Abstract: An electronic cigarette comprising an atomizer is provided. The electronic cigarette includes an inner core assembly configured to receive liquid and provide the liquid through at least one opening in the inner core assembly. The inner core assembly includes a heater having a noncylindrical shape, in one embodiment having hexagonal shape in a sinusoidal wave pattern with rounded corners.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a silicon carbide-based honeycomb structure, including a firing step of introducing extruded honeycomb formed bodies containing a silicon carbide-based component, together with firing members into a firing furnace, and firing the honeycomb formed bodies, to manufacture the silicon carbide-based honeycomb structure, wherein the firing members are formed by using a ceramic material containing 70 wt % or more of alumina, and the firing step further includes: an inert gas supplying step of supplying an inert gas to a furnace space of the firing furnace, and a gas adding step of adding a reducing gas to the furnace space.

Abstract: A new Enhanced High Pressure Sintering (EHPS) method for making three-dimensional fully dense nanostructures and nano-heterostructures formed from nanoparticle powders, and three-dimensional fully dense nanostructures and nano-heterostructures formed using that method. A nanoparticle powder is placed into a reaction chamber and is treated at an elevated temperature under a gas flow to produce a cleaned powder. The cleaned powder is formed into a low density green compact which is then sintered at a temperature below conventional sintering temperatures to produce a fully dense bulk material having a retained nanostructure or nano-heterostructure corresponding to the nanostructure of the constituent nanoparticles. All steps are performed without exposing the nanoparticle powder to the ambient.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention is to provide an economical production technology for obtaining a dense boron carbide ceramic product without impairment to excellent mechanical properties, which boron carbide ceramics are inherently equipped with, by conducting heating under normal pressure without application of pressure and without needing addition of a large amount of a sintering additive to a raw material or needing any special additive or treatment. The present invention provides a production process in which, upon heating a boron carbide green body under normal pressure without application of pressure after pressing a boron carbide powder material to obtain the boron carbide green body, the boron carbide green body is heated with one of a powder, green body or sintered body, which contains at least one of aluminum and silicon, being disposed in a furnace.

Abstract: A target for sputtering or a tablet for ion plating, which enables to attain high rate film-formation and a nodule-less, an oxide sintered body suitable for obtaining the same and a production method therefor, and a transparent conductive film having low absorption of blue light and low specific resistance, obtained by using the same. It is provided by an oxide sintered body having indium and gallium as an oxide, characterized in that an In2O3 phase with a bixbyite-type structure forms a major crystal phase, and a GaInO3 phase of a ?-Ga2O3-type structure, or GaInO3 phase and a (Ga,In)2O3 phase is finely dispersed therein, as a crystal grain having an average particle diameter of equal to or smaller than 5 ?m, and a content of gallium is equal to or higher than 10% by atom and below 35% by atom as atom number ratio of Ga/(In+Ga) or the like.

Abstract: Optical quality doped polycrystalline lutetium aluminum garnet (LuAG) scintillator materials having a transmittance in the visible light spectrum greater than 75% and methods for producing same from aluminum oxide and doped lutetium oxide powders.

Abstract: An optical element is formed by vacuum-sintering a molded body of ceramic particles having an average particle diameter of 1 ?m or more and 10 ?m or less and including LnxAlyO[x+y]×1.5 (Ln represents a rare-earth element, 1?x?10, and 1?y?5). Ln preferably includes at least one kind selected from La, Gd, Yb, and Lu. The optical element preferably has a refractive index of 1.85 or more and 2.06 or less, and an Abbe number of 48 or more and 65 or less. The obtained optical element has optical properties of high refractive index and low dispersibility.

Abstract: An oxide sintered body includes indium oxide and gallium solid-solved therein, the oxide sintered body having an atomic ratio “Ga/(Ga+In)” of 0.001 to 0.12, containing indium and gallium in an amount of 80 atom % or more based on total metal atoms, and having an In2O3 bixbyite structure.

Abstract: A ZrO2—Al2O3 composite ceramic material having excellent wear resistance, hardness, strength and toughness is provided. This ceramic material comprises a ZrO2 phase composed of 90 vol % or more of tetragonal ZrO2, and containing 10 to 12 mol % of CeO2 as a stabilizer, and an Al2O3 phase. An amount of the Al2O3 phase in the ceramic material is in a range of 20 to 70 vol %, and preferably 40 to 70 vol %. In the composite ceramic material, Al2O3 grains each having a fine ZrO2 grain therein are dispersed. Some of the Al2O3 grains each having the fine ZrO2 grain therein are trapped within ZrO2 grains to form composite grains. A ratio of the number of the Al2O3 grains each having the fine ZrO2 grain therein relative to the number of the entire Al2O3 grains dispersed in the composite ceramic material is 10% or more, and preferably 50% or more.

