Abstract: A method for preparing ceramic green compacts for ceramic assemblies, especially ceramic multilayer assemblies. First, a dispersing agent solution is prepared by homogenizing a dispersing agent in a solvent mixture. Then, a binder solution is prepared by homogenizing a solvent mixture, a binder made of acrylatemethacrylate polymer and a softener. After preparing a first dispersion by homogenizing a ceramic powder and the dispersing agent solution and subsequent deagglomerization, a second dispersion is prepared by homogenizing the first dispersion and the binder solution, and subsequently removing air and highly volatile solvent components from the second dispersion.

Abstract: An ignition system of an internal combustion engine, of a motor vehicle in particular, having at least one device for igniting a jet of a fuel/air mixture which has a chamber enclosing a process space in which the ignition of the fuel/air mixture takes place. The chamber has a device for enriching the process space with oxygen radicals.

Abstract: A method for preparing ceramic green compacts for ceramic assemblies, especially ceramic multilayer assemblies. First, a dispersing agent solution is prepared by homogenizing a dispersing agent in a solvent mixture. Then, a binder solution is prepared by homogenizing a solvent mixture, a binder made of acrylatemethacrylate polymer and a softener. After preparing a first dispersion by homogenizing a ceramic powder and the dispersing agent solution and subsequent deagglomerization, a second dispersion is prepared by homogenizing the first dispersion and the binder solution, and subsequently removing air and highly volatile solvent components from the second dispersion.

Abstract: An ignition system of an internal combustion engine, of a motor vehicle in particular, having at least one device for igniting a jet of a fuel/air mixture which has a chamber enclosing a process space in which the ignition of the fuel/air mixture takes place. The chamber has a device for enriching the process space with oxygen radicals.

Abstract: A passive, high-temperature-resistant resistor element for measuring temperature is provided, the resistor element having an essentially interior insulating layer and two exterior conducting layers of a ceramic composite structure; the conducting layers being connected to one another at the tip of the resistor element; and the ceramic composite structure including trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and yttrium oxide or trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and a matrix phase of SixOyCzNw, where x signifies 1–2, y signifies 0–2, and w signifies 0–2. A combination element of this resistor element and a sheathed type glow plug, for example, is also provided.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator has stacked ceramic layers of a piezoelectric material and electrodes situated between the layers to form a piezoelectric stack and having at least one structure that reduces the mechanical strain occurring in the piezoelectric stack. The strain reducing structure is comprised of a strain-reducing layer equipped with recesses and is typically situated between the ceramic layers. In particular, the recesses of the strain-reducing layer are situated in an outer region of the layer and is comprised of a notch which significantly reduce the mechanical strains inside the actuator.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing composite materials from a parent substance containing silicon nitride and metal silicide, having fixed electrical properties. The molded articles are made, virtually with their final contours, prior to a sintering operation. The parent substance containing Si3N4 and a metal silicide is subjected to a gas pressure sintering in a nitrogenous atmosphere. The metal silicide is of the form Me5Si3, where Me is a metal. As a function of a sintering temperature, a lower limit of partial nitrogen pressures is selected so that Si3N4 is stable at the lower limit and an upper limit of the partial nitrogen pressures is selected so that Me5Si3 is stable at the upper limit. The resulting composite material is a silicon-containing composite material made of Si3N4 and the metal silicide. The metal silicide is selected from the group of Nb5Si3, V5Si3, Ta5Si3 and W5Si3.

Abstract: A piezoelectric ceramic body includes a multiplicity of insulating layers, arranged one on top of the other, made of a piezoactive ceramic material, the insulating layers being separated from each other at least in areas by internal electrodes, of which at least one has a silver-containing material at least in areas. The material of the silver-containing internal electrode furthermore has a component reducing or inhibiting the diffusion of silver from the internal electrodes into an insulating layer, in particular a ceramic component on the basis of a PZT ceramic.

Abstract: A passive, high-temperature-resistant resistor element for measuring temperature is provided, the resistor element having an essentially interior insulating layer and two exterior conducting layers of a ceramic composite structure; the conducting layers being connected to one another at the tip of the resistor element; and the ceramic composite structure including trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and yttrium oxide or trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and a matrix phase of SixOyCzNw, where x signifies 1-2, y signifies 0-2, and w signifies 0-2. A combination element of this resistor element and a sheathed type glow plug, for example, is also provided.

Abstract: A device is proposed for monitoring the combustion process in internal combustion engines, a direct monitoring and a monitoring of individual combustion processes, in particular individual combustion chambers, being possible. This is achieved using a waveguide, which is integrated in a component, which protrudes into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A ceramic sheathed-type glow plug, whose ceramic heating element is made of an electrically conductive conducting layer and an electrically insulating layer, is described. The conducting layer is made of lead layers and a heating layer. The higher specific electrical resistance of the heating layer allows the temperature of the heating layer and the combustion chamber to be determined. The electrical contact between a connector element and the heating element is established by a contacting element, which is in the form of a pellet made of an electrically conductive powder.

