Abstract: A sensor element 101 includes an element main body 101a that includes oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers (1 to 6), and a porous protective layer 90 that covers at least part of the element main body 101a. The porous protective layer 90 includes a porous inner protective layer 92 and a porous outer protective layer 91 disposed on the outer side of the inner protective layer 92 and having a smaller average pore diameter than the inner protective layer 92.

Abstract: A sensor element includes a laminate, in which a plurality of oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers are stacked and in which a measurement object-gas flow portion is disposed, an inside pump electrode disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the measurement object-gas flow portion, an auxiliary pump electrode, and a measurement electrode. Then, the value of the volume ratio (Va=Vm/Vr) is 14.5 or more and 51.5 or less and the value of the volume ratio (Vb=Vs/Vr) is 5.0 or more and 17.5 or less, where the volume of the inside pump electrode 22 is specified as (Vm), the volume of the auxiliary pump electrode 51 is specified as (Vs), and the volume of the measurement electrode 44 is specified as (Vr).

Abstract: A sensor element includes a sensor element main body a including an oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layer and a porous protective layer covering at least part of the sensor element main body. Then, the porous protective layer has the value of the number of interfaces in a unit thickness direction, which is the number of particle interfaces of constituent particles every 100 ?m in the thickness direction, of 15 or more and 250 or less.

Abstract: A sensor element 101 includes an element main body 101a that includes oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers (1 to 6), and a porous protective layer 90 that covers at least part of the element main body 101a. The porous protective layer 90 includes a porous inner protective layer 92 and a porous outer protective layer 91 disposed on the outer side of the inner protective layer 92 and having a smaller average pore diameter than the inner protective layer 92.

Abstract: A sensor element includes a laminate, in which a plurality of oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers are stacked and in which a measurement object-gas flow portion is disposed, an inside pump electrode disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the measurement object-gas flow portion, an auxiliary pump electrode, and a measurement electrode. Then, the value of the volume ratio (Va=Vm/Vr) is 14.5 or more and 51.5 or less and the value of the volume ratio (Vb=Vs/Vr) is 5.0 or more and 17.5 or less, where the volume of the inside pump electrode 22 is specified as (Vm), the volume of the auxiliary pump electrode 51 is specified as (Vs), and the volume of the measurement electrode 44 is specified as (Vr).

Abstract: A sensor element includes a sensor element main body a including an oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layer and a porous protective layer covering at least part of the sensor element main body. Then, the porous protective layer has the value of the number of interfaces in a unit thickness direction, which is the number of particle interfaces of constituent particles every 100 ?m in the thickness direction, of 15 or more and 250 or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cathode and a cathode active material plate for a lithium secondary battery, and the production method thereof. There is a feature of the present invention in that grooves consisting of a concave portion and having an infinite form (for example, an infinite cell-like shape) in a planar view are formed in a principal surface of the cathode active material plate.

Abstract: The first invention relates to powders for producing a Ni—Cu—Zn system ferrite ceramics sintered body, comprising ferrite calcined powders and NiO powders, wherein the specific surface area of said ferrite calcined powders is within the range of 4.0 m2/g to 14.0 m2/g, the spinel included in said ferrite calcined powders is such that Ni does not solve, the composition of said spinel is such that Fe2O3 is within the range of 49.0 mol % to 60.0 mol % and the remaining comprises CuO and ZnO, and the ratio of ZnO relative to CuO in mole percent is within the range of 1.0 to 4.0.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cathode and a cathode active material plate for a lithium secondary battery, and the production method thereof. There is a feature of the present invention in that grooves consisting of a concave portion and having an infinite form (for example, an infinite cell-like shape) in a planar view are formed in a principal surface of the cathode active material plate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fired ceramic body including a metal wire wherein the metal wire is placed in a mold and then, a ceramic slurry having a heat-gelling characteristic or a thermoset characteristic is poured into the mold. Subsequently, the ceramic slurry is dried and hardened to form a ceramic-compact-before-fired, and then, the ceramic-compact-before-fired is fired. In this firing process, a degreasing of the ceramic compact is firstly performed, and thereafter, a temperature of the ceramic compact is increased up to a second temperature at which the metal wire is softened and the ceramic compact is fired at a second temperature increasing rate. The second temperature increasing rate is set at such a rate that a shrinkage ratio of the ceramic compact when the temperature of the ceramic compact reaches the second temperature is smaller than or equal to a predetermined threshold shrinkage ratio.

Abstract: A ferrite powder for producing a ferrite sintered body is provided, the ferrite powder having a median diameter D50 [?m] in a range from 0.1 to 0.8 ?m, a degree of spinel formation in a range from 45 to 90%, and a remanent magnetization Br per unit mass [emu/g] satisfying the following formula after application of the maximum magnetic field of 15 kOe: 0.05?Br?2.0(ln.D50)+6.3. This ferrite powder produces a homogeneous ferrite sintered body having very few cracks by gel casting.

