A method is disclosed for forming a blended phosphor composition. The method includes the steps of firing precursor compositions that include europium and nitrides of at least calcium, strontium and aluminum, in a refractory metal crucible and in the presence of a gas that precludes the formation of nitride compositions between the nitride starting materials and the refractory metal that forms the crucible. The resulting compositions can include phosphors that convert frequencies in the blue portion of the visible spectrum into frequencies in the red portion of the visible spectrum.

A composite article comprises a substrate, the substrate comprising a silicon containing material and an additive comprising boron nitride nanotubes.

Disclosed herein are doped perovskite oxides. The doped perovskite oxides may be used as a cathode material in an electrochemical cell to electrochemically generate ammonia from N.sub.2. The doped perovskite oxides may be combined with nitride compounds, for instance iron nitride, to further increase the efficiency of the ammonia production.

A method of fabricating a part out of composite material, includes forming a fiber texture from refractory fibers; impregnating the fiber texture for a first time with a first slip containing first refractory particles; eliminating the liquid phase from the first slip so as to leave within the texture only the first refractory particles; impregnating the fiber texture for a second time with a second slip containing second refractory particles; eliminating the liquid phase from the second slip so as to leave within the texture only the second refractory particles and obtain a fiber preform filled with the first and second refractory particles; and sintering the first and second refractory particles present in the fiber preform in order to form a refractory matrix in the preform.

Inventive manufacture of CrB.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3 composites is based on pressureless sintering. According to typical inventive practice, CrB.sub.2 powder and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 powder are mixed together in selected volumetric proportions so that the volume of the CrB.sub.2 does not exceed 50% of the overall volume of the CrB.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3 mixture. The CrB.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3 mixture is shaped into a green body. The green body is pressureless sintered in a non-oxidizing atmosphere at a firing temperature in the approximate range between 1600° C. and 2050° C. The present invention succeeds in preparing, via pressureless sintering, a proportionality-associated range of compositions in the CrB.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3 system, which is a potentially “advanced” ceramic system. A typical inventively fabricated CrB.sub.2—Al.sub.2O.sub.3 composite is inventively configured in a complex shape, and has “advanced” material (e.g., mechanical) properties that are favorable for a contemplated application. Inventive manufacture of ceramic-ceramic composites is thus dually attributed, and uncommonly so, with complex shape-ability and advanced capability.

The disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.

The disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.

diboride-silicon carbide (SiC) multiphase ceramic, including: (S1) mixing a transition metal oxide mixed powder, nano carbon black and a silicon hexaboride (SiB.sub.6) powder to obtain a precursor powder; and (S2) subjecting the precursor powder to pressureless sintering to obtain the high-entropy carbide-high-entropy diboride-SiC multiphase ceramic with a relative density of 96% or more.

Phosphors include a CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.

Phosphors include a CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.