Abstract: This invention provides a complex oxide comprising the features of : (i) being represented by the formula:(A0.4B0.1M0.1)x/0.6Co2Oy wherein A and B are elements differing from each other, each represents Ca, Sr or Ba, M represents Bi, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb or Lu, 1.7≦x≦2, and 3.8≦y≦5, (ii) having a Seebeck coefficient of 100 &mgr;V/K or more at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher and (iii) having an electrical resistivity of 10 m&OHgr;cm or less at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher. The complex oxide of the invention is a material composed of low-toxicity elements existing in large amounts, the material having superior heat resistance and chemical durability and a high thermoelectric conversion efficiency in a temperature range of 600 K or higher which falls in the temperature range of waste heat.

Abstract: This invention provides a complex oxide comprising the features of: (i) being represented by the formula :(A0.4B0.1M0.1)x/0.6Co2Oy wherein A and B are elements differing from each other, each represents Ca, Sr or Ba, M represents Bi, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb or Lu, 1.7≦x≦2, and 3.8≦y≦5, (ii) having a Seebeck coefficient of 100 &mgr;V/K or more at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher and (iii) having an electrical resistivity of 10 m&OHgr;cm or less at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher. The complex oxide of the invention is a material composed of low-toxicity elements existing in large amounts, the material having superior heat resistance and chemical durability and a high thermoelectric conversion efficiency in a temperature-range of 600 K or higher which falls in the temperature range of waste heat.

Abstract: This invention provides a complex oxide comprising the features of: (i) being represented by the formula: (A0.4B0.1M0.1)x/0.6Co2Oy wherein A and B are elements differing from each other, each represents Ca, Sr or Ba, M represents Bi, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb or Lu, 1.7≦x≦2, and 3.8≦y≦5, (ii) having a Seebeck coefficient of 100 &mgr;V/K or more at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher and (iii) having an electrical resistivity of 10 m&OHgr;cm or less at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher. The complex oxide of the invention is a material composed of low-toxicity elements existing in large amounts, the material having superior heat resistance and chemical durability and a high thermoelectric conversion efficiency in a temperature range of 600 K or higher which falls in the temperature range of waste heat.

Abstract: This invention provides a complex oxide comprising the features of: (i) being represented by the formula: Ca3-xRExCo4Oy wherein RE is a rare earth element, 0≦x≦0.5 and 8.5≦y≦10, (ii) having a Seebeck coefficient of 100 &mgr;V/K or more at a temperature of 300° C. or higher, and (iii) having an electric conductivity of 103 S/m or more at a temperature of 300° C. or higher. The complex oxide is composed of low-toxicity elements, excellent in heat resistance and chemical durability and high in thermoelectric conversion efficiency.

Abstract: This invention provides a complex oxide comprising the features of: (i) being represented by the formula: (A0.4B0.1M0.1x)x/0.6Co2Oy wherein A and B are elements differing from each other, each represents Ca, Sr or Ba, M represents Bi, Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Yb or Lu, 1.7≦×≦2, and 3.8≦y≦5, (ii) having a Seebeck coefficient of 100 &mgr;V/K or more at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher and (iii) having an electrical resistivity of 10 m&OHgr;cm or less at a temperature of 100 K (absolute temperature) or higher. The complex oxide of the invention is a material composed of low-toxicity elements existing in large amounts, the material having superior heat resistance and chemical durability and a high thermoelectric conversion efficiency in a temperature range of 600 K or higher which falls in the temperature range of waste heat.

Abstract: This invention provides a complex oxide comprising the features of: (i) being represented by the formula: Ca3-xRExCo4Oy wherein RE is a rare earth element, 0≦x≦0.5 and 8.5≦y≦10, (ii) having a Seebeck coefficient of 100 &mgr;V/K or more at a temperature of 300° C. or higher, and (iii) having an electric conductivity of 103 S/m or more at a temperature of 300° C. or higher. The complex oxide is composed of low-toxicity elements, excellent in heat resistance and chemical durability and high in thermoelectric conversion efficiency.

