Researchers at Washington State University have been awarded a $2 million grant from the US Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to explore the development of ceramic materials that resist shattering.

The project is spearheaded by Assistant Professor Arezoo Zare, who is part of WSU’s School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.

The objective is to enhance boron carbide, recognized as one of the hardest materials, by incorporating small amounts of aluminum and employing high-temperature forging techniques. This process aims to introduce atomic-scale dislocations, potentially increasing the toughness of the material.

Despite their high hardness, strength, and lightweight properties compared to steel, ceramics have not been widely adopted due to their tendency to shatter under impact.

The research team is working on developing a scalable manufacturing process that can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively for industrial applications.

If successful, the combination of high strength and light weight in these advanced ceramics could lead to their use in structural components for airplanes, spacecraft, and automobiles.

The two-year project involves collaboration among researchers from Washington State University, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Iowa State University, and Johns Hopkins University.