The present invention relates to a multilayer electronic component which includes an element body where a plurality of internal electrode layers and dielectric layers are alternately laminated. Insulating layers are disposed on a pair of side surfaces of the element body, facing each other. The insulating layers contain a glass composition and a ceramic composition.

The present invention relates to a composite material, particularly a composite material for ceramic tiles, stone cladding, surface tops (e.g. worktops), and the like. The composite materials are typically derived from waste products. The composite materials of the present invention are formed from a glass component and a non-glass mineral component (e.g. ceramics and/or glaze). Generally the composite materials do not require any binders (especially synthetic binders) to hold the materials together. Therefore, the composite materials and products made therefrom are typically recyclable.

ZrO.sub.2-toughened glass ceramics having high molar fractions of tetragonal ZrO.sub.2 and fracture toughness value of greater than 1.8 MPa.Math.m.sup.1/2. The glass ceramic may also include also contain other secondary phases, including lithium silicates, that may be beneficial for toughening or for strengthening through an ion exchange process. Additional second phases may also decrease the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass ceramic. A method of making such glass ceramics is also provided.

Components of an electronic device, such as glass components, are susceptible to surface damage. Glass components can be strengthened by providing ceramic particles at the exposed surface of the glass. Ceramic particles can also provide optical features, such as color, opacity, and haze to enhance the appearance of the resulting composite article. Where ceramic particles are provided at the exposed surface, the ceramic particles can also produce a desired tactile feature. These features can be provided in various combinations and in different ways across different regions to produce a desired look and feel of the resulting composite article.

Methods for manufacturing a glass-ceramic substrate and a glass-ceramic substrate manufactured thereby. The method comprises a step of manufacturing a predetermined-shaped substrate from a specific bulk glass composition, followed by heat treatment step. In the method, the heat treatment step is performed by one method selected from: a) a method of raising and maintaining the temperature within a maximum temperature range of 500? C. to 650? C.; b) a method of raising and maintaining the temperature within a maximum temperature range of 650? C. to 700? C.; c) a method of raising and maintaining the temperature within a maximum temperature range of 700? C. to 800? C.; and d) a method of raising and maintaining the temperature within a maximum temperature range of 800? C. to 870? C., whereby the method is capable of easily manufacturing several types of glass-ceramic substrates with various combinations of flexural strength and light transmittance.

A composite ceramic powder of the present invention includes: a LAS-based ceramic powder having precipitated therein -eucryptite or a -quartz solid solution as a main crystal; and TiO.sub.2 powder and/or ZrO.sub.2 powder,.

ZrO.sub.2-toughened glass ceramics having high molar fractions of tetragonal ZrO2 and fracture toughness value of greater than 2 MPa.Math.m.sup.1/2. The glass ceramic may also include also contain other secondary phases that may be beneficial for toughening or for strengthening through an ion exchange process. Additional second phases may also decrease the coefficient of thermal expansion of the glass ceramic. A method of making such glass ceramics is also provided.

Disclosed in the invention is transparent spinel glass ceramic, in mole percentage of oxides, the glass ceramic comprising: LizO: 3.50?6.00 mol %, Na.sub.2O: 2.00?4.00 mol %. A crystal phase of the glass ceramic has a spinel crystal and a zirconia crystal, and does not have a crystal containing Li. According to the invention, components of a spinel glass ceramic material are optimized by introducing into the spinel glass ceramic more Li ions and Na ions used for chemical strengthening via ion exchange to obtain the spinel glass ceramic without an impurity crystal phase, and the glass ceramic does not exhibit phenomena of atomization, devitrification and the like, ensuring that the glass ceramic material has an excellent transmittance. More Li ions and Na ions are introduced into the spinel glass ceramic components, so that the prepared spinel glass ceramic can be chemically strengthened to obtain transparent strengthened glass ceramic having high CS, DOL_0, CT_AV and CT_LD, and the strengthened glass ceramic shows excellent drop resistance performance.

Provided is a ceramic powder having precipitated therein -eucryptite or a -quartz solid solution as a main crystal phase, having an average particle diameter D.sub.50 of 20 m or less, and having a negative thermal expansion coefficient in a range of from 30 C. to 300 C.

A composite powder of the present invention includes a glass powder and a ceramic powder, wherein a content of the glass powder is from 30 vol % to 60 vol %, wherein a content of the ceramic powder is from 40 vol % to 70 vol %, wherein the glass powder includes as a glass composition, in terms of mass %, 10% to 30% of SiO.sub.2, more than 20% to 40% of B.sub.2O.sub.3, 20% to 40% of SrO+BaO, 0% to 10% of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and 0% to 15% of ZnO, and wherein the composite powder is used for a light reflective substrate.