Abstract: An aluminum alloy casting having high electric resistance, high toughness and high corrosion resistance and optimally usable in manufacturing of electric motor housings, and a method of manufacturing said aluminum alloy casting are provided. The aluminum alloy casting has a composition including Si: 11.0-13.0 mass %, Fe: 0.2-1.0 mass %, Mn: 0.2-2.2 mass %, Mg: 0.7-1.3 mass %, Cr: 0.5-1.3 mass % and Ti: 0.1-0.5 mass %, with the balance consisting of Al and unavoidable impurities, wherein the content of Cu as an unavoidable impurity is limited to 0.2 mass % or less. In some cases, heat treatments such as solution heat treatment or artificial aging hardening treatment are performed after casting.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic and a positive-coefficient characteristic thermistor are provided which have a stable PTC characteristic, a high double point, and a wide operating temperature range. The semiconductor ceramic contains, as a main component, a barium titanate-based composition having a perovskite structure expressed by a general formula AmBO3. Out of 100 mol % of the Ti, an amount in a range of 0.05 mol % or more to 0.3 mol % or less of Ti is replaced with W as a semiconductor forming agent, the ratio m of A sites mainly to B sites is 0.99?m?1.002, and an actually-measured sintered density is 70% or more and 90% or less of the theoretical sintered density. In the positive-coefficient characteristic thermistor, a component body is formed of the semiconductor ceramic.

Abstract: An object is to provide an exhaust gas purification filter that can achieve high trapping efficiency of particulate matter and low pressure loss, and the exhaust gas purification filter includes an inflow surface through which exhaust gas containing particulate matter flows in, a discharge surface from which purified gas is discharged, and a filter base body that is formed from a porous body, wherein the filter base body includes porous partition walls and gas flow paths surrounded by the partition walls, a porous film having a pore size smaller than that of pores of the partition walls is provided on each surface of the partition walls, and microgrooves having a depth shallower than the thickness of the porous film are formed on at least a part of a surface of the porous film.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BamTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3, wherein part of Ba constituting the A site is replaced with Na, Bi, Ca, and a rare-earth element having an ionic radius smaller than that of the Na; the content of the rare-earth element when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.0005 to 0.015 on a molar basis; and the content of the Ca when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.05 to 0.20 (preferably 0.125 or more and 0.175 or less) on a molar basis. A PTC thermistor includes a component body 1 formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Accordingly, high reliability is achieved even if an alkali metal element is present.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust emission control device of an internal combustion engine which is used in purification of exhaust gas and achieves both high catalytic activity at low temperature and high durability at high temperature. In an exhaust emission control device of an internal combustion engine of the present invention, a catalyst is disposed in an exhaust path of the internal combustion engine, at least one kind of the catalyst is noble metal supporting silicon carbide particles, and the noble metal supporting silicon carbide particles include a silicon oxide layer in which noble metal particles are supported on a surface of silicon carbide particles having an average primary particle diameter of 0.005 ?m or more and 5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BamTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3. The molar ratio m between the A site and the B site satisfies 1.001?m?1.01. Part of Ba constituting the A site is replaced with Bi, Ca, a rare-earth element, and Na. The molar content of the Ca when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.05 to 0.20 (preferably 0.125 to 0.175). A PTC thermistor includes a component body formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Accordingly, there is provided a lead-free semiconductor ceramic that substantially does not contain lead and that has desired PTC characteristics and high reliability.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BamTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3. Part of Ba constituting an A site is replaced with at least an alkali metal element, Bi, and a rare-earth element, and the molar ratio m between the A site and a B site is 0.990?m?0.999 (preferably 0.990?m?0.995). Preferably, part of the Ba is replaced with Ca, and the content of the Ca when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.042 to 0.20 (preferably 0.125 to 0.175) on a molar basis. A PTC thermistor includes a component body formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Accordingly, there are provided satisfactory rise characteristics even if an alkali metal element is present.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided an exhaust gas purifying filter capable of effectively removing collected particulate matter. An exhaust gas purifying filter of the present invention includes an inflow surface into which exhaust gas including particulate matter flows, an exhaust surface which exhausts purified gas, and a filter substrate which is constructed of a porous body, wherein the filter substrate includes porous partitions and gas passages which are enclosed by the partitions, and a porous film, which includes silicon carbide and pores having a smaller pore diameter than the pores of the partitions, is provided on the surface of the partitions, and a silicon dioxide layer is formed on at least an outer surface portion of the porous film.

Abstract: There is provided an exhaust gas purifying filter, which includes an inflow surface into which exhaust gas including particulate matter flows, an exhaust surface from which purified gas is exhausted, and a filter substrate which is constructed of a porous body. The filter substrate includes a porous partition and a gas passage which is enclosed by the porous partition, a porous film which includes silicon carbide is provided on a surface of the porous partition. An average pore diameter of the porous film is more than 0.5 ?m and 3 ?m or less.

