A composite material of particles disposed in a matrix material is provided in which the particles have an asymmetric geometric shape with a longest dimension and a shortest dimension different from the longest dimension. Adjacent volume portions of the composite material are arranged in a mosaic pattern to abut along an interface or surface forming a common boundary between the adjacent volume portions. The particles within the adjacent volume portions are arranged with differing orientations with respect to the interface. The orientations of the particles in the adjacent volume portions are selected so that a crack propagating on a crack propagation path through one or the other of the adjacent volume portions stops at or deflects to propagate along the interface. Methods of making composite materials are also provided.

A piezoelectric composition comprises a plurality of crystal particles, wherein the piezoelectric composition includes bismuth, iron, barium, titanium, and oxygen; the crystal particle include a core and a shell having a contents of bismuth higher than that in the core and covering the core; and the total area of the cross sections of the cores exposed to the cross section of the piezoelectric composition is expressed as S.sub.CORE, the total area of the cross sections of the shells exposed to the cross section of the piezoelectric composition is expressed as S.sub.SHELL, and 100.Math.S.sub.CORE/(S.sub.CORE+S.sub.SHELL) is 50 to 90.

A piezoelectric composition comprises a plurality of crystal particles, wherein the piezoelectric composition includes bismuth, iron, barium, titanium, and oxygen; the crystal particles include a core and a shell covering the core; the average value of the contents of bismuth in the cores is expressed as C.sub.CORE % by mass, the average value of the contents of bismuth in the shells is expressed as C.sub.SHELL % by mass, and the C.sub.CORE is lower than the C.sub.SHELL; and the number of all the particles comprised in the piezoelectric composition is expressed as N, the number of the crystal particles including the core and the shell is expressed as n, and n/N is 0.10 to 1.00.

A ferrite powder for bonded magnets capable of producing a ferrite bonded magnet having high BH.sub.max, and excellent in fluidity when converted to a compound, and having a high p-iHc value, and a method for producing the same, and a ferrite bonded magnet using the ferrite powder for bonded magnets, wherein an average particle size of particles obtained by a dry laser diffraction measurement is 5 m or less; a specific surface area is 1.90 m.sup.2/g or more and less than 2.80 m.sup.2/g; a compression density is 3.50 g/cm.sup.3 or more and less than 3.78 g/cm.sup.3, and a compressed molding has a coercive force of 2300 Oe or more and less than 2800 Oe.

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.

Disclosed is a composite abrasive with hard core and soft shell, comprising hard abrasive core with grain diameter in a range of 0.11 m and a soft oxide shell with thickness in a range of 5100 nm, the grain size of the oxide of the soft oxide shell is in a range of 520 nm, the composite abrasive is obtained from aqueous solution of oxide inorganic salt precursor and the hard abrasive by dispersing, constant temperature reflux hydrolyzing, solid-liquid separating, washing and drying. The component abrasive with hard core and soft shell of the present invention can improve the manufacturing efficiency and the surface quality during the ultraprecise manufacturing of the sapphire substrate.

A polysilocarb effect pigments, uncoated and coated, that exhibit among other things optical properties such as interference, shine, shimmer and sparkle. Pastes and coating including these polysilocarb effect pigments. Polysilocarb pigments having magnetite and exhibiting magnetic properties.

Composite particles of the present invention include alumina particles and an inorganic coating disposed on a surface of the alumina particles, the alumina particles containing molybdenum (Mo), the inorganic coating including a composite metal oxide.

A magnetizable abrasive particle comprises a ceramic body having an outer surface and a magnetizable layer disposed on a portion, but not the entirety, of the outer surface. The ceramic body comprises a platelet having two opposed major facets connected to each other by a plurality of side facets. The magnetizable layer completely covers one of the two opposed major facets, and the magnetizable layer has a magnetic dipole oriented perpendicular or parallel to the facet which it completely covers. A plurality of the magnetizable abrasive particles, and abrasive articles including them are also disclosed. Methods of making the foregoing are also disclosed.

A delivery vehicle is used in a smart proppant platform technology. The delivery vehicle includes a porous substrate and an active agent that interacts with at least one constituent in an operating environment of a target location in which the delivery vehicle is deployed. The active agent changes physical or chemical characteristics of the constituent to facilitate a beneficial effect. A non-polymeric encapsulating coating is maintained until the delivery vehicle reaches the target location, wherein the operating environment of the target location causes the encapsulating coating to dissolve and release the active agent into the operating environment of the target location to facilitate the beneficial effect. In one disclosed example, the proppant is designed to maintain the opening of a hydraulically induced fracture in a subterranean formation, while also allowing for the controlled delivery of active agents. It may be used to enhance the recovery of oils and gases.