About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
MS&T26: Materials Science & Technology
|
| Symposium
|
Controlled Synthesis, Processing, and Applications of Structural and Functional Nanomaterials
|
| Presentation Title |
Novel Mechanical and Electronic Phenomena in Nanocrystalline Materials Enabled by EC-PAS |
| Author(s) |
Kevin Anderson, Benjamin L. Greenberg, Boris N. Feygelson, James A. Wollmershauser, Edward P. Gorzkowski |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Edward P. Gorzkowski |
| Abstract Scope |
Advances in ceramic processing have enabled the synthesis of bulk nanomaterials with unprecedentedly small grain sizes and complex, designed nanostructures that host unexpected physical phenomena. Using Environmentally Controlled Pressure Assisted Sintering (EC-PAS), we synthesize ultra-nanocrystalline ceramics and nanocomposites to investigate structural anomalies and novel functional capabilities. For magnesium aluminate spinel sintered to 3.7 nm, we show a two-fold increase in fracture toughness and unique Hall-Petch deviations below ~18 nm. In nanocrystalline tungsten carbide, EC-PAS alters the Hall-Petch slope via deformation twinning which enables subsequently enhanced hardening. Furthermore, we demonstrate the bottom-up fabrication of fully dense, bicontinuous bulk semiconductor/insulator nanocomposites as well as core/shell-based nanocomposites by combining Atomic Layer Deposition with low-temperature EC-PAS compaction, preserving designed, interfacial networks across macroscopic scales. Together, these findings demonstrate that EC-PAS processing yields tailored microstructures engineered for both superior mechanical toughness and advanced optical or electronic applications. |