Abstract: There is provided an exhaust gas purifying filter, which includes an inflow surface into which exhaust gas including particulate matter flows, an exhaust surface from which purified gas is exhausted, and a filter substrate which is constructed of a porous body, the filter substrate including a porous partition and a gas passage which is enclosed by the porous partition, a porous film which includes silicon carbide is provided on a surface of the porous partition, and in a pore diameter distribution of the porous film, pores with the pore diameter of 0.01 ?m or more and 3.0 ?m or less are 70% or more of total volume of the pores, and pores with the pore diameter of 0.01 ?m or more and 0.3 ?m or less are 5% or more and 90% or less of total volume of the pores.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BaTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3. Part of the A site Ba is replaced with an alkali metal element, Bi, Ca, Sr, and a rare-earth element. When the molar amounts of Ca and Sr are x and y, respectively, and the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.02?y?0.12, and 2x+5y?0.7. A PTC thermistor includes a component body formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Even when an alkali metal element and Bi are present, there is provided a lead-free semiconductor ceramic with high reliability in which the surface discoloration is not caused and the degradation of resistance over time can be suppressed even after the application of an electric current for a long time.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic and a positive-coefficient characteristic thermistor are provided which have a stable PTC characteristic, a high double point, and a wide operating temperature range. The semiconductor ceramic contains, as a main component, a barium titanate-based composition having a perovskite structure expressed by a general formula AmBO3. Out of 100 mol % of the Ti, an amount in a range of 0.05 mol % or more to 0.3 mol % or less of Ti is replaced with W as a semiconductor forming agent, the ratio m of A sites mainly to B sites is 0.99?m?1.002, and an actually-measured sintered density is 70% or more and 90% or less of the theoretical sintered density. In the positive-coefficient characteristic thermistor, a component body is formed of the semiconductor ceramic.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BamTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3, wherein part of Ba constituting the A site is replaced with Na, Bi, Ca, and a rare-earth element having an ionic radius smaller than that of the Na; the content of the rare-earth element when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.0005 to 0.015 on a molar basis; and the content of the Ca when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.05 to 0.20 (preferably 0.125 or more and 0.175 or less) on a molar basis. A PTC thermistor includes a component body 1 formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Accordingly, high reliability is achieved even if an alkali metal element is present.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BamTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3. The molar ratio m between the A site and the B site satisfies 1.001?m?1.01. Part of Ba constituting the A site is replaced with Bi, Ca, a rare-earth element, and Na. The molar content of the Ca when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.05 to 0.20 (preferably 0.125 to 0.175). A PTC thermistor includes a component body formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Accordingly, there is provided a lead-free semiconductor ceramic that substantially does not contain lead and that has desired PTC characteristics and high reliability.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BamTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3. Part of Ba constituting an A site is replaced with at least an alkali metal element, Bi, and a rare-earth element, and the molar ratio m between the A site and a B site is 0.990?m?0.999 (preferably 0.990?m?0.995). Preferably, part of the Ba is replaced with Ca, and the content of the Ca when the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole is 0.042 to 0.20 (preferably 0.125 to 0.175) on a molar basis. A PTC thermistor includes a component body formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Accordingly, there are provided satisfactory rise characteristics even if an alkali metal element is present.

Abstract: A semiconductor ceramic includes a BaTiO3-based composition, as a main component, having a perovskite structure represented by general formula AmBO3. Part of the A site Ba is replaced with an alkali metal element, Bi, Ca, Sr, and a rare-earth element. When the molar amounts of Ca and Sr are x and y, respectively, and the total number of moles of the elements constituting the A site is 1 mole, 0.05?x?0.20, 0.02?y?0.12, and 2x+5y?0.7. A PTC thermistor includes a component body formed of the semiconductor ceramic. Even when an alkali metal element and Bi are present, there is provided a lead-free semiconductor ceramic with high reliability in which the surface discoloration is not caused and the degradation of resistance over time can be suppressed even after the application of an electric current for a long time.

Abstract: A multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor includes a ceramic body having semiconductor ceramic layers and internal electrodes, the semiconductor ceramic layers being mainly composed of BaTiO3 and containing semiconductor-forming agents, the semiconductor ceramic layers and the internal electrodes being alternately stacked, and the outermost layers of the ceramic body being formed of the semiconductor ceramic layers. The outermost layers serve as protective layers. The semiconductor ceramic layers arranged between the internal electrodes 4a and 4d serve as effective layers. The protective layers contain a semiconductor-forming agent having a larger ionic radius than that of a semiconductor-forming agent contained in the effective layers. The protective layers have a lower porosity than that of the effective layers.

Abstract: A multilayer thermistor with a positive temperature coefficient is manufactured by step 41 of forming a green laminate having thermistor green layers and internal electrode layers, step 42 of heat-treating this laminate at a temperature in the range of from 80 to less than 300° C., step 43 of performing dry-barrel polishing for the heat-treated green laminate, step 44 of forming external electrode films on respective end surfaces of this laminate, and step 45 of firing this laminate together with the individual electrode films. According to this method, a highly reliable multilayer thermistor with a positive temperature coefficient can be stably manufactured.

Abstract: A multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor that has semiconductor ceramic layers containing a BaTiO3-based ceramic material as a primary component, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Y, Ho, Er, and Tm as a semiconductor dopant in the range of 0.1 to 0.5 molar parts with respect to 100 molar parts of Ti. The ratio of the Ba site to the Ti site is in the range of 0.998 to 1.006. Accordingly, even when the semiconductor ceramic layers have a low actual-measured sintered density in the range of 65% to 90% of a theoretical sintered density, a multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor having a sufficiently high rate of resistance change and a high rising coefficient of resistance at the Curie temperature or more can be realized.

Abstract: A multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor that has a BaTiO3-based ceramic material contained as a primary component in semiconductor ceramic layers, the ratio of the Ba site to the Ti site is in the range of 0.998 to 1.006, and at least one element selected from the group consisting of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Pm is contained as a semiconductor dopant. In this multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor, a thickness d of internal electrodes layer and a thickness D of the semiconductor ceramic layers satisfy d?0.6 ?m and d/D<0.2. Accordingly, even when the semiconductor ceramic layers have a low sintered density such that an actual-measured sintered density is 65% to 90% of a theoretical sintered density, a multilayer positive temperature coefficient thermistor having a low rate of temporal change in room-temperature resistance can be obtained without performing any complicated processes, such as a heat treatment. When the content of the semiconductor dopant is 0.1 to 0.