Fig. 5: Mechanical properties and toughening mechanisms of high-entropy carbide (HEC)/Cr7C3 all-ceramics.
From: Tough and strong bioinspired high-entropy all-ceramics with a contiguous network structure
a Fracture toughness KIC and flexural strength of the samples with different proportions of Cr7C3. Error bars are generated with standard deviation. b Fracture toughness KJC calculated from the J-integral and crack extension Δa according to the ASTM E1820-06 standard. c Flexural strength vs. strain of the representative pristine HEC and HEC/Cr7C3 samples tested at room temperature (RT), 1300 °C, 1400 °C, and 1500 °C. d Fracture toughness KIC and flexural strength of HEC/Cr7C3 all-ceramics compared to those of other reported structural ceramics10,11,12,13,14,15,32,33,34,35,36,37,38,39,40,41,42,43,44,45,46,47,48,49,50,51,52,53. The colored shadings represent different categories of ceramic materials as labeled, and the circles indicate the specific values of these materials. e Crack propagation process: (e1-e2) Low-magnification scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, showing the overall propagation paths of cracks. The white arrows indicate the directions where the cracks propagate; (e3-e6) high-magnification SEM images, exhibiting the formation of unfractured plastic Cr7C3 ligaments bridging across cracks as well as crack deflection along HEC/Cr7C3 interfaces. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
