There is provided a thermoelectric material including a compound which is formed of an element R belonging to alkaline earth metal and lanthanoid, and an element X belonging to any of Group 13 elements, Group 14 elements, and Group 15 elements. The composition ratio of the element R and the element X is selected to obtain the compound having an AlB.sub.2 type structure.

Particles of a refractory metal or a refractory-metal compound capable of decomposing or reacting into refractory-metal nanoparticles, elemental silicon, and an organic compound having a char yield of at least 60% by weight are combined to form a precursor mixture. The mixture is heating, forming a thermoset and/or metal nanoparticles. Further heating form a composition having nanoparticles of a refractory-metal silicide and a carbonaceous matrix. The composition is not in the form of a powder

In one aspect, articles employing CVD coatings deposited at low temperatures are described herein. Briefly, a coated article described herein comprises a substrate and a refractory coating adhered to the substrate, the refractory coating including a layer of TiN deposited by thermal CVD, the layer of TiN having an average crystallite size of 0.05 μm to 0.5 μm and residual tensile stress of 100 MPa to 700 MPa.

A composite ceramic composition including a boron carbide phase and a method of forming the same. The composite ceramic composition includes a tungsten boride phase, a transition metal boride phase. The composite ceramic composition may also include a carbon disposed in solid solution with at least the tungsten boride phase and the transition metal boride phase. The transition metal boride phase may include a boride of at least one metal chosen from Cr, Nb, and Zr.

A composite ceramic composition including a boron carbide phase and a method of forming the same. The composite ceramic composition includes a tungsten boride phase, a transition metal boride phase. The composite ceramic composition may also include a carbon disposed in solid solution with at least the tungsten boride phase and the transition metal boride phase. The transition metal boride phase may include a boride of at least one metal chosen from Cr, Nb, and Zr.

A thermally-insulating composite material with co-shrinkage in the form of an insulating material formed by the inclusion of microballoons in a matrix material such that the microballoons and the matrix material exhibit co-shrinkage upon processing. The thermally-insulating composite material can be formed by a variety of microballoon-matrix material combinations such as polymer microballoons in a preceramic matrix material. The matrix materials generally contain fine rigid fillers.

To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

A process of manufacturing a chromium alloyed molybdenum silicide portion of a heating element comprising the steps of: forming a mixture of a chromium powder and a silicon powder; reacting the mixture to a reaction product in an inert atmosphere at a temperature of at least 1100° C. but not more than 1580° C.; converting the reaction product to a powder comprising CrSi.sub.2; forming a powder ceramic composition by mixing the powder comprising CrSi.sub.2 with a MoSi.sub.2 powder and optionally with an extrusion aid; forming the portion of the heating element; and sintering the portion of the heating element in a temperature of from about 1450° C. to about 1700° C.; characterized in that the chromium powder and the silicon powder are provided separately to the mixture.

The object of the present invention is to provide a large-sized gallium nitride-based sintered body having a small oxygen amount and high strength, a large-sized gallium nitride-based sintered body having a small oxygen amount and containing a dopant, to obtain a highly crystalline gallium nitride thin film which has become a n-type or p-type semiconductor by a dopant, and methods for producing them.

A gallium nitride-based sintered body, which has an oxygen content of at most 1 atm % and an average particle size (D50) of at least 1 μm and at most 150 μm.