Thermoelectric materials based on tetrahedrite structures for thermoelectric devices and methods for producing thermoelectric materials and devices are disclosed.

A mold and a method of manufacturing GOS ceramic scintillator by using the mold are provided. The mold comprises: a female outer sleeve having a cavity disposed inside; a plurality of female blocks disposed inside the cavity, the plurality of female blocks being put together to form a composite structure having a vertical through hole; and a male upper pressing head and a male lower pressing head, wherein each of the male upper pressing head and the male lower pressing head has a shape consistent with that of the vertical through hole. The disclosure may reduce defects of the related art in hot-pressing-sintering such as a mold has a short retirement period and a high material waste, significantly reduce the cost for production of the GOS ceramic scintillator, and significantly improve a process economy.

A mold and a method of manufacturing GOS ceramic scintillator by using the mold are provided. The mold comprises: a female outer sleeve having a cavity disposed inside; a plurality of female blocks disposed inside the cavity, the plurality of female blocks being put together to form a composite structure having a vertical through hole; and a male upper pressing head and a male lower pressing head, wherein each of the male upper pressing head and the male lower pressing head has a shape consistent with that of the vertical through hole. The disclosure may reduce defects of the related art in hot-pressing-sintering such as a mold has a short retirement period and a high material waste, significantly reduce the cost for production of the GOS ceramic scintillator, and significantly improve a process economy.

Doped titanium niobate is provided, which has a chemical structure of Ti.sub.(1-x)M1.sub.xNb.sub.(2-y)M2.sub.yO.sub.(7-z)Q.sub.z or Ti.sub.(2-x)M1.sub.xNb.sub.(10-y)M2.sub.yO.sub.(29-z)Q.sub.z, wherein M1 is Li, Mg, or a combination thereof; M2 is Fe, Mn, V, Ni, Cr, or a combination thereof; Q is F, Cl, Br, I, S, or a combination thereof; 0x0.15; 0y0.15; 0.01z2; 0x0.3; 0y0.9; and 0.01z8.

A three-dimensional shaped article production method includes a layer formation step of forming a layer by ejecting a composition containing particles and a solvent in a predetermined pattern using a dispenser, a measurement step of determining the height of the layer, and a bonding step of subjecting a stacked body including a plurality of layers to a bonding treatment for bonding the particles, wherein when n represents an arbitrary integer of 1 or more, by selecting driving waveform data for the dispenser when ejecting the composition from a data group including a plurality of pieces of driving waveform data based on the information of the height of the layer in the n-th position (n-th layer) determined in the measurement step, the ejection amount of the composition per unit area onto the n-th layer in the layer formation step of forming the layer in the (n+1)th position ((n+1)th layer) is adjusted.

A three-dimensional shaped article production method includes a layer formation step of forming a layer by ejecting a composition containing particles and a solvent in a predetermined pattern using a dispenser, a measurement step of determining the height of the layer, and a bonding step of subjecting a stacked body including a plurality of layers to a bonding treatment for bonding the particles, wherein when n represents an arbitrary integer of 1 or more, by selecting driving waveform data for the dispenser when ejecting the composition from a data group including a plurality of pieces of driving waveform data based on the information of the height of the layer in the n-th position (n-th layer) determined in the measurement step, the ejection amount of the composition per unit area onto the n-th layer in the layer formation step of forming the layer in the (n+1)th position ((n+1)th layer) is adjusted.

The invention relates to a method and a device for densifying materials or consolidating an assembly of materials wherein a single sintering step is carried out which consists of simultaneously applying, inside a chamber, a uniaxial force and a sintering temperature to the moistened material or the moistened assembly placed in this chamber, said force being applied by at least two pistons which can be moved towards each other inside said chamber, each piston having a housing for recovering the fluid discharged during sintering, the assembly consisting of said chamber and said pistons, and being sealed so that the sintering step is carried out entirely in a liquid medium or in a supercritical fluid medium.

Techniques for minimizing loss of volatile components during thermal processing of kesterite films are provided. In one aspect, a method for annealing a kesterite film is provided. The method includes: placing a cover over the kesterite film; and annealing the cover and the kesterite film such that, for an entire duration of the annealing, the cover is at a temperature T1 and the kesterite film is at a temperature T2, wherein the temperature T1 is greater than or equal to the temperature T2. Optionally, during a cool down segment of the annealing, conditions can be reversed to have the temperature T1 be less than the temperature T2. A solar cell and method for formation thereof using the present annealing techniques are also provided.

The invention relates to a fire-resistant ceramic product, a batch for manufacturing a product of said type, and a process for manufacturing a product of said type.

Provided is a chemical sensor which includes an alignment frame that has an opening that passes through the inside of the alignment frame and includes first and second side portions that face each other with the opening therebetween and insulation portions disposed between the first and second side portions, a plurality of sensing fibers disposed in two-dimensions across the opening of the alignment frame so as to connect the first side portion and the second side portion, and a source pattern and a drain pattern connected to the first side portion and the second side portion of the alignment frame, respectively.