The research on advanced structural ceramics for 40 years in China has been reviewed. The research trends on advanced structural ceramics, that are multiphase composed ceramics, nanoceramics as well as ceramic materials designing and tailoring, are introduced. The performances of ceramic components for engine are given in detail, even for other applications. Based on the considerable problems of ceramic research, the suggestions of the research of these materials in next century are proposed.

It is an important goal of solid state ionics to increase the conductivity of electrolyte materials. Mixing some ionic conductors and oxide ceramic together to form composite electrolyte, at most cases,can enhance materials conductivity. The conduction mechanism and recent progress of these inorganic-salt-oxide composite materials were reviewed.

Based on the variation of spontaneous polarization Ps of ferroelectrics under applied electric field,temperature and stress,a concept of composite functional effect that different kinds of materials with different functional effects can be composed together to find a new material by multilayer and thin film integrated technologies was proposed to design new intelligent materials and devices. The principle demonstration and experimental results of a pyroelectric voltage transformer showed that this assumption is reasonable and feasible。

The space high temperature oxide crystal growth process was observed and recorded realtimely by means of the space high temperature in-situ
observation facility. This facility has a lot of prominent characteristics, such as automatically photo-focusing lens, multi-working position,
automatically recording image etc. The temperature distribution in high temperature melt was measured by setting different control-temperature
procedure, in the meantime, the boundary shape varying of high temperature oxide crystal and the fluid state of melt in its ambience were analysed,
it was the first time that the even diffuse phenomenon of high temperature solute and the complete cellulation formation in high temperature solution
in space were visualized. In the last, the space experimental results were compared with the ground experimental results under the same growth
condition of technology, for explaining the effect of gravitational convection and surface tension convection under micro-gravity conditions
on the crystal growth in space.

The growth rate of each face was determined by the crystallographic orientations of anionic coordinations such as [PO₄]^3- and [CaP₆O₂₄]¹⁶-
in phosphate crystals and the stability of their combining with octahedral [ClCa₆]¹¹⁺. According to the crystal habit of appearance for each face in
phosphorite, the crystallographic orientation should be paid a great attention to the growth of phosphorite for its application on artificial joints. The
phosphorite grown in direction parallel with the c-axis will promote the recovery of bones in the human body.

Densified TiC-Ni functionally gradient material was produced by hot pseudo isostatic pressing just after self-propagating high-temperature synthesis.Ni composition varies continuosly and gradiently along the thickness of the reacted sample, remarkbly different from stepwise type before SHS.TiC particle sizes get smaller with Ni content increasing.Hardness values(HRA)and relative density of the gradient material also change with Ni contents.

Polyelectrolyte dispersants NH₄PAA and NH₄PMAA were synthesized by controlling proper reaction parameters.Isotherm adsorption and IR spectra of Y-TZP suspensions indicated that optimum content of dispersant was 2 wt% at pH 10. Surface structure was obviously affected by the absorbed polymer.The zeta potential and rheology of Y-TZP suspensions were investigated. Low viscosity Y-TZP suspensions with a solids loading of 47 vol% was obtained by adding NH₄PAA as dispersant.

The electrophoretic and rheological properties of nano-zirconia slurries containing high concentrations of the electrolytes (NaCl, NH₄Cl,
(NH₄)₂CO₃) were studied. It was indicated that zeta potential of zirconia slurries decreases when increasing the concentration of the electrolytes,
but the isoelectric point (IEP) of the slurries is basically invariable. The IEP of zirconia slurries is different while in different species of
electrolytes. An attractive, connective particle network is present with the addition of salt ions and induces to the thixotropy of the slurry. High solid
content slurries are more sensitive to the salt ions expressed in the decreasing of critical coagulationconcentration. Hence, the existence of electrolytes is disadvantageous to the preparation of high solid content slurries but can
promote coagulation of the slurries.

The preparation of ZnAl Layered Double Hydroxide [ZnAl-LDH] was studied. ZnAl-LDH was synthesized by the methods of variable and constant pH respectively
with the materials of Zn(NO₃)₂, Al(NO₃)₃, NaOH. The effects of each factor on preparation of LDH were disscused systematically by XRD and TG--TDA
data. It was showed that single LDH with high crystallinity can be prepared at the test conditions without N₂ gas protection. 80℃, 2h reflux treatment can
be replaced by 115℃, 2h hydrothermal treatment. Zn/Al ratio veries with different pH values. The amount of water localized in the interlayers is related to Zn/Al ratio. Among the
factors, pH value is the most effective.