Abstract: A sensor element, especially a temperature sensor (5) is proposed, having a sensitive area (11), whose electrical resistance changes under the influence of a temperature to which the sensitive area (11) is exposed. In this case, sensitive area (11) has a glass ceramic fusion (15) of a starting material containing at least one component which is furnished at least substantially with a surface metallization. The proposed temperature sensor (5) is especially suitable for use at temperatures in excess of 1000° C., at which it shows resistance characteristics like that of a platinum resistor.

Abstract: A ceramic sheathed-element glow plug is proposed in which a metallic tubular holder holds a ceramic U-shaped heating device in a cantilevered fashion at its combustion chamber side end and has a terminal stud for applying a voltage to the ceramic heating device on the end remote from the combustion chamber. At its end enclosed by the holder, the ceramic heating device has a segment of greatest diameter and is coated with an insulating layer which has recesses for an electrical contacting. One recess is provided at the end of the ceramic heating device remote from the combustion chamber and a second recess is provided on the external wall of the ceramic heating device. A for an electrically conductive sealing compound is provided between the external wall of the ceramic heating device and the internal wall of the holder.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing multilayer actuators is described, in which films (1), known as green films, having regions applied thereon made of metal plating to implement electrodes, are processed into compressed multilayer composite elements before a sintering step. Film elements (4), whose area defines the cross-sectional area of a finished actuator, are individually separated from the green film (1) having metal plating and stacked into a film stack to prepare for the manufacture of a multilayer composite element. Furthermore, a device having separating means (31, 32, 33, 35) for performing the method is described, in which the separating means is designed for the purpose of individually separating film elements (4), whose area defines the cross-sectional area of a finished actuator, from the green film (1) and stacking the separated film elements (4) directly afterward.

Abstract: A fuel injection valve with a valve body (1), whose end oriented toward the combustion chamber is provided with a pressure chamber (26), which is connected to a supply conduit (7). The pressure chamber (26) is defined by a valve member (20) whose valve sealing surface (18) rests against a stationary valve seat (17) with an internal tension and can be lifted up from this valve seat by the pressure in the pressure chamber (26). Downstream of the unblocked opening cross section, there is at least one injection opening (12) into the combustion chamber of the engine. The valve member (20) is embodied as essentially disk-shaped and the valve sealing surface (18) is embodied in its radially outer edge region and can be lifted up from the valve seat (17) in an elastic manner. In its center region, the valve member (20) is prestressed toward its contact with the valve seat (17) by a securing element (22) on the valve body (1) (FIG. 2).

Abstract: A ceramic pin heating element having exterior heating conductors and integrated electrical connection surfaces, and method for making same. A first body is injection molded from a first injection-moldable ceramic composite compound having a first electrical resistance, and a second body is injection-molded from a second injection-moldable ceramic composite compound having a second electrical resistance about the first body so as to form a compound body. The compound body is then sintered. The resulting ceramic pin heating element is directly formed without additional steps for protecting (insulating) the element so as to prevent the exterior, complementary heating conductors from contacting the housing and/or terminal bolts. The danger of breakage of the pins at the mounting location and/or at the seal seat through variations in the thickness of contact and/or insulation coatings is minimized.

Abstract: Proposed is a passive, high-temperature-resistant resistor element for measuring temperature, the resistor element having an essentially interior insulating layer (9; 10) and two exterior conducting layers (8) of a ceramic composite structure; the conducting layers being connected to one another at the tip (11) of the resistor element; and the ceramic composite structure including trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and yttrium oxide or trisilicon tetranitride, a metal silicide, and a matrix phase of SixOyCzNw, where x signifies 1-2, y signifies 0-2, and w signifies 0-2. Further proposed is a combination element (3) of this resistor element and a sheathed type glow plug, for example.

Abstract: A sensor element, especially a temperature sensor (5) is proposed, having a sensitive area (11), whose electrical resistance changes under the influence of a temperature to which the sensitive area (11) is exposed. In this case, sensitive area (11) has a glass ceramic fusion (15) of a starting material containing at least one component which is furnished at least substantially with a surface metallization. The proposed temperature sensor (5) is especially suitable for use at temperatures in excess of 1000° C., at which it shows resistance characteristics like that of a platinum resistor.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing molded articles from a ceramic composite structure, in particular from a combination of tri-silicon tetranitride and a metal silicide, in which gas pressures up to 100 bar are used and the sintering additive content can be reduced to under 10 mass percent. This inert gas sintering pressure method makes possible larger molding free spaces in complicated geometrical structures of the molded articles, in contrast to the known methods. In addition, the electrical properties of this composite structure can be regulated by adjusting a defined nitrogen partial pressure.

Abstract: A ceramic sheathed element glow plug has a tubular metal casing holding a ceramic U-shaped heating device cantilevered at its end facing the combustion chamber, and on the end remote from the combustion chamber, it has a terminal pin for applying a voltage to the ceramic heating device. In the metal casing, a ceramic bushing and a ring follow the ceramic heating device at the end remote from the combustion chamber.