Abstract: A hydrogen permeable membrane is disclosed. The membrane is prepared by forming a mixture of metal oxide powder and ceramic oxide powder and a pore former into an article. The article is dried at elevated temperatures and then sintered in a reducing atmosphere to provide a dense hydrogen permeable portion near the surface of the sintered mixture. The dense hydrogen permeable portion has a higher initial concentration of metal than the remainder of the sintered mixture and is present in the range of from about 20 to about 80 percent by volume of the dense hydrogen permeable portion.

Abstract: The process for producing, processing, sintering, pressing or extruding thermoelectric materials with heat treatment under inert gas or under reduced pressure at temperatures in the range from 100 to 900° C. comprises producing, processing, sintering, pressing or extruding in the presence of oxygen scavengers which form thermodynamically stable oxides in the presence of free oxygen under the production, processing, sintering, pressing or extrusion conditions and hence keep free oxygen away from the thermoelectric material.

Abstract: An insulating material high both in thermal conductivity and light reflectance, and a submount high in heat radiatability for mounting an LED element thereon, capable of raising a light utilization factor and quickly radiating heat generated from the element. For example, used as a substrate material of a submount is a nitride sintered body having a reflectance of light in the wavelength region of from 350 nm to 800 nm of 50% or more and a reflectance of light with a wavelength of 700 nm of 60% or more, obtained by sintering a preform consisting of a composition containing 100 parts by mass of aluminum nitride powder and 0.5 to 10 parts by mass of a compound containing an alkaline earth metal such as 3CaO×Al2O3 in an inert atmosphere containing a specific quantity of carbon vapor, or by burning a coat of a nitride paste applied on a base substrate having a heat resistance at a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: To improve jump characteristic of BaTiO3—(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3 material. There is provided a process for producing a semiconductive porcelain composition in which a part of Ba is substituted with Bi—Na, the process including a step of preparing a (BaQ)TiO3 calcined powder (in which Q is a semiconductor dopant), a step of preparing a (BiNa)TiO3 calcined powder, a step of mixing the (BaQ)TiO3 calcined powder and the (BiNa)TiO3 calcined powder, a step of molding and sintering the mixed calcined powder, and a step of heat-treating the obtained sintered body at 600° C. or lower; and a PCT heater employing the element prepared by the above steps.

Abstract: The present method uses a methane-containing nitrogen gas sintering atmosphere to sinter aluminum nitride (AlN) to a high transmittance. The methane gas replaces the solid carbon charge material used in prior art sintering methods as the source of gaseous carbon. The amount of carbon in the methane-containing nitrogen gas is easily controlled by varying the partial pressure of methane in the nitrogen gas. In addition, the methane flow is stopped prior to the end of the sintering cycle to prevent darkening of the sintered part.

Abstract: A dielectric green sheet containing a dielectric ceramic powder, conductor green sheets containing a metal powder, and firing-assisting green sheets containing an inorganic oxide material powder are prepared, and the firing-assisting green sheet, the conductor green sheet, the dielectric green sheet, another conductor green sheet, and another firing-assisting green sheets are stacked in that order to prepare a laminate. The laminate is then fired. During firing, the bonding strength of the interfaces between the conductor green sheets and the firing-assisting green sheets is decreased and the oxygen partial pressure of the firing atmosphere is changed at least once so that the capacitor portion is separated from the firing-assisting green sheets. In this manner, a method for manufacturing thin film capacitor by which a high-reliability thin film capacitor can be produced at high efficiency and low cost without adversely affecting the characteristics of the thin film capacitor.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a precursor ceramic by pyrolysis of elementorganic precursor polymers, carbon nanotubes are bonded to the precursor ceramic and the bonding is performed in such a way that the quantity of free carbon forming in the decomposition of the elementorganic precursor polymers is adjusted in such a way that there is a stoichiometric or moderately hypostoichiometric carbon concentration in the precursor ceramic.

