Disclosed are a ten-membered fergusonite structure high-entropy oxide ceramic and a preparation method thereof, where the high-entropy oxide ceramic has a monoclinic structure, with a chemical formula of RENbO.sub.4, and the RE is any ten rare-earth cations selected from a group consisting of La.sup.3+, Ce.sup.3+, Pr.sup.3+, Nd.sup.3+, Sm.sup.3+, Eu.sup.3+, Gd.sup.3+, Dy.sup.3+, Ho.sup.3+, Er.sup.3+, Tm.sup.3+, Yb.sup.3+, Lu.sup.3+ and Y.sup.3+. The ten rare-earth cations have a molar ratio of 1:1:1:1:1:1:1:1:1:1 and equal share of RE position. According to the application, by adopting solid state reaction, the fergusonite structure high-entropy oxide ceramic with single-phase structure, uniform element distribution and stable phase is obtained. The high-entropy oxide ceramic prepared by the application is simple in process, uniform in chemical composition and microstructure, and convenient to realize on-demand regulation on properties through a combination of different elements.

The present invention relates to a method for producing an electrode material for a battery electrode, in particular for a lithium-ion battery, wherein said electrode material comprises nanostructured silicon carbide, comprising the steps of: a) providing a mixture including a silicon source, a carbon source and a dopant, wherein at least the silicon source and the carbon source are present in common in particles of a solid granulate; b) treating the mixture provided in step a) at a temperature in the range from ≧1400° C. to ≦2000° C., in particular in a range from ≧1650° C. to ≦1850° C., wherein step b) is carried out in a reactor that has a depositing surface the temperature of which relative to at least one other inner reactor surface is reduced. In summary, a method described above enables to combine a simple and cost-efficient production with a high cycle stability.

An oxide superconductor includes: REBa.sub.2Cu.sub.3O.sub.7-x (RE being one element selected from a “RE element group” of Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Y, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu). The RE includes at least three, types of metallic elements (M1, M2, and M3), and the three types of metallic elements are any element of the RE element group selected in order. In an oxide system satisfying R(1)≦20 mol % and R(M2)≧60 mol % and R(M3)≦20 mol %, R(M1) being an average metallic element ratio of M1 in M1+M2+M3, SD(Ms)>0.15 is satisfied at a position at 50% of an average film thickness of a cross section including the c-axis, Ms being the metallic element of not larger of R(M1) and R(M3), SD(Ms) being a standard deviation/average value of a concentration of Ms.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing an electrode-supported electrochemical half-cell including a step consisting in subjecting a green electrode layer on which a precursor gel of the electrolyte or a precursor thereof is deposited to sintering at a temperature of less than or equal to 1350° C.

The present invention relates to a method for preparing an electrode-supported electrochemical half-cell including a step consisting in subjecting a green electrode layer on which a precursor gel of the electrolyte or a precursor thereof is deposited to sintering at a temperature of less than or equal to 1350° C.

Porous silica-carbon composites are obtained by mixing fine particulate carbon dispersed in water by a surfactant, alkali metal silicate aqueous solution, and mineral acid so as to produce co-dispersion in which silica hydrosol, produced by reaction of the alkali metal silicate and the mineral acid, and the fine particulate carbon are uniformly dispersed, and gelling silica hydrosol, contained in the co-dispersion, and making the co-dispersion into porous bodies. The porous silica-carbon composites are prepared so as to have specific surface area from 20 to 1000 m.sup.2/g, pore volume from 0.3 to 2.0 ml/g, and average pore diameter from 2 to 100 nm.

Porous silica-carbon composites are obtained by mixing fine particulate carbon dispersed in water by a surfactant, alkali metal silicate aqueous solution, and mineral acid so as to produce co-dispersion in which silica hydrosol, produced by reaction of the alkali metal silicate and the mineral acid, and the fine particulate carbon are uniformly dispersed, and gelling silica hydrosol, contained in the co-dispersion, and making the co-dispersion into porous bodies. The porous silica-carbon composites are prepared so as to have specific surface area from 20 to 1000 m.sup.2/g, pore volume from 0.3 to 2.0 ml/g, and average pore diameter from 2 to 100 nm.

A method includes: providing a mold having a plurality of mold cavities, wherein each mold cavity is bounded by a plurality of faces joined along common edges; filling at least some of the mold cavities with a sol-gel composition that includes a release agent dispersed therein; at least partially drying the sol-gel composition thereby forming shaped ceramic precursor particles; calcining at least a portion of the shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles; and sintering at least a portion of the calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide ceramic shaped abrasive particles. A sol-gel composition, shaped ceramic precursor particles, and ceramic shaped abrasive particles associated with practice of the method are also disclosed.

A method includes: providing a mold having a plurality of mold cavities, wherein each mold cavity is bounded by a plurality of faces joined along common edges; filling at least some of the mold cavities with a sol-gel composition that includes a release agent dispersed therein; at least partially drying the sol-gel composition thereby forming shaped ceramic precursor particles; calcining at least a portion of the shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles; and sintering at least a portion of the calcined shaped ceramic precursor particles to provide ceramic shaped abrasive particles. A sol-gel composition, shaped ceramic precursor particles, and ceramic shaped abrasive particles associated with practice of the method are also disclosed.

Provided are metal oxide ceramic materials and intermediate materials thereof (e.g., nanozirconia gels, nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles). The nanozirconia gels are formable gels. Also provided are methods of making and using the metal oxide materials and intermediate materials. The nanozirconia gels can be made using, for example, osmotic processing. The nanozirconia gels can be used to make nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental article. The nanozirconia green bodies, pre-sintered ceramic bodies, zirconia dental ceramic materials, and dental articles have desirable properties (e.g., optical properties and mechanical properties).