title: Microstructure and high-temperature strength of textured and non-textured ZrB2ceramics.
abstract: Zirconium diboride (ZrB2) ceramic possesses a unique combination of nice mechanical performance, high melting point (> 3000 °C) and great high-temperature oxidation resistance (up to 1600 °C), which makes it a promising material system for ever-increasing ultra-high temperature (UHT) applications. However, ZrB2suffers from poor mechanical performance at UHTs, which could strongly limit its applications at UHT. Here, we successfully demonstrate that texturing is an effective strategy to greatly enhance the flexural strength of monolithic ZrB2, reaching a high value of 810 ± 60 MPa at 1600 °C when loaded inc-axis direction. We thoroughly discuss the strengthening mechanism by in-depth microstructural observations and analysis. Our discovery has technological and scientific implications for other UHT ceramic systems, especially those using ZrB2as a matrix.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Ceramics Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Advanced Ceramics Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sakka
authors.affiliation: International Center for Young Scientists (ICYS), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, 305-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Estili
authors.affiliation: Advanced Ceramics Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-2-1 Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0047, Japan.
authors.forename: Tohru S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Sialon Group, Sialon Unit, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of High Performance Ceramics and Superfine Microstructures, Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Shanghai, 200050, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Guo-Jun
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
keywords: High-temperature flexural strength; Microstructure; Texture; ZrB2