1. A composition comprising:
a substrate having a surface;
a thin crack-free coating material on said surface of said substrate, said thin crack-free coating material comprising
a graded concentration of a first ceramic composite and
a graded concentration of a second ceramic composite,
said thin crack-free coating material having a thickness of about 1 to about 100 microns and a density greater than that of said substrate, and
a transition zone between said first ceramic composite and said second ceramic composite
wherein said transition zone comprises a transition zone composite that changes progressively from said first ceramic composite to said second ceramic composite.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first or second ceramic composites comprises ceria or zirconia.
3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Zr, Al, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, O, C, N, and Si.
4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises an oxide, carbide, nitride or silicide selected from the group consisting of Zr, Y, La, a rare earth element of atomic number from 58 through 71, a transition element of atomic number from 21 through 30 and Al.
5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises an oxide.
6. The composition of claim 1 wherein said transition zone composite has a continuous graded composition.
7. The composition of claim 1 wherein said transition zone composite has a discontinuous graded composition.
8. The composition of claim 1 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises a thickness of greater than 10 microns and less than 100 microns.
9. The composition of claim 1 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises a thickness in the range of about 10 microns to about 40 microns.
10. The composition of claim 1 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises a thickness of about 80 microns.
11. The composition of claim 1 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of glass, metal and ceramic.
12. The composition of claim 1 wherein said substrate is porous.
13. The composition of claim 12 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises yttria-stablized zirconia.
14. The composition of claim 12 wherein said thin crack-free coating material comprises yttria-doped ceria.
15. The composition of claim 12 wherein said transition zone composite comprises a transition zone containing yttria-stabilized zirconia and yttria-doped ceria.
16. The composition of claim 1 wherein said transition zone composite has a stepped composition.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for use in at least one of an automobile, recreational vehicle, truck and a boat for providing decoration and entertainment for users and other viewers, said apparatus comprising:
(a) a pair of cube like members having a predetermined number of dots disposed on each surface thereof simulating a pair of dice;
(b) a means for illuminating each dot disposed within each of said pair of cube like members;
(c) a wiring means engageable with said means for illuminating said dots for providing power to said means for illuminating each dot disposed within each of said cube like members; and
(d) a power source connected to said wiring means for providing power to said means for illuminating each dot disposed within each of said pair of cube like members.
2. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said power source is selected from a battery pack and a control module connected to an external source.
3. The apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said external source to which said control module is connected is a cigarette lighter in said at least one of such automobile, recreational vehicle, truck and a boat.
4. The apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein said battery pack is disposed on a rear view mirror.
5. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said battery pack includes an onoff switch.
6. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is designed to hang from a rear view mirror in such automobile.
7. The apparatus, according to claim 6, wherein said apparatus is suspended from such rear view mirror by use of said wiring means.
8. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said means for illuminating each dot disposed within each of said pair of cube like members are flashing LED lights.
9. The apparatus, according to claim 8, wherein said flashing LED lights are controlled by a random number generator.
10. The apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said random number generator determines an order in which said flashing LED lights are lit.
11. The apparatus, according to claim 8, wherein said flashing LED lights simulate rolling of dice.
12. The apparatus, according to claim 8, wherein said means for illuminating said LED lights on each dot disposed within each of said pair of cube like members includes providing each LED light with a predetermined color.
13. The apparatus, according to claim 12, wherein said predetermined color is selected from a group consisting of blue, red, white, yellow, green and violet.
14. The apparatus, according to claim 12, wherein said predetermined color for each LED light on each dot is the same.
15. The apparatus, according to claim 12, wherein said predetermined color for each LED light on each dot is different.
16. The apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said random number generator is disposed within at least one of said pair of cube like members.
17. The apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein said apparatus is disposed in a location behind a front seat of a vehicle for viewing by passengers.
18. The apparatus, according to claim 4, wherein said battery pack includes an automatic sleep mode to prevent battery damage.