Design and Synthesis of Novel Nanolaminate Materials of the B-C-N-Ti System

Novel nanolaminate materials produced and modeled at BlRL/Northwestern University have remarkable and technologically attractive properties achieving superhardnesses significantly above that of either component alone. This suggests that the materials combination of a refractory metal such as titanium, with boron-carbon-nitrogen hierarchical structures, provide new approaches for rational design of novel nanolaminates in applications of lightweight radhard, acoustic suppressive, chemical resistance and a wide range of other applications in the areas of friction, wear, corrosion and thermal management. Superhard materials of the Ti-B-C-N system have been reported to have hardness values ranging between 2,000 and 7,200 kgf/mn2 Hv0.05. The highest hardness of 7,200 kgf/mm2 is between diamond and cBN suggesting man other outstanding properties of the Ti-B-C-N system including oxidation resistance. The BIRL/NU pioneering nanolaminate deposition work and modeling of nanolaminates will team with MER to prepare several nanolaminate Ti-B-C-N combinations using high rate reactive dc-magnetron sputtering, fully characterize including radiation harness, acoustical suppression and chemical inertness along with mechanical and physical properties. Select nanolaminates will be optimized and the properties modeled in relation to first principles. Novel nanolaminates of the Ti-B-C-N systems with superhardness, hardness, low friction, ware and corrosion/oxidation resistance, high thermal conductivity, resistance to neutrons, gamma and x-rays with acoustic suppression capabilities along with an array of other outstanding properties will have a plethora of applications in noise and radiation damage resistance, cutting tools, an endless array of wear coatings, oxidation coatings, thermal management, acoustic suppression, etc.