Abstract: A fluid pumping system that includes a motor and a pump, wherein an output shaft of the motor is directly coupled to an input shaft of the pump. This coupling between the output shaft of the motor and the input shaft of the pump may be the primary mechanism for coupling the motor to the pump. Such a configuration may be called a “floating pump mount”, because the pump is primarily coupled to the motor via the shaft connection. As a result of this connection, the output shaft of the motor may be naturally “aligned” with the input shaft of the pump. To help prevent the pump from freely rotating with the output shaft of the motor during operation, a rotational stop mechanism may be provided. The rotational stop mechanism may include at least one resilient member for absorbing or substantially absorbing at least some of any relative movement between the pump and the motor.

Abstract: A thermal method of making a hydrogen permeable composition is disclosed. A mixture of metal oxide powder and ceramic oxide powder and optionally a pore former is formed and pressed to form an article. The article is dried at elevated temperatures and then sintered in a reducing atmosphere to provide a dense hydrogen permeable portion near the surface of the sintered mixture. The dense hydrogen permeable portion has a higher initial concentration of metal than the remainder of the sintered mixture and is present in the range of from about 20 to about 80 percent by volume of the dense hydrogen permeable portion.

Abstract: Disclosed are an indium (In) zinc (Zn) oxide based sputtering target, a method of manufacturing the same, and an In Zn oxide based thin film deposited using the In Zn oxide based sputtering target. The In Zn oxide based sputtering target has a composition of (MO2)x(In2O3)y(ZnO)z, in which x:y is about 1:0.01 to 1:1, y:z is about 1:0.1 to 1:10, and M is at least one metal selected from a group consisting of hafnium (Hf), zirconium (Zr), and titanium (Ti).

Abstract: An insulating material high both in thermal conductivity and light reflectance, and a submount high in heat radiatability for mounting an LED element thereon, capable of raising a light utilization factor and quickly radiating heat generated from the element. For example, used as a substrate material of a submount is a nitride sintered body having a reflectance of light in the wavelength region of from 350 nm to 800 nm of 50% or more and a reflectance of light with a wavelength of 700 nm of 60% or more, obtained by sintering a preform consisting of a composition containing 100 parts by mass of aluminum nitride powder and 0.5 to 10 parts by mass of a compound containing an alkaline earth metal such as 3CaO×Al2O3 in an inert atmosphere containing a specific quantity of carbon vapor, or by burning a coat of a nitride paste applied on a base substrate having a heat resistance at a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing sputtering targets comprises the following steps of: 1. wet milling: mixing and grinding indium-tin oxide (ITO) powders, a sintering aid agent, a binder agent, and additive agent by wet milling method; 2. granulation: drying the mixed and grinded mixtures to form granulated ITO powers; 3. shaping: granulated ITO powders into rough-shaped green bodies by using dry pressing; 4. strengthening: strengthening the rough-shaped green bodies by using the cold isostatic pressing; 5. dewaxing: putting rough-shaped green bodies into a high-temperature furnace to remove the additive agent so as to obtain dewaxed green bodies; and 6. sintering: putting the dewaxed green bodies into an controlled atmosphere furnace and sintering the dewaxed green bodies at a gas pressure ranged from 1.1 atm to 1.9 atm. By using the above-mentioned steps, the high-density ITO sputtering targets are obtained.

Abstract: Improved silicon carbide powder is prepared by carbothermal reduction of silica by introducing ?-SiC powder simultaneously with iron in the starting composition resulting into a precursor powder which after complete reduction contains at least 90% SiC preferably rich in the ?-phase. The main advantage, among others, is cost effectiveness. Silicon carbide powder finds wide usage in the manufacture of products suitable for refractory and engineering applications.

Abstract: A method of producing a multilayer ceramic electronic device, having a firing step for firing a pre-firing element body wherein a plurality of dielectric layers and internal electrode layers containing a base metal are alternately arranged, characterized in that the firing step has a temperature raising step for raising a temperature to a firing temperature, and hydrogen is continued to be introduced from a point in time of the temperature raising step. According to the method, it is possible to provide a method of producing a multilayer ceramic electronic device, such as a multilayer ceramic capacitor, wherein shape anisotropy and other structural defaults are hard to occur and electric characteristics are improved while suppressing deterioration thereof even if dielectric layers becomes thinner and stacked more.

