Mechanical Properties of Nanophase Materials

Nanophase metals, intermetallics, and ceramics, with constituent grain structures on a size scale < 100 nanometers, have been synthesized under reasonably well controlled conditions in recent years. These new materials have been found to possess mechanical properties that are strongly grain size dependent and often quite different than those of their coarser grained counterparts. Nanophase metals become stronger and ceramics are more easily deformed as grain size is reduced. The observed mechanical property changes are related primarily to grain size limitations and the large number of grain boundaries. A brief overview of our present knowledge about the mechanical properties of nanophase materials is presented.