Abstract: A method and apparatus for flattening a ceramic body comprised primarily of an aluminum nitride system having a liquid phase additive necessary for low temperature sintering during a firing thereof is disclosed. The ceramic body is referred to as an aluminum nitride multilayer ceramic (AlN MLC). The method and apparatus include a support tile having a first coating on a contact surface thereof, the AlN MLC for being placed upon the contact surface of the support tile. A load flattening tile having a second coating on a contact surface thereof is provided, the load flattening tile for being placed with its coated surface upon and in contact with the AlN MLC. Lastly, a furnace is provided for heating the support tile, AlN MLC, and load flattening tile at temperatures greater than 1500.degree. C.

Abstract: For the production of sintered lanthanum manganite bodies, such as tubes for solid oxide fuel cell air electrodes, there is used extrudable lanthanum manganite paste having a pH of not less than 8, of a dried unfired extruded lanthanum manganite body formed of material having a pH, measured by grinding the material and diluting with water, of at least 7.3. Providing alkalinity in such a paste or body reduces crack formation and increases productivity.

Abstract: A single cell unit of a solid oxide fuel cell that is individually fabricated and sintered prior to being connected to adjacent cells to form a solid oxide fuel cell. The single cell unit is comprised of a shaped anode sheet positioned between a flat anode sheet and an anode-electrolyte-cathode (A/E/C) sheet, and a shaped cathode sheet positioned between the A/E/C sheet and a cathode-interconnect-anode (C/I/A) sheet. An alternate embodiment comprises a shaped cathode sheet positioned between an A/E/C sheet and a C/I/A sheet. The shaped sheets form channels for conducting reactant gases. Each single cell unit is individually sintered to form a finished sub-assembly. The finished sub-assemblies are connected in electrical series by interposing connective material between the end surfaces of adjacent cells, whereby individual cells may be inspected for defects and interchanged with non-defective single cell units.

Abstract: An electrode for an electric double layer capacitor in which resin is used as a starting material and the manufacturing cost is low and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A method of manufacturing an electrode for an electric double layer capacitor containing carbonized resin includes heating resin at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature for finishing endothermic reaction of the resin upon melting (softening to be fluidized) of the resin and equal to or lower than the temperature for starting oxidizing reaction in an atmosphere of a pressure range of 0.

Abstract: A method of producing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film element is disclosed. The film element includes a zirconia substrate having a window which is closed by a diaphragm portion, and a piezoelectric or electrostrictive unit formed on the substrate and including a piezoelectric or electrostrictive layer between upper and lower electrodes. The method comprises the steps of: (a) preparing the substrate which has been sintered and in which at least the diaphragm portion contains alumina in an amount of 1.1-5.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a lead having an electrode includes the steps of introducing a substrate into a mold, creating a negative pressure in the mold, injecting a slurry comprising a binder and a conductive particulate material into the mold cavity during the step of creating negative pressure in the mold cavity, heating the mold having the substrate and the particulate material in an oven to cojoin the particulates and thereby form an electrode, removing the mold from the oven, removing the electrode from the mold, and assembling the electrode into a lead. The produced lead may be used as a steroid eluting pacing cardiac lead.

Abstract: To a ceramic green sheet for a substrate, in which holes for throughholes were formed, a ceramic connecting paste is printed so that a plurality of non-printed portions corresponding to a disposition pattern of a plurality of inner spaces are formed, and a connecting layer for dividing a space into sections is formed so that the connecting paste is not present in portions where the plurality of inner spaces are formed. Then, a thin ceramic green sheet for a diaphragm plate the thin diaphragm plate, is superposed on the connecting layer to obtain a laminate, and the laminate is fired to obtain a unitary multidiaphragm structure. The method provides a multidiaphragm structure free from exfoliation of a laminated layer caused between laminated green sheets and free from deformation of a diaphragm portion caused by punching or handling.

Abstract: A porous sintered lanthanum manganite body has an alkali metal content of at least 100 ppm and the alkali metal concentration in the lanthanum manganite crystal grains is higher adjacent the grain boundaries than away from the grain boundaries. The body is made by forming a shaped green body of material and firing the shaped green body, the sinterable material has a content of alkali metal of at least 100 ppm. The sintered body has improved strength, and is suitable for example as an air electrode of a solid oxide fuel cell.

Abstract: An insulation layer system, in particular for gas sensors, is proposed, having at least one electrically conductive solid-electrolyte layer (10), an electrically conductive layer (20) and at least one electrically insulating layer (13) between the solid-electrolyte layer (10) and the electrically conductive layer (20). The material of the insulating layer (13) contains, prior to sintering, pentavalent metal oxides of niobium or tantalum as an additive, it being possible for the additive to diffuse into the adjoining solid-electrolyte layer (10) during sintering.

