TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of different TiNi/Ti2Ni ratios on the compressive properties and toughening mechanisms of biomimetic brick-and-mortar structural composites
AU - Li, Mingyu
AU - Zu, Guoqing
AU - Qiao, Yihui
AU - Gao, Liang
AU - Zhu, Weiwei
AU - Han, Ying
AU - Ran, Xu
AU - Xiong, Zhiping
AU - Cheng, Xingwang
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 The Author(s).
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - The classic brick-and-mortar structure (BMS) of nacre has provided significant inspiration for the design of composites. Although conventional laminated materials adopt a similar hard/soft alternating configuration, they are limited to two-dimensional planar bonding. In this study, we developed a BMS intermetallic composite material (BMS-ICM) with different TiNi (mortar)/Ti2Ni (brick) ratios via spark plasma sintering combined with hot rolling. This process enables the formation of a three-dimensional interlocking effect between the rigid “bricks” and the ductile “mortar” at the interface, which significantly enhances interfacial strength and stress transfer. Through the investigation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of BMS-ICM, it was found that the compressive strength was higher when loaded along the transverse direction-rolling direction (TD-RD) plane than the other two planes. The 0.03 mm thick Ti foil (0.03Ti) BMS-ICM demonstrated optimal properties, achieving a compressive strength of ∼ 1771 MPa and a fracture strain of ∼ 23.45 %. Its larger brick spacing effectively suppresses delamination and crack propagation, thereby enhancing toughness. Compared to ICM, the unique structure of the BMS-ICM provides a hybrid toughening mechanism, including crack deflection and bridging. Therefore, by adjusting the appropriate TiNi/Ti2Ni ratio, the comprehensive mechanical properties of BMS-ICM can be further enhanced.
AB - The classic brick-and-mortar structure (BMS) of nacre has provided significant inspiration for the design of composites. Although conventional laminated materials adopt a similar hard/soft alternating configuration, they are limited to two-dimensional planar bonding. In this study, we developed a BMS intermetallic composite material (BMS-ICM) with different TiNi (mortar)/Ti2Ni (brick) ratios via spark plasma sintering combined with hot rolling. This process enables the formation of a three-dimensional interlocking effect between the rigid “bricks” and the ductile “mortar” at the interface, which significantly enhances interfacial strength and stress transfer. Through the investigation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of BMS-ICM, it was found that the compressive strength was higher when loaded along the transverse direction-rolling direction (TD-RD) plane than the other two planes. The 0.03 mm thick Ti foil (0.03Ti) BMS-ICM demonstrated optimal properties, achieving a compressive strength of ∼ 1771 MPa and a fracture strain of ∼ 23.45 %. Its larger brick spacing effectively suppresses delamination and crack propagation, thereby enhancing toughness. Compared to ICM, the unique structure of the BMS-ICM provides a hybrid toughening mechanism, including crack deflection and bridging. Therefore, by adjusting the appropriate TiNi/Ti2Ni ratio, the comprehensive mechanical properties of BMS-ICM can be further enhanced.
KW - Brick-and-mortar
KW - Hot rolling
KW - Intermetallic composite material
KW - Mechanical properties
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105022827395
U2 - 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.115113
DO - 10.1016/j.matdes.2025.115113
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:105022827395
SN - 0264-1275
VL - 260
JO - Materials and Design
JF - Materials and Design
M1 - 115113
ER -