Washington State University researchers have received a $2 million grant from the US Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop ceramic materials that resist shattering.
The project is led by Assistant Professor Arezoo Zare in WSU’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.
The project aims to add small amounts of aluminum to boron carbide, one of the hardest known materials, and use high-temperature forging to introduce atomic-scale dislocations that make the material tougher.
While ceramics are harder, stronger, and lighter than steel, their widespread use has been limited because they easily shatter under external forces.
The technique has worked at small scales, but the research team is developing a scalable process that would allow industry to manufacture the material quickly at reasonable cost.
The combination of high strength and light weight would make the advanced ceramic desirable for structural components in airplanes, spacecraft, and automobiles.
The two-year project includes researchers from WSU, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Iowa State University, and Johns Hopkins University.