Nanotwinning and Directed Alloying to Enhance the Strength and Ductility of Superhard Materials

Strength refers to a material's ability to withstand failure or yield, while ductility is its ability to permanently deform without fracture. Many important engineering applications require materials that have high strength yet ductile, such as cutting tools, body armor for soldiers, and manufacturing processes. One promising candidate is boron carbide (B4C), a superhard ceramic because of its high strength. However, B4C has a low ductility preventing its extended engineering applications. In this charter, we will summarize the recent progress of enhancing the strength and ductility of B4C-based superhard materials by imposing nanotwinning and directed alloying approaches.