Abstract: A rare earth garnet sintered compact which is produced by subjecting a rare earth garnet powder such as YAG to a pre-sintering, sintering the pre-sintered product by HIP, and annealing the sintered product at 1100° C. to 1600° C. in a whole oxygen atmosphere under a whole pressure of 4.5 MPa or more, and has an average crystallite diameter of 0.9 to 9 ?m, an optical loss coefficient of 0.002 cm?1 or less and a strain of a transmitted wave of 0.05 ? cm?1 or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a sintered body comprising as a basic component aluminum magnesium titanate represented by the composition formula: MgxAl2(1?x)Ti(1+x)O5 wherein the value of x is 0.1?x<1. The process comprises a step of sintering a formed product from a raw material mixture comprising 100 parts by weight, calculated on an oxide basis, of a mixture comprising a Mg-containing compound, an Al-containing compound and a Ti-containing compound at the same metal component ratio as the metal component ratio of Mg, Al and Ti in the above composition formula, and 1–10 parts by weight of an alkali feldspar represented by the composition formula: (NayK1?y)AlSi3O8 wherein the value of y is 0?y?1.

Abstract: This invention provides a stacked ceramic body that prevents reaction between components of dielectric layers and components of electrode layers of an unsintered stacked body during sintering and in which both components do not easily form a liquid phase, and a production method of such a stacked ceramic body. A print portion 13 is formed on a green sheet 1, 12 containing lead by use of an electrode paste consisting of copper oxide as its main component. A desired number of print sheets 10 are stacked to give an unsintered stacked body 15. Degreasing is conducted in an atmosphere to degrease organic components. The print portion 13 is subjected to reducing treatment in a reducing atmosphere containing hydrogen and is converted to a print portion 13 containing copper as its main component. The unsintered stacked body 15 is sintered in a reducing atmosphere.

Abstract: According to a known method for producing a component by means of a powdery starting material, powder is mixed with auxiliaries comprising binding agents, whereby a free-flowing mass is produced. A green body is produced from the mass by means of powder injection moulding. A portion of the auxiliaries is extracted by heating the green body in a container and exposing said body to a stream of solvents. The green body is sintered, whereby the component is produced. The aim of the invention is to enable fast and gentle extraction for releasing green bodies which are produced by means of powder injection moulding. According to the invention, the extraction comprises a heating-up phase during which the temperature of the green body is permanently or gradually increased and the green body is overflown by solvent in the form of a compressed, supercritical treatment gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an aluminum-titanate-based sintered body comprising the step of firing, at 1250 to 1700° C., a formed product prepared from a raw material mixture containing 100 parts by weight of a mixture of TiO2 and Al2O3 in a weight ratio of TiO2:Al2O3=40:60 to 60:40, and 1 to 15 parts by weight of an alkali feldspar represented by the formula:(NaxK1-x)AlSi3O8 wherein 0?x?1. According to the process of the present invention, it is possible to obtain an aluminum-titanate-based sintered body in which inherent properties of an aluminum titanate, i.e., a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high corrosion resistance are maintained, the mechanical strength thereof is improved, and which can be stably used even under high temperature conditions.

Abstract: A ceramic arc tube assembly and a method for making a ceramic arc tube are described which simplify the manufacture of ceramic arc tubes by reducing the number of handling and heat treatments required to assemble arc tubes prior to the final sintering operation. In particular, the invention uses transient assembly buttons during intermediate assembly steps which are removed prior to the final sintering operation.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for producing a stacked ceramic body that does not require strict control of an oxygen partial pressure in a sintering gas. To produce a stacked ceramic body by alternately stacking dielectric layer and electrode layers, an unsintered stacked body 2 is prepared by alternately stacking unsintered dielectric layers containing a PZT type dielectric material and unsintered electrode layers containing an electrode material, and is sintered in a sintering gas to which a dielectric layer anti-reducing agent 21 and an electrode layer anti-oxidant 22 are introduced. Alternatively, sintering is conducted in a gas containing only the dielectric layer anti-reducing agent 21 or in a gas containing only the electrode layer anti-oxidant 22.

Abstract: A mask suitable for protecting a portion of a substrate surface against diffusion coating of the substrate with a metal, which mask comprises a ceramic material comprising silica and an inert refractory diluent and a metal or metal alloy, wherein the metal or metal alloy is one which is reactive with silicon thereby minimising or preventing siliconisation of the substrate with silicon in the ceramic material under conditions of diffusion coating, and which is reactive with the metal being applied by diffusion coating thereby preventing diffusion coating of the portion of the substrate surface it is desired to protect.

Abstract: A method to obtain a refractory carbide-based composite material, in particular as an article of a predetermined shape includes the following steps: molding of a porous blank from a mixture of powders of at least one carbide-forming metal and/or non-metal and at least one carbide, the amount of carbide component in the mixture of powders not exceeding 90%, heat treating the obtained porous blank in a hydrocarbonous atmosphere containing one or more hydrocarbons until the increase in its mass reaches 2-42%, thereby obtaining a semi-product, and heating the obtained semi-product in a non-oxidizing medium at a temperature of 1000-2000° C.

