Lithium lanthanum titanium oxide (LLTO) is a promising ceramic electrolyte because of its high ionic conductivity at room temperature, low electrical conductivity, and outstanding physical properties. Several routes for the synthesis of bulk LLTO are known, in particular, solid-state synthesis and sol-gel method. However, the extremely low ionic conductivity of LLTO at grain boundaries is one of the major problems for practical applications. To diminish the grain boundary effect, the structure of LLTO is tuned to nanoscale morphology with structures of different dimensionalities (0D spheres, and 1D tubes and wires); this strategy has great potential to enhance the ion conduction by intensifying Li diffusion and minimizing the grain boundary resistance. Therefore, in this work, 0D spherical LLTO is synthesized using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP). The USP method primarily yields spherical particles from the droplets generated by ultrasonic waves passed through several heating zones. LLTO is synthesized using USP, and the effects of each precursor and their mechanisms as well as synthesis parameters are analyzed and discussed to optimize the synthesis. The phase structure of the obtained materials is analyzed using X-ray diffraction, and their morphology and particle size are analyzed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy.

Using lanthanum zinc oxide (LZO) film with the ion-beam irradiation, uniform and homogeneous liquid crystal (LC) alignment was achieved. To fabricate the LZO thin film on glass substrate, solution process was conducted as a deposition method. Cross-polarized optical microscopy (POM) and the crystal rotation method reveal the state of LC alignment on the ion-beam irradiated LZO film. Between orthogonally placed polarizers, POM image showed constant black color with regular transmittance. Furthermore, collected incidence angle versus transmittance curve from the crystal rotation method revealed that the LC molecules on the ion-beam irradiated LZO film were aligned homogeneously. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were conducted to reveal the relationship between the ion-beam irradiation and the LC alignment. The ion-beam irradiation changed the LZO film surface to rougher than before by etching effect. Numerical roughness values from AFM analysis supported this phenomenon specifically. XPS analysis showed the chemical composition change due to the ion-beam irradiation by investigation of O 1s, La 3d and Zn 2p spectra. The ion-beam irradiation induced the breakage of chemical bonds in the LZO film surface and this occurred surface chemical anisotropic characteristics for uniform LC alignment.

The ion-beam irradiated lanthanum zinc oxide (LZO) films were conducted as liquid crystal (LC) alignment layer to achieve uniform and homogeneous alignment of LC molecules. Polarized optical microscopy and the pre-tilt angle measurements revealed the alignment characteristics of LC molecules on the LZO film surface. Physical characteristics of the LZO film surface were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscopy. The strong ion-beam irradiation on the LZO film changed surface rougher than before and induced physical anisotropic characteristics. Chemical composition of the LZO film was investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and it was revealed that the ion-beam irradiation induced the breakage of the metal-oxide bonds. Due to this, anisotropic dipole moment which related with van der Waals force between LC molecules and alignment layer was induced. Because of this, LC molecules were anchored to the LZO film surface to achieve uniform LC alignment. Collecting the capacitance-voltage curve, residual DC of the LC cell with the LZO films was measured and it was verified that the LC cell with the LZO film had a nearly zero residual DC. Therefore, the ion-beam irradiated LZO film is an efficient method as an LC alignment layer

In this study, lanthanum oxide (La2O3) dispersed molybdenum (Mo–La2O3) alloys are fabricated using lanthanum nitrate solution and nanosized Mo particles produced by hydrogen reduction of molybdenum oxide. The effect of La2O3 dispersion in a Mo matrix on the fracture toughness at room temperature is demonstrated through the formation behavior of La2O3 from the precursor and three-point bending test using a single-edge notched bend specimen. The relative density of the Mo–0.3La2O3 specimen sintered by pressureless sintering is approximately 99%, and La2O3 with a size of hundreds of nanometers is uniformly distributed in the Mo matrix. It is also confirmed that the fracture toughness is 19.46 MPa·m1/2, an improvement of approximately 40% over the fracture toughness of 13.50 MPa·m1/2 on a pure-Mo specimen without La2O3, and this difference in the fracture toughness occurs because of the changes in fracture mode of the Mo matrix caused by the dispersion of La2O3.