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Research Article | Open Access

Hard and tough novel high-pressure γ-Si3N4/Hf3N4 ceramic nanocomposites

Wei Lia, Zhaoju Yub( ), Leonore Wiehla, Tianshu Jianga, Ying Zhana, Emmanuel III Ricohermosoa, Martin Etterc, Emanuel Ionescua,d, Qingbo Wene, Christian Lathec,f, Robert Farlac, Dharma Teppala Tejaa, Sebastian Brunsa, Marc Widenmeyera, Anke Weidenkaffa,d, Leopoldo Molina-Lunaa, Ralf Riedela, Shrikant Bhatc
Department of Materials and Earth Sciences, Technical University of Darmstadt, Darmstadt 64283, Germany
Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramic Fibers (Xiamen University), Ministry of Education, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg 22607, Germany
Fraunhofer IWKS, Department Digitalization of Resources, Alzenau 63755, Germany
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam, Potsdam 14473, Germany
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Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Cubic silicon nitride (γ-Si3N4) is superhard and one of the hardest materials after diamond and cubic boron nitride (cBN), but has higher thermal stability in an oxidizing environment than diamond, making it a competitive candidate for technological applications in harsh conditions (e.g., drill head and abrasives). Here, we report the high-pressure synthesis and characterization of the structural and mechanical properties of a γ-Si3N4/Hf3N4 ceramic nanocomposite derived from single-phase amorphous silicon (Si)–hafnium (Hf)–nitrogen (N) precursor. The synthesis of the γ-Si3N4/Hf3N4 nanocomposite is performed at ~20 GPa and ca. 1500 ℃ in a large volume multi anvil press. The structural evolution of the amorphous precursor and its crystallization to γ-Si3N4/Hf3N4 nanocomposites under high pressures is assessed by the in situ synchrotron energy-dispersive X-ray diffraction (ED-XRD) measurements at ~19.5 GPa in the temperature range of ca. 1000–1900 ℃. The fracture toughness (KIC) of the two-phase nanocomposite amounts ~6/6.9 MPa·m1/2 and is about 2 times that of single-phase γ-Si3N4, while its hardness of ca. 30 GPa remains high. This work provides a reliable and feasible route for the synthesis of advanced hard and tough γ-Si3N4-based nanocomposites with excellent thermal stabililty.

Keywords

cubic silicon nitride (γ-Si3N4)/Hf3N4ceramic nanocompositesin situ synchrotron radiationmechanical propertiesthermal stability

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Journal of Advanced Ceramics
Volume 12 Issue 7,
July 2023
Pages 1418-1429
DOI: 10.26599/JAC.2023.9220764
Cite this article:
Li W, Yu Z, Wiehl L, et al. Hard and tough novel high-pressure γ-Si3N4/Hf3N4 ceramic nanocomposites. Journal of Advanced Ceramics, 2023, 12(7): 1418-1429. https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2023.9220764

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Received: 12 February 2023
Revised: 15 April 2023
Accepted: 08 May 2023
Published: 06 July 2023
© The Author(s) 2023.

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