Enhanced mechanical properties of nanocrystalline boron carbide by nanoporosity and interface phases

K. Madhav Reddy; J. J. Guo; Y. Shinoda; T. Fujita; A. Hirata; J. P. Singh; J. W. McCauley; M. W. Chen

doi:10.1038/ncomms2047

Enhanced mechanical properties of nanocrystalline boron carbide by nanoporosity and interface phases

K. Madhav Reddy, J. J. Guo, Y. Shinoda, T. Fujita, A. Hirata, J. P. Singh, J. W. McCauley, M. W. Chen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

114 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Ceramics typically have very high hardness, but low toughness and plasticity. Besides intrinsic brittleness associated with rigid covalent or ionic bonds, porosity and interface phases are the foremost characteristics that lead to their failure at low stress levels in a brittle manner. Here we show that, in contrast to the conventional wisdom that these features are adverse factors in mechanical properties of ceramics, the compression strength, plasticity and toughness of nanocrystalline boron carbide can be noticeably improved by introducing nanoporosity and weak amorphous carbon at grain boundaries. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the unusual nanosize effect arises from the deformation-induced elimination of nanoporosity mediated by grain boundary sliding with the assistance of the soft grain boundary phases. This study has important implications in developing high-performance ceramics with ultrahigh strength and enhanced plasticity and toughness.

Original language	English
Article number	1052
Journal	Nature communications
Volume	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms2047
Publication status	Published - 2012
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Chemistry(all)
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Physics and Astronomy(all)

Access to Document

10.1038/ncomms2047

Cite this

@article{318932e4e6834107a4c59d2f3c30c6bf,

title = "Enhanced mechanical properties of nanocrystalline boron carbide by nanoporosity and interface phases",

abstract = "Ceramics typically have very high hardness, but low toughness and plasticity. Besides intrinsic brittleness associated with rigid covalent or ionic bonds, porosity and interface phases are the foremost characteristics that lead to their failure at low stress levels in a brittle manner. Here we show that, in contrast to the conventional wisdom that these features are adverse factors in mechanical properties of ceramics, the compression strength, plasticity and toughness of nanocrystalline boron carbide can be noticeably improved by introducing nanoporosity and weak amorphous carbon at grain boundaries. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the unusual nanosize effect arises from the deformation-induced elimination of nanoporosity mediated by grain boundary sliding with the assistance of the soft grain boundary phases. This study has important implications in developing high-performance ceramics with ultrahigh strength and enhanced plasticity and toughness.",

author = "{Madhav Reddy}, K. and Guo, {J. J.} and Y. Shinoda and T. Fujita and A. Hirata and Singh, {J. P.} and McCauley, {J. W.} and Chen, {M. W.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was sponsored by JST-CREST {\textquoteleft}Phase Interface Science for Highly Efficient Energy Utilization{\textquoteright}, JST, Japan. K.M.R. and J.J.G. were supported by the graduate scholarships of Global COE Programme {\textquoteleft}Materials Integration (International Centre of Education and Research), Tohoku University{\textquoteright}, MEXT, Japan. T.F. was supported by JST-PRESTO {\textquoteleft}New Materials Science and Element Strategy{\textquoteright}, JST, Japan.",

year = "2012",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms2047",

language = "English",

volume = "3",

journal = "Nature communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Enhanced mechanical properties of nanocrystalline boron carbide by nanoporosity and interface phases

AU - Madhav Reddy, K.

AU - Guo, J. J.

AU - Shinoda, Y.

AU - Fujita, T.

AU - Hirata, A.

AU - Singh, J. P.

AU - McCauley, J. W.

AU - Chen, M. W.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was sponsored by JST-CREST ‘Phase Interface Science for Highly Efficient Energy Utilization’, JST, Japan. K.M.R. and J.J.G. were supported by the graduate scholarships of Global COE Programme ‘Materials Integration (International Centre of Education and Research), Tohoku University’, MEXT, Japan. T.F. was supported by JST-PRESTO ‘New Materials Science and Element Strategy’, JST, Japan.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Ceramics typically have very high hardness, but low toughness and plasticity. Besides intrinsic brittleness associated with rigid covalent or ionic bonds, porosity and interface phases are the foremost characteristics that lead to their failure at low stress levels in a brittle manner. Here we show that, in contrast to the conventional wisdom that these features are adverse factors in mechanical properties of ceramics, the compression strength, plasticity and toughness of nanocrystalline boron carbide can be noticeably improved by introducing nanoporosity and weak amorphous carbon at grain boundaries. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the unusual nanosize effect arises from the deformation-induced elimination of nanoporosity mediated by grain boundary sliding with the assistance of the soft grain boundary phases. This study has important implications in developing high-performance ceramics with ultrahigh strength and enhanced plasticity and toughness.

AB - Ceramics typically have very high hardness, but low toughness and plasticity. Besides intrinsic brittleness associated with rigid covalent or ionic bonds, porosity and interface phases are the foremost characteristics that lead to their failure at low stress levels in a brittle manner. Here we show that, in contrast to the conventional wisdom that these features are adverse factors in mechanical properties of ceramics, the compression strength, plasticity and toughness of nanocrystalline boron carbide can be noticeably improved by introducing nanoporosity and weak amorphous carbon at grain boundaries. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the unusual nanosize effect arises from the deformation-induced elimination of nanoporosity mediated by grain boundary sliding with the assistance of the soft grain boundary phases. This study has important implications in developing high-performance ceramics with ultrahigh strength and enhanced plasticity and toughness.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84866981968&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84866981968&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms2047

DO - 10.1038/ncomms2047

M3 - Article

C2 - 22968698

AN - SCOPUS:84866981968

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 3

JO - Nature communications

JF - Nature communications

M1 - 1052

ER -

Enhanced mechanical properties of nanocrystalline boron carbide by nanoporosity and interface phases

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this