Abstract: A process for assembling a porous ceramic coating to a substrate comprising: forming a ceramic matrix tape including a first ceramic powder having a first full density sintering temperature, a second ceramic powder having a second full density sintering temperature and a fugitive filler material; placing the ceramic matrix tape on the substrate; and heating the ceramic matrix tape and substrate to a sintering temperature above the first full density sintering temperature and below the second full density sintering temperature, wherein the fugitive filler material decomposes during said heating.

Abstract: Components whose palladium metal-containing constituent is not subject to delamination and which exhibit very good dielectric properties are obtained by means of a method of manufacturing a ceramic electronic component. The ceramic electronic component is essentially composed of a dielectric oxide ceramic and at least one palladium-containing component, and is obtained by firing and sintering of a green body containing an organic binder with the firing process including a first step in which the binder is removed from the binder-containing green body by means of a water-gas reaction in a water vapor-containing, essentially oxygen-free, atmosphere at temperatures between 20.degree. and 880 .degree. C., and a second step in which the dielectric oxide ceramic is re-oxidized in an atmosphere having an oxygen content of 10 to 100% by volume at a temperature in the range from 880 .degree. C. to 900 .degree. C.

Abstract: The ceramic cooking container fabricating method of the invention includes the steps of: (a) material preparation to prepare material from clay; (b) shape pressing to prepare a green cooking container and a green annular supporting cushion from the material thus obtained and to cover the green cooking container with a layer of glaze; and (c) firing to make an annular groove on the bottom side of the green cooking container, then to put the green annular supporting cushion and the green cooking container on the silicon carbide plate in a kiln, permitting the annular groove of the green cooking container to be supported on the green annular cushion, and then to fire the green cooking container and the green annular supporting cushion at about 135.degree. C. for a predetermined length of time, and then to fasten electrically conductive annular membranes to the bottom side of the cooking container so as to obtain a finished ceramic cooking container.

Abstract: A method of producing a cylindrical piezoelectric element includes:(a) injecting the molding fluid containing calcined powder of piezoelectric material in a mold having cylindrical cavity and wire-shaped core inserted therein;(b) heating to dry the molding fluid injected in the mold so as to obtain cylindrical member;(d) removing cylindrical member from the mold; and(e) sintering the cylindrical member to obtain a piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a high-activity cermet electrode which is applied on an exhaust gas sensor including an oxygen ion conducting solid electrolyte, which is composed of a cermet material composed of at least one catalytically active material and at least one oxygen ion conducting ceramic material, which is bonded to the solid electrolyte of the exhaust sensor by co-sintering the cermet electrode and the solid electrolyte at a temperature ranging from 1300.degree. to 1600.degree. C. to provide a porous cermet electrode, and which contains at least one further catalytically active material which is embedded in the pores of the porous cermet electrode after co-sintering, the method including bonding together an unsintered solid electrolyte which conducts oxygen ions and a cermet electrode by co-sintering at from 1300.degree. to 1600.degree. C. to provide a porous cermet electrode; and subsequently introducing at least one further catalytically active material into pores of the porous cermet electrode.

Abstract: A measuring electrode and a reference plate are formed on the front and rear surfaces, respectively, of the electrolytic plate. The vent plate is provided with a vent channel. The heater base comprises a heating element. The electrolytic plate is made of a green sheet of zirconium oxide consisting of 5 to 7 molar % Y.sub.2 O.sub.3 and 0 to 5 parts by weight of aluminum oxide. The average particle diameter of the zirconium oxide powder is less than 2.0 .mu.m. The green sheet of zirconium oxide has a thickness of 50 to 300 .mu.m. The heater base is made of a green sheet of aluminum oxide consisting of aluminum oxide powder having an average particle diameter of less than 1.0 .mu.m and 0 to 10 parts by weight of zirconium oxide or yttria-stabilized zirconium oxide. The green sheet of aluminum oxide is at least 4 times the thickness of the green sheet of zirconium oxide. To complete the oxygen sensor, these four components are sintered together at 1300.degree. to 1600.degree. C. to be integrated.

Abstract: The invention relates to composite systems having at least two layers which comprise different inorganic, ceramic phases and are produced by cosintering of different, finely divided inorganic materials arranged in layers. The composite systems are characterized in that at least two adjacent layers comprise a dense phase largely free of macropores. The layers are durably bonded to one another by sintering together of particles of the different materials at the phase boundary or boundaries. The composite systems and the processes for the production thereof are used, for example, in the manufacture of gas sensors.

Abstract: Enhancement of mechanical properties of ceramic membranes by introduction of a uniformly distributed high-temperature oxidation-resistant metal phase into the brittle ceramic phase to achieve mechanically strong ceramic/metal composites operable in an oxidation atmosphere and at elevated temperatures.