The invention relates to A slurry composition, comprising: an inorganic powder; a dispersant; and a solvent wherein the dispersant is a block copolymer comprising at least one hydrophobic block A and at least one hydrophilic block B, and wherein the blocks A and B comprise repeating units represented by the following general formula (I) wherein R.sup.1 is selected from a hydrogen atom, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms and a cyclic alkyl group having 4 to 6 carbon atoms, and wherein at least one carboxylic acid group or a salt thereof is covalently linked to the block copolymer.

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A surface-coated cutting tool according to the present invention includes a tool body and a hard coating layer including a complex carbonitride layer containing a small amount of chlorine and (Ti.sub.(1-x)Zr.sub.xyHf.sub.x(1-y))(N.sub.(1-z)C.sub.z) (0.10≤x≤0.90, 0<y≤1.0, 0.08<z<0.60), a ZrHf and C content ratios in cycles, a cycle distance between a maximum ZrHf content point and an adjacent minimum ZrHf content point and a cycle distance between a maximum C content point and an adjacent minimum C content point are 5 to 100 nm, an average value of content ratio differences Δx and Δz is 0.02 or more, a distance between the maximum ZrHf content point and the maximum C content point is ⅕ or less of the distance between a maximum content point and a minimum content point of adjacent ZrHf components, and a composition fluctuation structure is 10% or more.

The present invention is directed to battery technologies and processing techniques thereof. In various embodiments, ceramic electrolyte powder material (or component thereof) is mixed with two or more flux to form a fluxed powder material. The fluxed powder material is shaped and heated again at a temperature less than 1100° C. to form a dense lithium conducting material. There are other variations and embodiments as well.

Micron scale tin oxide-based semiconductor devices are provided. Reactive-ion etching is used to produce a micron-scale electronic device using semiconductor films with tin oxides, such as barium stannate (BaSnO3). The electronic devices produced with this approach have high mobility, drain current, and on-off ratio without adversely affecting qualities of the tin oxide semiconductor, such as resistivity, electron or hole mobility, and surface roughness. In this manner, electronic devices, such as field-effect transistors (e.g., thin-film transistors (TFTs)), are produced having micron scale channel lengths and exhibiting complete depletion at room temperature.

The present invention relates to a composite material including a porous titania thin film and a preparation method therefor. A composite material according to the present invention allows for a simple thin film formation process because of the use of cellulose crystals, makes it easy to control the structure of the titanium dioxide thin film provided therefor, has a large specific area, and is superior in terms of scratch resistance and photoactivity, thus finding useful applications in the various fields utilizing titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst.

Set forth herein are pellets, thin films, and monoliths of lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes having engineered surfaces. These engineered surfaces have a list of advantageous properties including, but not limited to, low surface area resistance, high Li.sup.+ ion conductivity, low tendency for lithium dendrites to form within or thereupon when the electrolytes are used in an electrochemical cell. Other advantages include voltage stability and long cycle life when used in electrochemical cells as a separator or a membrane between the positive and negative electrodes. Also set forth herein are methods of making these electrolytes including, but not limited to, methods of annealing these electrolytes under controlled atmosphere conditions. Set forth herein, additionally, are methods of using these electrolytes in electrochemical cells and devices. The instant disclosure further includes electrochemical cells which incorporate the lithium-stuffed garnet electrolytes set forth herein.

Set forth herein are garnet material compositions, e.g., lithium-stuffed garnets and lithium-stuffed garnets doped with alumina, which are suitable for use as electrolytes and catholytes in solid state battery applications. Also set forth herein are lithium-stuffed garnet thin films having fine grains therein. Disclosed herein are novel and inventive methods of making and using lithium-stuffed garnets as catholytes, electrolytes and/or anolytes for all solid state lithium rechargeable batteries. Also disclosed herein are novel electrochemical devices which incorporate these garnet catholytes, electrolytes and/or anolytes. Also set forth herein are methods for preparing novel structures, including dense thin (<50 um) free standing membranes of an ionically conducting material for use as a catholyte, electrolyte, and, or, anolyte, in an electrochemical device, a battery component (positive or negative electrode materials), or a complete solid state electrochemical energy storage device. Also, the methods set forth herein disclose novel sintering techniques, e.g., for heating and/or field assisted (FAST) sintering, for solid state energy storage devices and the components thereof.

The present invention provides: a graphite sheet polyimide film, which is derived from a first precursor composition comprising a first polyamic acid and comprises a sublimable inorganic filler and a spherical polyimide-based filler; a manufacturing method therefor; and a graphite sheet manufactured using the same.

A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.

An oxide superconductor of an embodiment includes an oxide superconductor layer having a continuous Perovskite structure including rare earth elements, barium (Ba), and copper (Cu). The rare earth elements include a first element which is praseodymium, at least one second element selected from the group consisting of neodymium, samarium, europium, and gadolinium, at least one third element selected from the group consisting of yttrium, terbium, dysprosium, and holmium, and at least one fourth element selected from the group consisting of erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium. When the number of atoms of the first element is N(PA), the number of atoms of the second element is N(SA), and the number of atoms of the fourth element is N(CA), 1.5×(N(PA)+N(SA))≤N(CA) or 2×(N(CA)−N(PA))≤N(SA) is satisfied.