A group of coatings with iridium oxide as conducting component, and tantalum oxide as inert oxide, were deposited on titanium, and
their microstructural properties examined as well as their electrocatalytic activity and anodic stability tested. The coating activity varied with the amount
of needle crystal of IrO₂ and with the constitution of IrO₂-TiO₂ solide solvent. The influence of tantalum oxide in the coatings
on their accelarated service life was found to be great when the coatings were prepared at high oxidizing temperatures.

Electrochromic characteristics of nickel oxide film in Li⁺ containing electrolyte under nonstrict anhydrous conditions
were studied, the amount of injected Li⁺ ions was analysed quantitatively with Auger electron spectrum, the property of Li⁺ injection of the film
was studied with galvanostatic method, the voltammogamm properties and the stability of the film in Li⁺ contaning electrolyte were also studied.
Particularly, the influence of water impurities in the electrolyte on the voltommogamm and the electrochromic characteristics of the film was studied
and the results show that when the water impurities are less than 5%, the injected charge and transmittance modulation range are nearly unaffected.

The preparing process of TiO₂ superfine particles from homegeneous solutions was investigated by a new instrument designed
(China patent). The effect of pH, concenteration of reactant, anions present on the characteristics of final products was discussed, and
rutile TiO₂ particles about 100nm were obtained. With this instrument, the hydrolysis process can directly be recorded. The beginning time (t₁)
and temperature (T₁) of hydrolysis, the parameters of I/I₀ (generated nucleus concentration), Δ T (nucleus-forming temperature range),
Δ t (nucleus-forming time range) can also be recorded. The relationship between generated nucleus concentration and temperature, time in
different conditions was obtained. It is shown that the changes of reactant concentration and pH values, anion cause the variety of t₁, T₁, Δ t,
Δ T. The characteristics (size, crystalline) of the product depend on these parameters. The higher the beginning temperature of the hydrolysis,
and the narrower the temperature range, the faster the hydrolysis reaction, the smaller the particles size and the more difficult the crystalline transforming.

The thermal expansion coefficient of fluosilicate glass-ceramics is mainly affected by the crystal phases and their amount.Diopside crystals in fluosilicate glass-ceramics tend to lower thermal expansion coefficient, while richterite crystals in fluosilicate glass-ceramics tend to increase thermal expansion coefficient.The lowest thermal edpansion coefficient of K₂O-MgO-SiO₂-CaF₂ fluosilicate glass-ceramics is 78.4×10^-7(20-300℃), while the highest thermal expansion coefficient of this glass-ceramics is 85.6×10^-7(20-300℃)

The effect of droplet-like phase-separation on nucleation was studied by HREM and other analysis methods for K₂O-MgO-Al₂O₃-O₂ glass system containing fluorine or zirconium.It was observed that the nucleation began in the droplet phase firstly.The effect of phase-separation on nucleation,bulk nucleated crystallization and sequence of crystallization was analysed by means of Selected area electron diffraction,lattice fringes analysis and calculating distance between two crystal planes.

The Al₂O₃-ZrO₂(3Y)-SiC composite powders were made by the heterogeneous precipitation method. For getting dense sintered body, the selection of the calcining temperatures was important. The addition of ZrO₂ did not
change the hot-pressing sinter temperatures, and the dense bodies could be got at 1700℃. Nano SiC particles were uniformly located in Al₂O₃
grains because of the transformation of Al₂O₃ from γ phase to α phase. Larger ZrO₂ particles were located among Al₂O₃
grains, and little spherical ZrO₂ particles were located in Al₂O₃ grains. Some Al₂O₃ grains were no-equiaxed. The strength of Al₂O₃-SiC
nanocomposites was 555MPa, toughness was 3.8 MPa·m^1/2.

The property of BaTiO₃ nano powder prepared by the sol-gel method at different pH values was investigated.The effect of pH value on gel formation and aggregates was discussed with double electric layer theory and reaction mechanism.The optimal preparing condition of the powder was proposed (pH>8).