Abstract: A nuclear fuel sintered body is produced from a powder which contains at least one fissile heavy metal oxide. During the further treatment of the powder over the course of the process preceding the sintering operation, a dopant that contains at least 100 ppm of an iron oxide compound is added to the powder. The powder is a UO2-containing powder obtained from a dry-chemical conversion process, and if appropriate, a powder which contains further fissile heavy metal oxide (U3O8, PuO2, inter alia). As a result, the sintered body is provided with high plasticity combined, at the same time, with a large grain size. This advantageously reduces an interaction between the nuclear fuel sintered body and a fuel rod cladding tube during an operation of the reactor.

Abstract: A method for casting Y2O3 has steps of adding an acid to a slurry comprising at least a ceramic material having a purity of an Y2O3 being 99 wt % or more with an average particle diameter of 2 &mgr;m or less, water, a binder and a dispersant so that a pH value can be adjusted ranging from 8.5 to 10.5 and injecting the slurry into a mold.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to lower the sintering temperature required for a sintered body of yttrium-aluminum garnet, to improve the corrosion resistance of the sintered body and to prevent the reduction of the transmittance thereof. A sintered body of yttrium-aluminum garnet is produced from a source compound for yttrium and a source compound for aluminum using aluminum nitride as a sintering aid. It maybe considered that aluminum nitride reacts with alumina and yttria to generate liquid phase and to reduce the sintering temperature during the sintering process.

Abstract: A method for making a monolithic piezoelectric ceramic element having high mechanical strength, excellent piezoelectricity, and high reliability is disclosed. The method includes the steps of applying a conductive paste including a conductor containing Ag as a principal ingredient to ceramic green sheets comprising a piezoelectric ceramic material containing a Pb compound, stacking the ceramic green sheets to form a laminate, and firing the laminate in an atmosphere with an oxygen concentration of about 90% by volume or more during the heating period and with an oxygen concentration of about 5% to 15% by volume during the isothermal period and during the cooling period.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a piezoelectric ceramic device having excellent piezoelectric characteristics and high reliability is described. The method includes the steps of coating conductive paste containing Ag as a main component on each of a plurality of ceramic green sheets each containing a piezoelectric ceramic material, laminating the plurality of ceramic green sheets to form a laminate, and burning the laminate under an atmospheric condition in which the oxygen concentrations in a heating process and a retention process are about 21% by volume or more, and the oxygen concentration in a cooling process is about 0.05% by volume to 3% by volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing high-density, translucent, scintillator ceramics by means of a pressure-less sintering carried out at an elevated temperature. According to the method, particles of a MOS composition are prepared using a specific wet milling method whereby being reduced, in particular, to a particle size of less than 10 &mgr;m. The particles are compacted to form compacted bodies with green densities of up to 50% and higher. The sintering is carried out under specific sintering parameters.

Abstract: A ceramic arc tube assembly and a method for making a ceramic arc tube are described which simplify the manufacture of ceramic arc tubes by reducing the number of handling and heat treatments required to assemble arc tubes prior to the final sintering operation. In particular, the invention uses transient assembly buttons during intermediate assembly steps which are removed prior to the final sintering operation.

Abstract: A neutron absorbent material and a process for manufacturing said material, the neutron absorbent material having great resistance to mechanical damage and more particularly great resistance to crack propagation, which material contains boron carbide and hafnium in the form of powders of fine grain size, and with the manufacturing process it is possible, by reactive sintering of the two powders, to obtain a boron carbide based material having hafnium boride strata, which process comprises a step consisting of mixing boron carbide and hafnium and a reactive sintering step of the mixture obtained.

Abstract: A method for advantageously producing sintered eutectic ceramics having a homogenous and dense structure, in particular, a eutectic containing a rare earth aluminate compound. The method allows eutectic powder of alumina and a rare earth aluminate compound to stand at a temperature of 1300-1700° C. for 1-120 minutes under vacuum or in an non-oxidative atmosphere under a pressure of 5-100 MPa using a spark plasma sintering apparatus, thereby causing crystal growth to occur to obtain a rare earth aluminate eutectic structure crystal.

Abstract: The invention comprises ferroelectric vapor deposition targets and to methods of making ferroelectric vapor deposition targets. In one implementation, a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target has a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron, and has a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density. In one implementation, a method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target includes positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity. The prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately includes individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers. The prereacted ferroelectric powder is hot pressed within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape having a density of at least about 95% of maximum theoretical density and a predominate maximum grain size which is less than or equal to 1.0 micron.