Abstract: Piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramics having the composition represented by the general formula: xBNT-yBKT-zBT (x+y+z=1) are provided, wherein at least one kind among A-site elements are allowed to become deficient from stoichiometry in which a point (x, y, z) representing content ratios x, y and z of (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3, (Bi1/2K1/2)TiO3 and BaTiO3 is within a range including a border line of a quadrangle ABCD with a point A, a point B, a point C and a point D as vertices in a ternary phase diagram. Vacancies are formed in an A-site of a perovskite structure by allowing the A-site elements to become deficient from stoichiometry. An amount of A-site vacancies becomes at least 2 mol % to at most 6 mol %.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3 type piezoelectric material having an improved relative dielectric constant and an electric-field-induced strain is provided. The method is a process in which a formed body of powder particles constituted of a composition of (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3 is fired to produce the (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3 type piezoelectric material, and a constant temperature is kept in a range of 850 to 1000° C. for a constant time before heating to a firing temperature.

Abstract: A layered inductor is manufactured by layering “silver-based conductive layers” and “ferrite-based magnetic layers” and simultaneously firing these layers. The conductive layers are via-connected to form a helical coil. A shape of a cross sectional surface of the conductive layer, cut by a plane perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of each of the conductive layers is a substantial trapezoid shape, having an upper base and a lower base. A base angle ? of the trapezoid shape at both ends of the lower base is equal to or greater than 50° and is smaller than or equal to 80°.

Abstract: A compact inductor comprises a coil, a coil-burying body, and a body for a closed magnetic circuit. The coil-burying body is a fired porous ceramic body having a first magnetic permeability, in which the coil is buried. In the coil-burying body, “a through-hole 12a passing through inside of the coil along an axis of the coil” is formed. The body for a closed magnetic circuit is a fired dense ceramic body having a second magnetic permeability greater than the first magnetic permeability. The body for a closed magnetic circuit is arranged closely/densely at an outer circumference portion of the coil-burying body and in the through-hole. A magnetic path is therefore formed mainly within the body for a closed magnetic circuit, and the magnetic flux density is reduced in an area close to the coil. Accordingly, an inductor having the excellent superimposed DC current characteristic is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic which produces large electric-field induced strain without performing an aging treatment for a long period of time. A piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic sintered body in which the ratio of the number of ions at A sites to the number of ions at B sites in a perovskite structure is at least 0.94 to at most 0.99 is subjected to an oxygen heat treatment at a temperature of 600 to 1050° C. for 2 to 100 hours under an atmosphere with an oxygen partial pressure of 0.05 to 1.0 atm.

Abstract: The first invention relates to powders for producing a Ni—Cu—Zn system ferrite ceramics sintered body, comprising ferrite calcined powders and NiO powders, wherein the specific surface area of said ferrite calcined powders is within the range of 4.0 m2/g to 14.0 m2/g, the spinel included in said ferrite calcined powders is such that Ni does not solve, the composition of said spinel is such that Fe2O3 is within the range of 49.0 mol % to 60.0 mol % and the remaining comprises CuO and ZnO, and the ratio of ZnO relative to CuO in mole percent is within the range of 1.0 to 4.0.

Abstract: The invention provides a (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta)O3 type piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition capable of being sintered at a low temperature and providing good electric field-induced strain at the time of high electric field application at a temperature for practical use. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition has an ABO3 type composition formula wherein lithium, sodium, and potassium are contained as first elements; niobium and tantalum are contained as second elements; oxygen (O) is contained as a third element; A/B ratio is higher than 1; and the ratio of the number of Ta atoms to the total number of atoms of the second elements is 10 mol % or more and 50 mol % or less, and comprises a perovskite type oxide wherein the first elements are A site composing elements and the second elements are B site composing elements.

Abstract: The invention provides a (Li, Na, K)(Nb, Ta, Sb)O3 type piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition excellent in the electric field-induced strain at the time of high electric field application. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive film of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator is a sintered body of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive ceramic composition comprises a perovskite type oxide comprising as A site elements, Li, Na, and K and as B site elements, Nb and Sb and having a ratio of the total number of atoms of the A site elements to the total number of atoms of the B site elements greater than 1 and not less than 1 mol % and not more than 10 mol % of the number of Sb atoms in the total number of atoms of the B site elements and a Mn compound added to said perovskite type oxide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coil-buried type inductor. The inductor comprises a conductive coil, a first fired ceramics body arranged at least in an area along an inner periphery of the coil, and a second fired ceramics body arranged so as to surround the entire of the coil along with the first fired ceramics body. The first fired ceramics body has porosity equal to or larger than 40 percent and smaller than 70 percent.