Carbon-coated Fe nanocrystals were produced by d.c. carbon arc method by using a composite anode of Fe₂O₃ and graphite. The investigations for the
effect of different Fe₂O₃ contents in the composite graphite rods on the morphology, structures and diameter distribution of graphite-encapsulated Fe nanocrystals were
carried out. X-ray diffraction of the carbon soot produced from Fe₂O₃-containing composite anode indicated the presence of graphite phase and α-Fe, no evidence of
Fe oxides was observed, but a small amount of Fe₃C found. The effect of He pressure and Fe₂O₃ content on the C_60/70 yield of the carbon soot produced from
composite rods was also discussed. The results show that the quantity and the diameter distribution of carbon-coated Fe nanocrystals are determined by the Fe₂O₃ content in
the composite anode rod. He pressures are the major factor of affecting C_60/70 yield produced from Fe₂O₃ composite anode, but not the major factor of affecting the yields
of carbon-coated Fe nanocrystals. The relationship of C_60/70 yields in the carbon soot produced from Fe₂O₃ composite anode and He pessure is markedly different from that
of pure graphite anode.

To minimize the contamination of detrimental elements such as sulfur and chlorine, a two-step sol-gel process was successfully developed to
synthesize SiC precursors with oxalic acid and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) as the catalysts, which are free of sulfur and chlorine.
Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and phenolic resin were used as the silicon source and carbon source, respectively. At the first step TEOS was
prehydrolyzed under the catalysis of oxalic acid. At the second step HMTA was added to accelerate gelation. The dependence of products on oxalic
acid content, prehydrolysis time, and prehydrolysis temperature was concluded. The mechanisms of hydrolysis and condensation were discussed.
The SiC precursors obtained were transparent yellowish glassy solids, with homogeneous microstructure composed of nanometer sized particles.

This paper investigated the effect of gelation speed on the surface fractal dimensions of silica xerogels derived from TEOS (actone
as solvent, catalyzed by HCl, pH≈3), and analyzed the influence caused by calcination. The results show that different gelation speeds hardly
affect the surface fractal dimensions of the xerogels without calcination, but the surface fractal dimensions of xerogel acquired with slower gelation
speed will decrease more after calcinated at 600℃. Generally, the surface fractal dimensions of calcinated silica xerogel can remaine almost
unchanged over 800℃.

The temperature dependence of electrical resistance and magnetoresistance as well as field dependence of magnetoresistance at fixed temperature of
the (La_2/3Ca_1/3)(Mn_(3-x)/3Fe_x/3)O₃ (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3) system were systematically measured . It was found that when x increases, both the peak of the electrical resistivity and the peak of magnetoresistance move to
lower temperature. However the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) is increased and its cusp is broadened by Fe substitution. The authors suggested that the
variation of the proportion of Fe³⁺ ions leads to the changes of the ratios of Mn³⁺ to Mn⁴⁺ and magnetic moments while external magnetic
field modulates the magnetic ordered structure, so affects the ferromagnetic double exchange effect of the Mn³⁺--O--Mn⁴⁺. Finally, such phenomenon
changes the behavior of magnetoresistance.

Hydrothermally synthesized ReNaTi₂O₆(Re=Ce, Nd and Eu) were characterized by means of XRD, SEM, XPS and ¹⁵¹Eu Mossbauer
spectroscopy. The results show that the crystallization conditions e.g., the mineralizer, initial molar concentration and so on determine the structural
types and the purity of the resulting products. During the hydrothermal crystallization, sodium ions may occupy the perovskite lattice but do not result in the reduction
of Ti(IV) to lower valence state. The binding energy for the main peak of Ce3d_5/2 in CeNaTi₂O₆ is 885.45eV, suggesting that the cerium ions exist mainly as Ce(III). NdNaTi₂O₆ has regular grain shape. For EuNaTi₂O₆,
the contribution from the lattice field is larger than that of second 4f. The products from hydrothermal conditions have lower defect concentration and smaller
lattice distortion.

The spectral properties of Ce³⁺ doped M₃MgSi₂O₈(M=Sr, Ba) pyrosilicates at 298K and 77K were studied. Under UV light excitation, Ce³⁺ doped
M₃MgSi₂O₈(M=Sr, Ba) pyrosilicates phosphors emit efficient bluish violet light. In the M₃MgSi₂O₈(M=Sr,Ba) system the emission spectra of Ce³⁺ ions consist of the emission bands of
the transitions from the Ce³⁺ 5d→²F_5/2 and 5d→²F_7/2 levels, Ce³⁺ ions can substitute for Sr²⁺ or Ba²⁺ ions, and
then form two different emission centers, respectively. According to the order from Sr²⁺ to Ba²⁺ ion, with ionic radius increases,
the spectrum of this phosphor slightly shifts to short wavelength and the emission intensity decreases.