and at least a transition metal element and from which a calcined body having mechanical properties more suitable for calcined body processing is obtained, a method for producing the powder and at least one of a calcined body, a sintered body obtained from the powder and methods for producing them. A powder of zirconia includes a stabilizing element and a transition metal element, in which in a frequency distribution of element ratios of the transition metal element/zirconium plotted at intervals of 0.005, a difference between a minimum value and a maximum value of the transition metal element/zirconium is less than 0.25.

The present invention relates to a thermistor paste and a manufacturing method thereof. The thermistor paste includes specific contents of thermistor powder, a glass powder, and an organic carrier, in which the organic carrier includes an organic solvent, a binder, and an additive. A thermistor semi-finished product slurry of the present invention has been sintered. The thermistor paste of the present invention excludes a precious metal, such as ruthenium, gold, or platinum, etc., so the production cost can be reduced.

A single crystal that exhibits a high electromechanical coupling factor and a high coercive field when being used for a piezoelectric element, and a method for manufacturing the single crystal are provided. The method is a method for manufacturing a perovskite-type single crystal, wherein, through step (1) of firing a raw material containing an acceptor under an atmospheric environment to produce a first single crystal of perovskite type, step (2) including firing the first single crystal under a reducing environment, and step (3) including firing the single crystal produced in step (2) under an atmospheric environment in this order, a perovskite-type single crystal having a higher coercive field value than the first single crystal is produced.

To achieve local melting of an inorganic material powder containing an inorganic material as a main component in an additive manufacturing technology, to thereby achieve high shaping accuracy. Provided is an inorganic material powder to be used in an additive manufacturing method involving performing shaping through irradiation with laser light, the inorganic material powder including: a base material that is an inorganic material; and an absorber, wherein the absorber has a higher light-absorbing ability than the base material for light having a wavelength included in the laser light, and contains any one of Ti.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO, SiO, ZnO, antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO), and indium-doped tin oxide (ITO), or contains any one of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal nitride, Si.sub.3N.sub.4, AlN, a boride, and a silicide.

A temperature sensor element includes: an element main body including a heat sensitive body including a thermistor sintered body of which the electrical characteristics change with temperature, and a pair of lead wires that is connected to the heat sensitive body through electrodes; and a protective layer that protects the heat sensitive body. The protective layer has an inner protective layer covering the heat sensitive body and an outer protective layer covering the outer side of the inner protective layer. The inner protective layer is formed of an aggregate of particles that are chemically stable with respect to the thermistor sintered body and made of non-metal.

A zirconia compositional substance includes at least one first transition metal element selected from the group consisting of manganese, iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, molybdenum, technetium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, and silver; a coloring element that is either or both of a lanthanoid rare earth element and a second transition metal element different from the first transition metal element; and stabilizing element-containing zirconia, wherein a content of the first transition metal element is 100 mass ppm or more, a content of the second transition metal element is less than 100 mass ppm.

(i) a step of disposing a powder that includes an absorber absorbing light of a wavelength included in a laser beam to be irradiated and silicon dioxide as a main component; (ii) a step of sintering or melting and solidifying the powder by irradiating the powder with a laser beam; and (iii) a step of heat-treating a shaped object formed by repeating the steps (i) and (ii) at 1470 C. or more and less than 1730 C.