An NTC compound, a thermistor and a method for producing a thermistor are disclosed. In an embodiment an NTC compound includes a ceramic material of a Mn—Ni—O system as a main constituent, wherein the Mn—Ni—O system has a general composition Ni.sub.xMn.sub.2O.sub.4-δ, wherein y corresponds to a molar fraction of Ni of a total metal content of the ceramic material of the Mn—Ni—O system, which is defined as c(Ni):(c(Ni)+c(Mn)), and wherein the following applies: 0.500<x<0.610 and 0.197<y<0.240.

A multilayer piezoelectric element using an alkaline niobate-based piezoelectric ceramic, which can inhibit its reliability from dropping while lowering production cost, is characterized by forming internal electrodes (10) with a metal whose silver content is 80 percent by mass or higher, and also constituting piezoelectric ceramic layers (40) with a piezoelectric ceramic whose primary component is an alkaline niobate having a perovskite structure and which also contains a lithium manganate.

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes secondary particles of a lithium transition metal complex oxide as a main component. The main component is represented by a formula: Li.sub.t(Ni.sub.1-xCo.sub.x).sub.1-yMn.sub.yB.sub.αP.sub.βS.sub.γO.sub.2, where t, x, y, α, β, and γ satisfy inequalities of 0≤x≤1, 0.00≤y≤0.50, (1−x).Math.(1−y)≥y, 0.000≤α≤0.020, 0.000≤β=0.030, 0.000≤γ≤0.030, and 1+3α+3β+2γ≤t≤1.30, and satisfy at least one of inequalities of 0.002≤α, 0.006≤β, and 0.004≤γ. The secondary particles exhibit a pore distribution, where a pore volume Vp(1) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 0.15 μm satisfies an inequality of 0.035 cm.sup.3/g≤Vp(1) and where a pore volume Vp(2) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 μm and not more than 10 μm satisfies an inequality of Vp(2)≤0.450 cm.sup.3/g.

An oxide ion conductor has a X.sub.3Z.sub.2(TO.sub.4).sub.3 structure, where X is a divalent metal element, Z is a trivalent metal element, and T is a tetravalent metal element, and has a composition expressed by (X.sub.1-xA.sub.x).sub.3(Z.sub.1-yB.sub.y).sub.2(T.sub.1-zC.sub.z).sub.3O.sub.12+ where the element X is Ca, Fe, Gd, Ba, Sr, Mn, and/or Mg, the element Z is Al, Cr, Fe, Mn, V, Ga, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, and/or Ir, the element T is Si and/or Ge, an element A is La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, and/or Sr, an element B is Zn, Mn, Co, Ru, and/or Rh, and an element C is Si, Al, Ga, and/or Sn, 0x0.2, 0y0.2, and 0z0.2 are satisfied, and is a value securing electrical neutrality.

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to thermoelectric ceramic oxide compositions comprising a CaMnO.sub.3 ceramic. In a further aspect, the disclosed thermoelectric ceramic oxide compositions can dramatically increase the energy conversion efficiency of thermoelectric through a combination of modifying the chemistry of precursor materials, and simultaneously introducing a metal oxide liquid phase during sintering. In a further aspect, the present disclosure pertains to thermoelectric ceramic oxide compositions comprising a metal doped CaMnO.sub.3 having with a metal oxide grain boundary phase; wherein the metal is selected from group 13, group 14, group 15, group 16, or a rare earth element. In a still further aspect, the disclosure relates to methods for making the thermoelectric ceramic oxide materials. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

A ceramic member includes a matrix phase of a perovskite compound including La, Ca, and Mn, and a heterophase including Mn and O as main components, wherein crystal grains of the perovskite compound have an average grain size of about 2.5 m or more and about 6.4 m or less.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing, by stereolithography, a green part made of a ceramic or metallic material. Layers based on a curable composition including: the ceramic or metallic material formed by at least one ceramic or metallic powder, respectively, and an organic part including at least one monomer and/or oligomer and at least one initiator for the polymerization of the one or more monomers and/or oligomers, are successively cured by the polymerization according to a pattern defined for each layer. The first layer formed on a construction platform, each other layer being formed and then cured on the preceding layer. As an initiator, at least one thermal initiator is used capable of generating the initiation of a thermal polymerization by the thermal energy released by the ceramic or metallic material, respectively, during exposure to at least one irradiation source chosen from UV, visible or IR irradiation sources.

Herein discussed is a method of sintering a ceramic comprising (a) providing an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) source; (b) (i) providing a layer of intermixed ceramic particles and absorber particles, wherein the absorber particles have a volume fraction in the intermixed particles in the range of no less than 3%; or (ii) providing a first layer comprising ceramic particles and a second layer comprising absorber particles in contact with at least a portion of the first layer, wherein the second layer is farther from the EMR source than the first layer; (c) heating (i) the layer of intermixed particles or (ii) the first layer using EMR; and (d) controlling the EMR such that at least a portion of the ceramic particles are sintered wherein (i) the layer of intermixed particles becomes impermeable or (ii) the first layer becomes impermeable, wherein the absorber particles have greater EMR absorption than the ceramic particles.

Provided are a MnZnWO sputtering target having excellent crack resistance and a production method therefor. The MnZnWO sputtering target has a chemical composition containing Mn, Zn, W, and O. From an X-ray diffraction pattern of the MnZnWO sputtering target, a ratio P.sub.MnO/P.sub.W of a maximum peak intensity P.sub.MnO of a peak due to a manganese oxide composed only of Mn and O to a maximum peak intensity P.sub.W of a peak due to W is 0.027 or less.

A positive electrode active material for a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes secondary particles of a lithium transition metal complex oxide as a main component. The main component is represented by a formula: Li.sub.t(Ni.sub.1-xCo.sub.x).sub.1-yMn.sub.yB.sub.P.sub.S.sub.O.sub.2, where t, x, y, , , and satisfy inequalities of 0x1, 0.00y0.50, (1x).Math.(1y)y, 0.0000.020, 0.000=0.030, 0.0000.030, and 1+3+3+2t1.30, and satisfy at least one of inequalities of 0.002, 0.006, and 0.004. The secondary particles exhibit a pore distribution, where a pore volume Vp(1) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 m and not more than 0.15 m satisfies an inequality of 0.035 cm.sup.3/gVp(1) and where a pore volume Vp(2) having a pore diameter of not less than 0.01 m and not more than 10 m satisfies an inequality of Vp(2)0.450 cm.sup.3/g.