Superhard W0.5Ta0.5B nanowires prepared at ambient pressure

Abstract

The primary focus of superhard materials development has relied on chemical tuning of the crystal structure. While these intrinsic effects are invaluable, there is a strong possibility that hardness can be dramatically enhanced using extrinsic effects. Here, we demonstrate that the superhard metal W0.5Ta0.5B can be prepared as nanowires through flux growth. The aspect ratios of the nanowires are controlled by the concentration of boride in molten aluminum, and the nanowires grow along the boron-boron chains, confirmed via electron diffraction. This morphology inherently results from the crystal habit of borides and can inspire the development of other nanostructured materials.