Nitrogen's synergistic hardness-toughness enhancement overcomes conventional trade-off in ceramics such as transition metal carbides

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1102393

"single-phase solid (Ti, Zr)C carbide ceramic doped with 25% nitrogen content, restricting dislocation formation/ movement by reducing stacking fault energy, then high-temperature aging triggering spinodal decomposition, creating complex lamellar nanostructure... both harder/ more cracking resistant... 40% hardness increase, 50% fracture toughness increase... excessive nitrogen content or over-aging detrimental... high-temperature equipment, machining/ cutting tools, wear-resistant components, aerospace engines"

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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1102351