Disclosed is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate including a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure, the primary grains being bonded. The lithium complex oxide has a composition represented by the formula: Li.sub.x(Co.sub.1-yM.sub.y)O.sub.2±δ (wherein, 1.0≤x≤1.1, 0<y≤0.1, 0≤δ<1, and M is at least one selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ni, Al, and Mn), and the primary grains have a mean tilt angle of more than 0° to 30° or less, the mean tilt angle being a mean value of the angles defined by the (003) planes of the primary grains and the plate face of the lithium complex oxide sintered plate.

Composite materials that include a plurality of nanofibers and a ceramic. Methods of forming composite materials, which may include removing a liquid from a dispersion that includes a plurality of nanofibers, a pre-ceramic precursor, and a liquid to form an intermediate material, and annealing the intermediate material. A pre-ceramic precursor may be added before or after removal of a liquid. An article having a surface on which a composite material is disposed.

The present invention is a sintering method of a ceramic for sintering characterized by forming a layer containing a carbon powder on a surface of an article consisting of a ceramic for sintering, and then irradiating with laser a surface of the carbon powder-containing layer of a lamination obtained.

A cathode configured for a solid-state battery includes a body having grains of inorganic material sintered to one another, wherein the grains comprise lithium. A thickness of the body is from 3 μm to 100 μm. The first major surface and the second major surface have an unpolished granular profile such that the profile includes grains protruding outward from the respective major surface with a height of at least 25 nm and no more than 150 μm relative to recessed portions of the respective major surface at boundaries between the respective grains.

Provided is a lithium complex oxide sintered plate for use in a positive electrode of a lithium secondary battery. The lithium complex oxide sintered plate has a structure in which a plurality of primary grains having a layered rock-salt structure are bonded, and has a porosity of 3 to 40%, a mean pore diameter of 15 μm or less, an open porosity of 70% or more, and a thickness of 15 to 200 μm. The plurality of primary grains has a primary grain diameter, i.e., a mean diameter of the primary grains, of 20 μm or less and a mean tilt angle of more than 0° to 30° or less. The mean tilt angle is a mean value of the angles defined by the (003) planes of the primary grains and the plate face of the lithium complex oxide sintered plate.

Described are coatings that contain of fluorinated yttrium oxide and a metal oxide; methods of preparing these coatings; substrates, surfaces, equipment, and components of equipment that include a coating that contains a combination of fluorinated yttrium oxide and a metal oxide; and methods of preparing and using the coatings and coated substrates.

A method of and apparatus for sinter forging a precursor powder to form a film may reduce or eliminate the stress in the film and may facilitate processing of continuous length of films such as ceramic films for use in batteries. The precursor powder can be provided on a substrate and is simultaneously heated and pressed in a pressing direction parallel to a thickness of the film so as to sinter and densify the precursor powder to form the film in a sinter forging area. Notably, in a plane perpendicular to the pressing direction, there are no lateral constraints on the sinter forging area or the material received therein.

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.

An electrolyte of a solid oxide cell is required to be capable of suppressing both gas cross-leak and electron leak. In addition, it is important from the viewpoint of a reduction in material costs and in the electric resistance of the electrolyte that the electrolyte is made into a thin film and that no expensive noble metal is used. The present invention provides a thin-film-shaped proton conducting electrolyte capable of suppressing both gas cross-leak and electron leak, a solid oxide cell using the proton conducting electrolyte, and a manufacturing method for the proton conducting electrolyte and the solid oxide cell. A proton conducting electrolyte using an oxide material having proton conductivity is provided. The proton conducting electrolyte includes a first portion containing Me (Me=at least any one of Ti, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu), and a second portion different in Me content from the first portion.

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 (BaSnO.sub.3). 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.