A ceramic material, a varistor and methods for forming a ceramic material and a varistor are disclosed. In an embodiment, a ceramic material includes ZnO as a main component and additives selected from the group consisting of an Al.sup.3+-containing solution, a Ba.sup.2+-containing solution, and at least one compound containing a metal element, wherein the metal element is selected from the group consisting of Bi, Sb, Co, Mn, Ni, Y, and Cr.

A method of forming composition-modified barium titanate ceramic particulate includes mixing a plurality of precursor materials and a precipitant solution to form an aqueous suspension. The plurality of precursors include barium nitrate, titanium chelate, and a metal or oxometal chelate. The precipitant solution includes tetraalkylammonium hydroxide and tetraalkylammonium oxalate. The method further includes treating the aqueous suspension at a temperature of at least 150 C. and a pressure of at least 200 psi, and separating particulate from the aqueous suspension after treating.

A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid has excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability. In this method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid having improved fine particle dispersibility, impurities included in an agglomeration of fine particles contained in the fine particle dispersion liquid are released into the dispersion liquid by applying physical energy to the agglomeration and performing dispersion processing for dispersion into particles that are smaller than the agglomeration of fine particles. The impurities are removed from the dispersion liquid by means of a removal unit provided with a filtration membrane before reagglomeration is caused by the impurities.

A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid has excellent dispersibility and dispersion stability. In this method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid having improved fine particle dispersibility, impurities included in an agglomeration of fine particles contained in the fine particle dispersion liquid are released into the dispersion liquid by applying physical energy to the agglomeration and performing dispersion processing for dispersion into particles that are smaller than the agglomeration of fine particles. The impurities are removed from the dispersion liquid by means of a removal unit provided with a filtration membrane before reagglomeration is caused by the impurities.

A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid with which dispersibility and dispersion stability can be improved includes performing filtration to remove impurities in a dispersion liquid using a dispersion liquid modifying device provided with a removal unit that uses a filtration membrane. The quantity of impurities is reduced from a first region until said quantity reaches a second pH-dependent region. In the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles in the dispersion liquid is in a range in which the dispersibility depends more on a change in dispersion liquid pH than on a change in the quantity of impurities in the dispersion liquid. With the quantity of impurities reduced to the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles is controlled by adjusting the pH of the fine particle dispersion liquid.

A method for modifying a fine particle dispersion liquid with which dispersibility and dispersion stability can be improved includes performing filtration to remove impurities in a dispersion liquid using a dispersion liquid modifying device provided with a removal unit that uses a filtration membrane. The quantity of impurities is reduced from a first region until said quantity reaches a second pH-dependent region. In the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles in the dispersion liquid is in a range in which the dispersibility depends more on a change in dispersion liquid pH than on a change in the quantity of impurities in the dispersion liquid. With the quantity of impurities reduced to the second pH-dependent region, the dispersibility of the fine particles is controlled by adjusting the pH of the fine particle dispersion liquid.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.

An improved process is provided for forming a precursor to a lithium metal oxide. An improved lithium metal oxide formed by calcining the precursor is also provided. The process includes providing lithium bicarbonate in a first aqueous mixture. The lithium bicarbonate is then reacted with metal acetate thereby forming a second aqueous mixture comprising metal carbonate, lithium acetate, acetic acid and water wherein the acetic acid is neutralized with lithium hydroxide thereby forming a first mixture comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate. The first mixture is separated into a second mixture and a third mixture wherein the second mixture comprises the metal carbonate and a first portion of lithium acetate with metal carbonate and lithium acetate being in a predetermined molar ratio. The third mixture comprises a second portion of lithium acetate. The second mixture is dried thereby forming the precursor comprising metal carbonate and lithium acetate in the predetermined molar ratio.