A functional ink that includes a precursor sol-gel solution and a solvent is provided. The precursor sol-gel solution is used for forming an oxide dielectric film having a perovskite structure represented by a general formula ABO.sub.3, and has been subjected to a partial hydrolysis process in which a viscosity change resulting from the partial hydrolysis process is controlled to be less than or equal to 50%, and water contained in the precursor sol-gel solution is controlled to be greater than or equal to 0.50 times and less than or equal to 10 times by molar ratio with respect to a B site atom contained in the precursor sol-gel solution. The functional ink has a metal oxide concentration and a viscosity that renders the functional ink suitable for being discharged from a nozzle of a liquid droplet discharge apparatus included in a thin film fabrication apparatus.

A functional ink that includes a precursor sol-gel solution and a solvent is provided. The precursor sol-gel solution is used for forming an oxide dielectric film having a perovskite structure represented by a general formula ABO.sub.3, and has been subjected to a partial hydrolysis process in which a viscosity change resulting from the partial hydrolysis process is controlled to be less than or equal to 50%, and water contained in the precursor sol-gel solution is controlled to be greater than or equal to 0.50 times and less than or equal to 10 times by molar ratio with respect to a B site atom contained in the precursor sol-gel solution. The functional ink has a metal oxide concentration and a viscosity that renders the functional ink suitable for being discharged from a nozzle of a liquid droplet discharge apparatus included in a thin film fabrication apparatus.

A transparent optical element may include a layer of an electroactive ceramic disposed between transparent electrodes, such that the electrodes are each oriented perpendicular to a non-polar direction of the ceramic layer. Optical properties of the optical element, including transmissivity, haze, and clarity may be improved by the application of a voltage to the electroactive ceramic, and an associated phase transformation.

A dielectric material, a method of manufacturing thereof, and a dielectric device and an electronic device including the same. A dielectric material includes a layered metal oxide including a first layer having a positive charge and a second layer having a negative charge which are laminated, a monolayer nanosheet exfoliated from the layered metal oxide, a nanosheet laminate of the monolayer nanosheets, or a combination thereof, wherein the dielectric material includes a two-dimensional layered material having a two-dimensional crystal structure and the two-dimensional layered material is represented by Chemical Formula 1.

A dielectric material, a method of manufacturing thereof, and a dielectric device and an electronic device including the same. A dielectric material includes a layered metal oxide including a first layer having a positive charge and a second layer having a negative charge which are laminated, a monolayer nanosheet exfoliated from the layered metal oxide, a nanosheet laminate of the monolayer nanosheets, or a combination thereof, wherein the dielectric material includes a two-dimensional layered material having a two-dimensional crystal structure and the two-dimensional layered material is represented by Chemical Formula 1.

Provided is a piezoelectric single crystal-polycrystal ceramic composite, a method of manufacturing the same, and piezoelectric and dielectric application components using the piezoelectric single crystal-polycrystal ceramic composite. The piezoelectric single crystal-polycrystal ceramic composite shows that complexation is carried out by the optimization of a ratio between grain size distributions of a piezoelectric single crystal and polycrystal ceramic grains, and a volume ratio of the contained piezoelectric single crystal so that mass production simultaneously with excellent piezoelectric characteristics of the piezoelectric single crystal can be realized, and the cost of production can be reduced, so the piezoelectric single crystal-polycrystal ceramic composite can be applied to piezoelectric and dielectric application components, like ultrasonic transducers, piezoelectric actuators, piezoelectric sensors, dielectric capacitors, electric field-generating transducers, and electric field and vibration-generating transducers, using the piezoelectric single crystal-polycrystal ceramic composite, and the piezoelectric single crystal-polycrystal ceramic composite can enhance piezoelectric characteristics and competitiveness in prices.

A process for preparing a porous ceramic body includes forming a green body with a mixture of ceramic material powder, binder material, and pore-forming particles. The process further includes extracting the binder material, decomposing the pore-forming particles, and removing residual organic materials from the green body at respective, progressively higher pre-firing temperatures. After these three stages, the green body is sintered at a still-higher temperature to form the porous ceramic body. Embodiments facilitate manufacturing and can render most or all surface grinding unnecessary, allowing electrode deposition directly onto substantially non-porous surfaces of the porous ceramic body that are naturally formed during sintering. Advantageously, the green body may be formed into net shape by injection molding the mixture that includes the pore-forming particles, and embodiments can result in porous ceramic bodies that are much thicker than currently available, with better structural integrity.

In additive manufacturing operations, powders used in stereolithographic processes need to be precisely spread out in a uniform fashion at every pass of the stereolithographic process to ensure predictability in powder surface morphology. Typically, this is difficult to achieve with conventional powders because often these powders suffer from poor flowability, which may further deteriorate over time, and impairs the efficiency of the stereolithographic processes. The present disclosure describes additive manufacturing powders having improved physical characteristics such as flowability and tap density, which are less sensitive or insensitive to ambient humidity. For example, there is described a powder that includes spherical particles having a particle size distribution of less than 1000 micrometers and having a measurable flowability as determined in accordance with ASTM B213 at 75% relative humidity.

A process for preparing a porous ceramic body includes forming a green body with a mixture of ceramic material powder, binder material, and pore-forming particles. The process further includes extracting the binder material, decomposing the pore-forming particles, and removing residual organic materials from the green body at respective, progressively higher pre-firing temperatures. After these three stages, the green body is sintered at a still-higher temperature to form the porous ceramic body. Embodiments facilitate manufacturing and can render most or all surface grinding unnecessary, allowing electrode deposition directly onto substantially non-porous surfaces of the porous ceramic body that are naturally formed during sintering. Advantageously, the green body may be formed into net shape by injection molding the mixture that includes the pore-forming particles, and embodiments can result in porous ceramic bodies that are much thicker than currently available, with better structural integrity.

A transparent optical element may include a layer of an electroactive ceramic disposed between transparent electrodes, such that the electrodes are each oriented perpendicular to a non-polar direction of the ceramic layer. Optical properties of the optical element, including transmissivity, haze, and clarity may be improved by the application of a voltage to the electroactive ceramic, and an associated phase transformation.