%0 Journal Article
%A Ma, Shuailing
%A Ge, Yufei
%A Lian, Min
%A Ma, Xiao
%A Zhu, Pinwen
%A Tayal, Akhil
%A Zhao, Xingbin
%A Li, Wei
%A Song, Hao
%A Zhang, Zihan
%A Liu, Yunxian
%A Liu, Xiaobing
%A Cui, Tian
%T Unlocking superior mechanical properties: the synergistic enhancement of hardness and fracture toughness in nanopolycrystalline tantalum diboride
%J Missing Journal / Fehlende Zeitschrift
%V 5
%N 3
%M PUBDB-2026-00558
%P 100374 -
%D 2026
%Z Missing Journal: Advanced Powder Materials (Advanced Powder Materials) = 2772-834X (import from CrossRef, Journals: bib-pubdb1.desy.de)
%X Achieving optimal mechanical properties, including hardness and fracture toughness, by controlling grain size is a fundamental and long-standing objective in the development of hard and superhard transition metal borides (TMBs) ceramics. It is expected that the mechanical performance of TMBs will be substantially enhanced in nano-crystalline ceramics. However, the fabrication of dense, nano-scale TMBs compacts presents challenges due to poor sintering behavior and pronounced grain growth at high temperature. Here, thanks to the pressure reduced activation energy effect, nano-polycrystalline tantalum diboride (NP-TaB2) monoliths were fabricated under high pressure and moderate temperature conditions. These NP-TaB2 bulks achieve dense microstructure with an average grain size as fine as 36 ​nm, due to the high nucleation rates and minimal grain growth induced by high pressure. With the decreasing of grain size, the hardness of NP-TaB2 reaches up to 27.5 ​GPa by the Hall-Petch effect, making it nearly 45
%F PUB:(DE-HGF)16
%9 Journal Article
%R 10.1016/j.apmate.2025.100374
%U https://bib-pubdb1.desy.de/record/645035