A piezoelectric material composition, a method of manufacturing the same, a piezoelectric device, and apparatus including the piezoelectric device. The piezoelectric device may include a piezoelectric device layer including a first material and a second material surrounded by the first material, a first electrode portion disposed at a first surface of the piezoelectric device layer, and a second electrode portion disposed at a second surface of the piezoelectric device layer opposite to the first surface, wherein the piezoelectric device layer comprises a piezoelectric material composition represented by Chemical Formula 1: 0.96(Na.sub.aK.sub.1-a)(Nb.sub.b(T.sub.1-b))O.sub.3-(0.04-x)MZrO.sub.3-x(Bi.sub.cAg.sub.1-c)ZrO.sub.3+d mol % NaNbO.sub.3, wherein T is Sb or Ta, M is Sr, Ba or Ca, a is 0.4≤a≤0.6, b is 0.90≤b≤0.98, c is 0.4≤c≤0.6, d is 0≤d≤5.0, and x is 0≤x≤0.04 and wherein T is Sb or Ta and M is Sr, Ba, or Ca.

A crystal of a calcium phosphate that is any one selected from the group consisting of octacalcium phosphate, hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite, chlorapatite and carbonate apatite, in which a part of a plurality of calcium ions in a crystal structure of the crystal are replaced with a silver ion or a copper ion.

Provided herein is a method of making a conductive network by combining uncoated carbon nanotubes and carbon nanotubes coated with an electroactive substance to create an electrically conductive network; and redistributing at least a portion of the electroactive substance. Also provided herein is an electrically conductive network with an active material coating; first carbon nanotubes coated with the active material coating; and second carbon nanotubes partially coated with the active material coating, wherein at least a portion of the surfaces of the second carbon nanotubes directly contact surfaces of other second carbon nanotubes without the active material coating between these second carbon nanotubes, and wherein the first carbon nanotubes and the second carbon nanotubes are entangled to form an electrically conductive network.

A hard lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic has an ABO.sub.3 structure with A sites and B sites. The PZT ceramic is doped with Mn and with Nb on the B sites and the ratio Nb/Mn is <2. A piezoelectric multilayer component having such a PZT ceramic and also a method for producing a piezoelectric multilayer component are also disclosed.

Provided is a piezoelectric ceramic composition including a potassium sodium niobate-based perovskite type complex oxide represented by Compositional Formula ABO.sub.3, as a main component. Further, the piezoelectric ceramic composition contains Bi in an A site and Zr in a B site. Further, the piezoelectric ceramic composition includes a segregation portion positioned in a crystal grain. At least one of Zr or Bi is localized in the segregation portion.

Provided herein is an electrically conductive, chemically insulated network of nanofibers that includes first carbon nanofibers electrically connected to second carbon nanofibers to form an electrically conductive network, and second carbon nanofibers electrically connected to other second carbon nanofibers, wherein at least one of the second carbon nanofibers is in direct surface contact with another of the second carbon nanofibers; and an active material that provides electrochemical insulation on surfaces of the first carbon nanofibers and partial surfaces of at least a portion of the second carbon nanofibers, wherein the active material comprises at least 50% by weight of the electrically conductive, chemically insulated network, and wherein the active material provides electrochemical insulation to the entirety of the electrically conductive, chemically insulated network of nanofibers including the area between the first carbon nanofibers and the second carbon nanofibers.

A ceramic matrix composite has fibers, a ceramic matrix bonded to the fibers, and ceramic particles, distributed throughout the matrix. A method includes mixing a high char ceramic resin precursor with ceramic particles, adding a catalyst to create a mixture, heating the mixture to produce functionalized ceramic particles, and cooling the mixture to produce a resin having functionalized particles.

A thermoelectric conversion material formed of a sintered body containing magnesium silicide as a main component contains 0.5 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less of aluminum oxide. The aluminum oxide is distributed at a crystal grain boundary of the magnesium silicide.

A multilayer component and a mathod for producing a multilayer component are disclosed. In an embodiment the multilayer component includes a ceramic main element being a varistor ceramic and at least one metal structure, wherein the metal structure is cosintered, and wherein the main element is doped with a material of the metal structure in such a way that a diffusion of the material from the metal structure into the main element during a sintering operation is reduced.

Disclosed is a rapid, reproducible solution-based method to synthesize solid sodium ion-conductive materials. The method includes: (a) forming an aqueous mixture of (i) at least one sodium salt, and (ii) at least one metal oxide; (b) adding at least one phosphorous precursor as a neutralizing agent into the mixture; (c) concentrating the mixture to form a paste; (d) calcining or removing liquid from the paste to form a solid; and (e) sintering the solid at a high temperature to form a dense, non-porous, sodium ion-conductive material. Solid sodium ion-conductive materials have electrochemical applications, including use as solid electrolytes for batteries.