Disclosed are coated inorganic particulate and polymer composite material for use in molding/sintering processes. The composite material is uniquely adapted for forming powdered materials into solid objects and associated processes. Improved products are provided under process conditions through surface interfacially modified powders.

A slurry composition includes, by volume, a ceramic composition in an amount of from about 60 to about 75 percent and a binder in an amount of from about 25 to about 40 percent, plus a platinum group metal catalyst and a dopant. The ceramic composition includes, by volume of the ceramic composition, fine fused silica particles having a particle size d.sub.50 of from about 4 m to about 7 m, in an amount of from about 7 to about 40 percent; coarse fused silica particles having a d.sub.50 of from about 25 m to about 33 m, in an amount of from about 29 to about 60 percent; inert filler particles having a d.sub.50 of from about 5 m to about 25 m, in an amount of from about 8 to about 40 percent; and fumed silica particles, in an amount of up to about 15 percent.

The present invention relates to a method for identifying a solid solution ceramic material of a plurality of perovskite compounds which exhibits an electric field induced strain derived from a reversible phase transition, as well as a method for making such ceramic materials and ceramic materials obtainable therefrom. In particular, the present invention is directed to a method of identifying a solid solution ceramic material of at least three perovskite compounds which exhibits an electric field induced strain derived from a reversible phase transition; said method comprising the steps of: i) determining a molar ratio of at least one tetragonal perovskite compound to at least one non-tetragonal perovskite compound which, when combined to form a solid solution, provides a ceramic material comprising a major portion of a tetragonal phase having an axial ratio c/a of greater than 1.005 to 1.04; and ii) determining a molar ratio of at least one additional non-tetragonal perovskite compound to the combination of perovskite compounds from step i) at the determined molar ratio which, when combined to form a solid solution, provides a ceramic material comprising a major portion of a pseudo-cubic phase having an axial ratio c/a of from 0.995 to 1.005 and/or a rhombohedral angle of 900.5 degrees.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an external surface of the ceramic body, wherein the dielectric layer contains a barium titanate-based powder particle having a core-shell structure including a core and a shell around the core, the shell having a structure in which titanium is partially substituted with an element having the same oxidation number as that of the titanium in the barium titanate-based powder particle and having an ionic radius different from that of the titanium in the barium titanate-based powder particle, and the shell covers at least 30% of a surface of the core.

A piezoelectric element that can decrease the output voltage for detection relative to the input voltage for driving without requiring a step-down circuit between a detection phase electrode and a phase comparator and an oscillatory wave motor including the piezoelectric element are provided. A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric material having a first surface and a second surface, a common electrode disposed on the first surface, and a drive phase electrode and a detection phase electrode disposed on the second surface. An absolute value d(1) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material in a portion (1) sandwiched between the drive phase electrode and the common electrode and an absolute value d(2) of a piezoelectric constant of the piezoelectric material in a portion (2) sandwiched between the detection phase electrode and the common electrode satisfy d(2)<d(1). An oscillatory wave motor includes this piezoelectric element.

The present invention provides a lead-free piezoelectric material having a high piezoelectric constant over a wide operating temperature region. Therefore, the present invention relates to a piezoelectric material including a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by general formula (1) below as a main component, wherein the average valence, of Sn contained in the general formula (1) lies between 2 and 4.
(Ba.sub.vCa.sub.wSn.sub.xTi.sub.yZr.sub.z)O.sub.3 (where 0.620v0.970,0.010w0.200,0.030x0.230,0.865y0.990,0z0.085, and 1.986v+w+x+y+z2.100)General Formula (1)

An engineered matrix is provided to blunt and self-heal matrix cracks to reduce oxygen ingress into a fiber reinforced composite.

Disclosed is a focused ultrasonic piezoelectric actuator having a novel type of piezoelectric device for focusing ultrasonic waves. The focused ultrasonic piezoelectric actuator includes a dome-shaped piezoelectric body for focusing ultrasonic waves and a rim configured to facilitate focusing of ultrasonic waves of the body and injection of the dome-shaped piezoelectric body during a powder injection molding process, remove warpage of the dome-shaped body during a sintering process, and reinforce focusing intensity of the ultrasonic waves. The rim is integrally formed with the body. Accordingly, in the focused ultrasonic piezoelectric actuator, a dome-shaped focused ultrasonic piezoelectric actuator for focusing ultrasonic waves using a thickness vibration mode at a MHz frequency band is easily manufactured by a powder injection molding method, and thus an ultrasonic focusing effect is maximized.

A multilayer ceramic capacitor includes: a ceramic body including dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other with respective dielectric layers interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an external surface of the ceramic body, wherein the dielectric layer contains a barium titanate-based powder particle having a core-shell structure including a core and a shell around the core, the shell having a structure in which titanium is partially substituted with an element having the same oxidation number as that of the titanium in the barium titanate-based powder particle and having an ionic radius different from that of the titanium in the barium titanate-based powder particle, and the shell covers at least 30% of a surface of the core.

An article may include a substrate including a metal or alloy; a bond coat directly on the substrate; an intermediate ceramic layer on the bond coat; and an abradable ceramic layer directly on the intermediate ceramic layer. The intermediate ceramic layer includes a stabilized tetragonal prime phase constitution and defines a first porosity. The abradable ceramic layer includes zirconia or hafnia stabilized in the tetragonal prime phase by a second mixture including between about 5 wt. % and about 10 wt. % ytterbia, between about 0.5 wt. % and about 2.5 wt. % samaria, and between about 1 wt. % and about 4 wt. % of at least one of lutetia, scandia, ceria, neodymia, europia, or gadolinia, and a balance zirconia or hafnia. The abradable ceramic layer defines a second porosity, and the second porosity is higher than the first porosity.