Mechanism for synergistic hardness-toughness enhancement in advanced ceramics (IMAGE)
Caption
The schematic illustrates the key mechanism for improving the mechanical properties of the carbide ceramic. Initially a single-phase solid solution, the material is doped with nitrogen (N), which is designed to reduce stacking fault energy and induce stacking faults. During a subsequent high-temperature aging treatment, this triggers spinodal decomposition, creating a complex lamellar nanostructure. The induced stacking faults then act as sources for dislocation multiplication. This entire process leads to a synergistic enhancement of both hardness and fracture toughness, overcoming the conventional trade-off in ceramic materials.
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Journal of Advanced Ceramics, Tsinghua University Press
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