Patent ID: 8242037

Claim:
A method of making a dense ceramic nano- and/or micro-structured or ultrafine composite, the method comprising: aerosolizing a liquid precursor stream with oxygen to form an aerosolized stream, wherein said liquid precursor stream comprises a first metal oxide precursor and a second metal oxide precursor distinct from said first metal oxide precursor; and combusting said aerosolized stream to form a plurality of nanoparticles having an average particle size diameter of less than or equal to about 500 nm and defining a core region comprising a first oxide composition formed from said first metal oxide precursor and a shell region comprising a second oxide composition comprising aluminum or iron formed from said second metal oxide precursor, wherein the first oxide composition has a first bulk diffusion rate that is distinct from a second bulk diffusion rate of the second oxide composition; forming a green body from said plurality of nanoparticles; sintering said green body to form the ceramic composite having an average actual density of greater than or equal to about 90% of a theoretical density of the sintered ceramic composite.