Abstract: A method of forming Sarira is disclosed. The present method employs bone ash being introduced to a melting aid to form phosphate ceramic material.

Abstract: A WC-based composite ceramics sintered body consisting of 40 volume % to 90 volume % of WC including solid-solved oxygen represented by a chemical formula of WCxOy (where 0.005<y/x+y<0.05), with the remainder being partially stabilized ZrO2 and inevitable impurities, wherein partially stabilized ZrO2 includes one or more of stabilizers selected from the group consisting of Y2O3, CeO2 and MgO. A prepared powder of raw material is held in an atmosphere containing oxygen in a temperature range of 200° C. to 600° C. for 0.1 hour to 3 hours to provide WC grains including solid-solved oxygen represented by a chemical formula of WCxOy (where 0.005<y/x+y<0.05). Partially stabilized Zro2 including one or more of stabilizers selected from the group consisting of Y2O3, CeO2 and MgO is used as a phase for filling up the grain boundary of the WC grains.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an alumina-based ceramic includes sintering a powder compact of an iron-containing alumina powder in an atmosphere (N2, 95 N2-5 H2, H2) of a relatively low oxygen partial pressure, and annealing in an atmosphere (80 N2-20 O2, O2) higher in oxygen partial pressure than the sintering atmosphere to provide an alumina-based ceramic with a grain-boundary migration layer on a surface thereof. The resulting undulated grain boundaries on the surface layer suppress and deflect the crack propagation, thereby improving the short-crack toughness. The formation of a grain-boundary migration layer on the surface of an alumina-based ceramic brings about a great improvement in short-crack related properties, including durability and wear resistance.

Abstract: A BaTiO3-type semiconducting ceramic material which has undergone firing in a reducing atmosphere and re-oxidation, wherein the relative density of the ceramic material after sintering is about 85-90%. A process for producing the semiconducting ceramic material of the present invention and a thermistor containing the semiconducting ceramic material are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing an aluminum-titanate-based sintered body comprising the step of firing, at 1250 to 1700° C., a formed product prepared from a raw material mixture containing 100 parts by weight of a mixture of TiO2 and Al2O3 in a weight ratio of TiO2:Al2O3=40:60 to 60:40, and 1 to 15 parts by weight of an alkali feldspar represented by the formula:(NaxK1-x)AlSi3O8 wherein 0≦x≦1.

Abstract: A continuous process for the manufacture of a ceramic sintered compact wherein the process comprises the steps of: forming a green compact from a powder mixture comprising a first component comprising compounds which contain elements of silicon, aluminum, oxygen and nitrogen; and the powder mixture further comprising a second component comprising a compound of at least one element selected from the group consisting of yttrium, scandium, cerium, lanthanum and the metals of the lanthanide series, and the second component comprising between 0.1 and 10 weight percent of the powder mixture; heat treating the green compact wherein the heat treatment comprises continuously passing the green compact through at least one heating zone so as to produce a sintered compact.

Abstract: The invention comprises ferroelectric vapor deposition targets and to methods of making ferroelectric vapor deposition targets. In one implementation, a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target has a predominate grain size of less than or equal to 1.0 micron, and has a density of at least 95% of maximum theoretical density. In one implementation, a method of making a ferroelectric physical vapor deposition target includes positioning a prereacted ferroelectric powder within a hot press cavity. The prereacted ferroelectric powder predominately includes individual prereacted ferroelectric particles having a maximum straight linear dimension of less than or equal to about 100 nanometers. The prereacted ferroelectric powder is hot pressed within the cavity into a physical vapor deposition target of desired shape having a density of at least about 95% of maximum theoretical density and a predominate maximum grain size which is less than or equal to 1.0 micron.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for preparing a sintered body comprising as a basic component aluminum magnesium titanate represented by the composition formula: MgxAl2(1?x)Ti(1+x)O5 wherein the value of x is 0.1?x<1. The process comprises a step of sintering a formed product from a raw material mixture comprising 100 parts by weight, calculated on an oxide basis, of a mixture comprising a Mg-containing compound, an Al-containing compound and a Ti-containing compound at the same metal component ratio as the metal component ratio of Mg, Al and Ti in the above composition formula, and 1–10 parts by weight of an alkali feldspar represented by the composition formula: (NayK1?y)AlSi3O8 wherein the value of y is 0?y?1.