A novel and environmentally preferable method is provided for preparing solid electrolyte particles capable of making dense, flexible, Li.sup.+ conducting electrolyte thin films. Methods are also provided for using the solid electrolyte particles and/or thin films in manufacturing safer and more efficient lithium-based batteries. In particular, the method uses inorganic precursors instead of using organic precursors in preparing an aerosol and then convert the aerosol to solid powders to provide the solid electrolyte particles. The solid electrolyte particles prepared have a cubic polymorph and have a desired particle size range, and are capable of making a solid electrolyte film with a thickness less than 50 μm.

A strongly scattering optoceramic converter material having a density of less than 97% is provided, as well as a method for producing such an optoceramic material. By appropriately choosing in particular the composition, blending method, and sintering conditions, the production method permits to produce converter materials with tailored properties.

Passively Q-switched lasers and short wave infrared (SWIR) electro-optical systems including such lasers. A passively Q-switched laser may include a gain medium (GM) having a stimulated emission cross section σ.sub.SE, a saturable absorber (SA) having an absorption cross section (σ.sub.a) which is less than three times the σ.sub.SE of the GM, and an optical resonator within which the GM and the SA are positioned, the optical resonator comprising a high reflectivity mirror and an output coupler, wherein at least one of the high reflectivity mirror and the output coupler comprises a curved mirror, directing light within the optical resonator such that an effective cross-section of a laser mode within the SA (A.sub.SA) is smaller than a cross-section of a laser mode within a Rayleigh length of the pump (A.sub.GM).

An oxide electrolyte sintered body with high lithium ion conductivity and a method for producing the same, which can obtain the oxide electrolyte sintered body with high lithium ion conductivity by sintering at lower temperature than ever before. The method for producing an oxide electrolyte sintered body may comprise the steps of: preparing crystal particles of a garnet-type ion-conducting oxide which comprises Li, H, at least one kind of element L selected from the group consisting of an alkaline-earth metal and a lanthanoid element, and at least one kind of element M selected from the group consisting of a transition element that can be 6-coordinated with oxygen and typical elements belonging to the Groups 12 to 15, and which is represented by a general formula (Li.sub.x−3y−z,E.sub.y,H.sub.z)L.sub.αM.sub.βO.sub.γ (where E is at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Fe and Si, 3≦x−3y−z≦7, 0≦y<0.22, 0<z≦2.8, 2.5≦α≦3.5, 1.5≦β≦2.5, and 11≦γ≦13); preparing a lithium-containing flux; and sintering a mixture of the crystal particles of the garnet-type ion-conducting oxide and the flux by heating at 400° C. or more and 650° C. or less.

A method of preparing a lithium lanthanum zirconate (LLZO) cubic garnet material is provided which comprises the following steps: (a) milling a slurry comprising one or more precursor compounds in an aqueous medium, wherein the one or more precursor compounds comprise lithium, lanthanum, zirconium and optionally one or more dopant elements, to provide a milled slurry; (b) spray drying the milled slurry to provide a spray-dried powder; and (c) annealing the spray-dried powder. The resultant LLZO cubic garnet material may be used as a lithium ion conductive solid electrolyte in secondary lithium-ion batteries.

In one aspect, sintered ceramic bodies are described herein which, in some embodiments, demonstrate improved resistance to wear and enhanced cutting lifetimes. For example, a sintered ceramic body comprises tungsten carbide (WC) in an amount of 40-95 weight percent, alumina in an amount of 5-30 weight percent and ditungsten carbide (W.sub.2C) in an amount of at least 1 weight percent.

A method of inhibiting an irregular aggregation of a nanosized powder includes (A) providing a nanosized ceramic powder to perform thereon a thermal analysis and thereby attain an endothermic peak temperature; (B) performing an impurity-removal heat treatment on the nanosized ceramic powder at a temperature higher than the endothermic peak temperature; (C) switching the nanosized ceramic powder from a temperature environment of the impurity-removal heat treatment to an environment of a temperature higher than a phase change temperature of the nanosized ceramic powder, followed by performing a calcination heat treatment on the nanosized ceramic powder in the environment of the temperature higher than the phase change temperature of the nanosized ceramic powder, wherein the nanosized ceramic powder skips the temperature environment between impurity-removal heat treatment and calcination heat treatment to shun generating a vermicular structure, avoid crystalline irregularity and abnormal growth, reduce particle aggregation, and achieve satisfactory distribution.

A composite ceramic including: a lithium garnet major phase; and a grain growth inhibitor minor phase, as defined herein. Also disclosed is a method of making composite ceramic, pellets and tapes thereof, a solid electrolyte, and an electrochemical device including the solid electrolyte, as defined herein.

A garnet-type ion-conducting oxide configured to inhibit lithium carbonate formation on the surface of crystal particles thereof, and a method for producing an oxide electrolyte sintered body using the garnet-type ion-conducting oxide. The garnet-type ion-conducting oxide represented by a general formula (Li.sub.x-3y-z, E.sub.y, H.sub.z)L.sub.αM.sub.βO.sub.γ (where E is at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga, Fe and Si; L is at least one kind of element selected from an alkaline-earth metal and a lanthanoid element: M is at least one kind of element selected from a transition element which be six-coordinated with oxygen and typical elements in groups 12 to 15 of the periodic table; 3≤x−3y−z≤; 0≤y≤0.22; C≤z≤2.8; 2.5≤α≤3.5; 1.5≤≈≤2.5; and 11≤γ≤13), wherein a half-width of a diffraction peak which has a highest intensity and which is observed at a diffraction angle (2θ) in a range of from 29° to 32° as a result of X-ray diffraction measurement using CuKα radiation, is 0.164° or less.

The invention provides a lighting device comprising a plurality of solid state light sources and an elongated ceramic body having a first face and a second face defining a length (L) of the elongated ceramic body, the elongated ceramic body comprising one or more radiation input faces and a radiation exit window, wherein the second face comprises the radiation exit window, wherein the plurality of solid state light sources are configured to provide blue light source light to the one or more radiation input faces and are configured to provide to at least one of the radiation input faces a photon flux of at least 1.0*10.sup.17 photons/(s.Math.mm.sup.2), wherein the elongated ceramic body comprises a ceramic material configured to wavelength convert at least part of the blue light source light into at least converter light, wherein the ceramic material comprises an A.sub.3B.sub.5O.sub.12:Ce.sup.3+ ceramic material, wherein A comprises one or more of yttrium (Y), gadolinium (Gd) and lutetium (Lu), and wherein B comprises aluminum (Al).