Orientated NaNbO3 (NN) films were grown on SrRuO3/(001)SrTiO3 [SRO/(001)STO], SRO/(110)STO, and SRO/(111)STO substrates by pulsed laser deposition. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the surface morphologies of the NN/SRO/(001)STO, NN/SRO/(110)STO, and NN/SRO/(111)STO took the form of a stepped structure, a striped pattern, and trigonal pyramidal-like structures, respectively. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the films were characterized. The NN/SRO/(110)STO film showed the lowest relative dielectric constant and the largest remanent polarization of 30.8 μC/cm2 among all films. These were interpreted as being due to the orientation direction of the NN film grown on (110)STO being parallel to the polarization direction of NN.

Sodium potassium niobate, (Na(0.5)K(0.5))NbO(3), fine powder has been successfully synthesized at the low temperature of 550 degrees C through a modified solid-state reaction method, in which urea [CO(NH(2))(2)] plays an important role. High-density (Na(0.5)K(0.5))NbO(3) ceramics could be obtained by conventional sintering of the synthesized (Na(0.5)K(0.5))NbO(3) fine powder with the addition of 0.03 mol% Co(3)O(4) as a sintering additive. The crystal structure, microstructure, and dielectric and piezoelectric properties were characterized. The (Na(0.5)K(0.5))NbO(3) ceramic showed a comparatively saturated P-E hysteresis loop. The (Na(0.5)K(0.5))NbO(3) ceramic also displayed piezoelectricity with a piezoelectric constant d(33) of 126 pC/N and a planar electromechanical coupling factor k(p) of 33%.

Three edible mycorrhizal mushrooms, Tricholoma portentosum, T. saponaceum and T.terreum, that had formed ectomycorrhizas with Pinus densiflora seedlings in vitro, were maintained in open pot culture for three years under laboratory conditions. T. portentosum and T. saponaceum produced fruit bodies several times. For T. terreum, which produced a single fruit body in the third year, this is the first report of mushroom production under controlled conditions. Morphological observation of fruit bodies indicated that they were mature, i.e. well-organized cap, stem and gills, and basidiospores. These results suggest that cultivation of these three edible Tricholoma mushrooms is feasible.

Na 0:52 K 0:44 Li 0:04 )(Nb 0:84 Ta 0:10 Sb 0:06 )O 3 (LF4) ceramics have been successfully prepared by a combination of a modified solid-state reaction and a conventional sintering method. LF4 fine powder with a perovskite structure was obtained by the modified solid-state reaction and continuous re-calcination treatment at low temperatures of 500 -600 C. The obtained fine powders had good sinterability and highdensity LF4 ceramics with relative density more than 94% could be easily obtained by a conventional sintering. The obtained LF4 ceramics showed excellent piezoelectricity. The Curie temperature of LF4 ceramics was about 280 C. The leak current measurements exhibited that the insulation property of the LF4 was improved by sintering in the oxygen atmosphere due to the decrease in the oxygen vacancies. The LF4 ceramics sintered in the oxygen atmosphere, which showed a larger saturated P-E hysteresis loop, also showed larger piezoelectricity than those sintered in the air. Additionally, we found that the LF4 ceramics after P-E hysteresis measurement exhibited larger piezoelectric properties than those without P-E hysteresis measurement. The largest piezoelectric constant d 33 was 352 pC/N and the planar electromechanical coupling factor k p was 44%. This would be due to the effect on the domain motion by applying an AC bias field.

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