Abstract: A method for the production of a superconducting oxide tape having a Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.10 (Bi-2223) structure interposed between silver sheets, which method consists essentially of preparing a sandwich structure having interposed between silver sheets a molded layer of a superconducting oxide precursor powder consisting essentially of Bi, Pb, Sr, Ca, Cu, and O obtained from a raw material substance composed of, in atomic composition ratio, 1.00 of Bi, 0-0.2 of Pb, 0.9-1.1 of Sr, 0.9-1.1 of Ca and 1.3-1.7 of Cu, and O, heating the sandwich structure in an atmosphere consisting of oxygen and an inert gas, having an oxygen partial pressure in the range of 0-5%, and kept at a temperature in the range of 830-850.degree. C., thereby melting the molded layer, then causing the atmosphere to retain the heating temperature and meanwhile increasing the oxygen partial pressure, thereby inducing precipitation of crystal grains possessing a Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method for the production of an oxide superconducting tape material having a composition of Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.8, which method consists essentially of forming a sandwich structure comprising a layer formed of a superconducting powder consisting essentially of Bi, Sr, Ca, Cu, and O and having an essential structure of Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.8 and silver sheet layers, the superconducting powder layer being interposed between the silver sheet layers, heating the sandwich structure at a temperature in the range of 810.degree.-910.degree. C. in an atmosphere consisting of oxygen and an inert gas and having an oxygen partial pressure in the range of 0-90%, thereby melting the superconducting powder layer, and then elevating the oxygen partial pressure of the atmosphere while retaining the same heating temperature, thereby crystallizing the molten superconducting powder layer.

Abstract: A method for the production of a superconducting polycrystalline wire rod having all the crystal (a, b, c) axes thereof aligned is disclosed, which consists of a step of arraying a plurality of superconducting whiskers of a composition of Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.8 (Bi-2212 phase) in such a manner as to parallellize the fiber axes of the whiskers and then aligning all the crystal axes of the superconducting whiskers with parallellized fiber axes and a step of heat-treating the resultant whiskers.

Abstract: There is disclosed a single crystalline fibrous superconductive composition represented by the atomic compositional formula: Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 M.sub.X O.sub.Y wherein 0<X<0.5; 7.8<Y<8.5; and M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Pb, Sn, Sb, In, Cd, Ga, Ge, K, Li, and Na. This composition is prepared by a process comprising the step of mixing source material with one another to prepare a mixture having an atomic compositional ratio: Bi=1.00, Sr=0.5.about.2.0, Ca=0.5.about.5.0, Cu=1.0.about.7.0, and M=0.1.about.1.0, wherein M is at least one member selected from the group consisting of Pb, Sn, Sb, In, Cd, Ga, Ge, K, Li, and Na, the step of melting the mixture to prepare a molten material having an atomic compositional ratio: Bi=1.00, Sr=0.5.about.2.0, Ca=0.5.about.5.0, Cu=1.0.about.7.0, M=0.1.about.1.0, and O=3.5.about.8.

Abstract: A process for producing a fibrous crystal or single crystal of a superconductor comprising bismuth, strontium, calcium, copper, lead and oxygen, having an atomic composition ratio represented by the formula Bi.sub.2-x Pb.sub.x Sr.sub.1.9-2.1 Ca.sub.1.9-2.1 Cu.sub.3 o.sub.y wherein 0<.times.<0.4 and 10.0<y<11.0, and having a Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.10 structure (2223 structure).

Abstract: Process for preparing NbN superconducting material, characterized in that a bulk Nb is placed in powder including at least one metal which can be nitriding-burned, and then the powder is heated to be nitriding-burned in pressurized N.sub.2 atmosphere so that the bulk Nb is nitrided by the nitriding-burning of the powder.

Abstract: An electronic system for process instrumentation and control or a power supply system with a high reliability. In a plurality of instrumentation and control systems each including a plurality of measuring instruments and apparatus connected to a common DC power supply, a DC voltage is supplied to the plurality of instruments and apparatus from the DC power supply, through a current limiter and an apparatus having a DC-wise insulating function which are provided for each of the instrumentation and control systems.