Composition and method

Abstract

A composition includes a sintered mass having a plurality of cores and a grain boundary layer disposed between each of the plurality of cores. The core includes a transition metal oxide, and grain boundary layer includes a sintering additive, a grain growth inhibitor additive and a grain boundary additive.

1 . A composition, comprising:
 a sintered mass having a plurality of cores;   a grain boundary layer disposed between each of the plurality of cores; and   wherein the core comprises a transition metal oxide, and the grain boundary layer comprises a sintering additive and a grain growth inhibitor additive.   
   
   
       2 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the transition metal oxide is zinc oxide. 
   
   
       3 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sintering additive comprises one or more material comprising lithium, antimony, bismuth, cobalt, manganese, or silicon. 
   
   
       4 . The composition as defined in  claim 3 , wherein the sintering additive is LiBiO 3 , Li 2 CO 3 , Mn 2 O 3 , MnO 2 , MnCO 3 , Sb 2 O 5 , or SiO 2 . 
   
   
       5 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the transition metal oxide is greater than about 80 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the sintered mass. 
   
   
       6 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the sintering additive is less than about 15 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the sintered mass. 
   
   
       7 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the grain growth inhibitor additive comprises one or more of SiO 2 , Sb 2 O 3 , CaO, Al 2 O 3 , MgO, or Fe 2 O 3 . 
   
   
       8 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the amount of the grain growth inhibitor additive is less than about 10 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the sintered mass. 
   
   
       9 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a grain boundary additive. 
   
   
       10 . The composition as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the grain boundary additive comprises CO 3 O 4 , Cr 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3 , Pr 2 O 3 , NiO, or SnO 2 . 
   
   
       11 . The composition as defined in  claim 8 , wherein the amount of the grain boundary additive is less than about 10 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the sintered mass. 
   
   
       12 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the composition is substantially free of CO 2 O 3 . 
   
   
       13 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an average distance from one core to an adjacent core in the plurality of cores is less than about 1 micrometer. 
   
   
       14 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the average diameter of the cores is less than about 1 micrometer. 
   
   
       15 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a mean value for the grain boundary layer is less than 50 nanometers. 
   
   
       16 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein an average distance from a grain boundary of one core to a grain boundary of an adjacent core in the sintered mass is less than about 1 micrometer. 
   
   
       17 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the average thickness of the grain boundary layer is less than about 400 nanometer. 
   
   
       18 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sintered mass has a dielectric strength or breakdown field of greater than about 0.5 kV/mm. 
   
   
       19 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sintered mass has a non-linearity coefficient (α) of greater than about 25. 
   
   
       20 . The composition as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the sintered mass has a thermal profile comprising exposure to a sinter temperature of less than about 1050 degrees Celsius. 
   
   
       21 . A composition comprising a sintered reaction product of:
 transition metal oxide particles having an average diameter less than about 1 micrometer;   sintering additive particles having an average diameter less than about 1 micrometer; and   grain growth inhibitor additive particles having an average diameter less than about 1 micrometer, wherein the sintered reaction product has a thermal history that is less than about 1050 degrees Celsius.   
   
   
       22 . A composition, comprising:
 a sintered mass of particles comprising the reaction product of a transition metal oxide, a sintering additive, and a grain growth inhibitor additive; and, wherein the sintered mass has a density greater than about 98 percent of theoretical density for a composition comprising the transition metal oxide.   
   
   
       23 . A composition, comprising:
 sintered particles comprising a transition metal oxide, a sintering additive, and a grain growth inhibitor additive and defining grains; and   the grains have grain boundaries that define the grains to have an average grain size of less than about 0.8 micrometers.