NOVELTY - Production of sheet of flexible gelled ceramic and/or metallic containing material, comprises combining water, ceramic and/or metallic powder, polymer, plasticizer, water soluble cross-linking agent precursor and optional further components to produce a mixture; applying the mixture to a substrate to form a layer of desired dimensions; and exposing the layer to conditions for cross-linking to occur.    USE - For producing a sheet of flexible gelled ceramic and/or metallic containing material (claimed) used for forming ceramic and metallic components, which are components of fuel cell, photo-voltaic cell, multi-layered capacitor or other micro-electronic component, prosthetic or surgical device, refractory equipment, fiber optic device or transmission equipment.    ADVANTAGE - A flexible sheet material can be produced relatively quickly without the need for prior solvent evaporation. The flexible sheet material (or "green body", which has the form of the end product, but which is flexible and able to be machined before being transformed into the final product by drying and sintering) also has a superior "green" strength in comparison to sheets formed by conventional practices, which employ binders without any cross-linking, and thus has a reduced tendency for cracking during drying. Gelled sheet material is flexible and can be easily manipulated into desired shapes, such as tubing, before drying. Cross-linking enables less binder to be used than in conventional tape casting. Less binder equates to shorter binder bum-out times. Flexible "green" sheet material characteristics can be altered and adapted for different applications. An aqueous based system avoids safety and environmental concerns associated with solvent based systems.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for:    (A) a sheet of flexible gelled ceramic and/or metallic containing material comprising ceramic and/or metallic powder dispersed within an aqueous compatible cross-linked polymer;    (B) a method of producing a ceramic and/or metallic component, comprising combining water, ceramic and/or metallic powder, polymer, plasticizer, water soluble cross-linking agent precursor and optional further components to produce a mixture; applying the mixture to a substrate to form a layer of desired dimensions; exposing the layer to conditions for cross-linking to occur; optionally removing from the substrate a flexible gelled material; optionally drying the flexible gelled material; processing the flexible gelled material to desired shape; and firing flexible gelled material of desired shape to produce a ceramic and/or metallic component; and    (C) a ceramic and/or metallic component produced by the method.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows a material (shown in the top panel) which is consolidation due to the syneresis of the polymer network during and after cross-linking.