A novel biomimetic approach to the design of high-performance ceramic-metal composites.
The prospect of extending natural biological design to develop new synthetic ceramic-metal composite materials is examined. Using ice-templating of ceramic suspensions and subsequent metal infiltration, we demonstrate that the concept of ordered hierarchical design can be applied to create fine-scale laminated ceramic-metal (bulk) composites that are inexpensive, lightweight and display exceptional damage-tolerance properties. Specifically, Al(2)O(3)/Al-Si laminates with ceramic contents up to approximately 40 vol% and with lamellae thicknesses down to 10 microm were processed and characterized. These structures achieve an excellent fracture toughness of 40 MPa radicalm at a tensile strength of approximately 300 MPa. Salient toughening mechanisms are described together with further toughening strategies.
Launey
Maximilien E
ME
Materials Sciences Division, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
Munch
Etienne
E
Alsem
Daan Hein
DH
Saiz
Eduardo
E
Tomsia
Antoni P
AP
Ritchie
Robert O
RO
D000537:Aluminum Oxide / Q000737:chemistry; D032701:Biomimetics; D002516:Ceramics / Q000737:chemistry*; D005615:Freezing; D006244:Hardness; D008422:Materials Testing; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning / Q000379:methods; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000379:methods; D015233:Models, Statistical; D011312:Pressure; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength
D008670:Metals; D000537:Aluminum Oxide; D012825:Silicon