| abstract |
An oriented ceramic containing an M n+1 AX n phase, where the M n+1 AX n phase is a ternary compound, and M is an early transition metal, A is an A group element, X is C or N, and n is an integer of 1 to 3, wherein the oriented ceramic has a layered microstructure similar to shell layers of pearl, which is formed by laminating a layer of a nano-order to milli-order in a thickness thereof, and the oriented ceramic is an oriented bulk material a total thickness of which is in milli-order or larger at smallest. |