Pecharromán, CarlosBeltrán Fínez, Juan IgnacioEsteban Betegón, FátimaLópez-Esteban, SoniaBartolomé, José F.Muñoz, M. C.Moya, José S2024-01-092024-01-092005-05-170044-309310.3139/146.018128https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/92122EuroConference on Interfaces in Nanostructured Materials (2004. Kloster Irsee, Germany) JUN 06-11, 2004 Zeitschrift fuer Metallkunde/Materials Research and Advanced TechniquesExperimental tests for zirconia/nickel composites determined lower toughness than expected. In this regard, the combination of ab initio density functional theory calculations and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations allowed to describe the nature of the zirconia/nickel interface and to justify the absence of any toughening mechanism by grain bridging of the metal particles. In the particular case of nanocomposites, enhanced values of hardness were found. Hardness increases have been justified by a novel model which takes into account the Hall-Petch effect and mean particle size according to the percolation theory. It has been found that this model is not exclusive to zirconia/nickel but can be extended to several other superhard composites.engjournal articlerestricted access538.9NanocompositesCermetsInterfacesSeparation workHardnessFísica de materiales22 Física