Biomimetic micro-laminated structure endows cermet with excellent strength and toughness using CoCrCuFeNi as infiltration layers.

Biomimetic micro-laminated structures are gaining traction for their potential to enhance the mechanical properties of composites. A salient challenge lies in fabricating this intricate layered construct with good interfacial adhesion. In this research, we developed a micro-laminated metal/ceramic composite utilizing CoCrCuFeNi as the infiltration layers. However, after CoCrCuFeNi infiltration, the metal layer phase of cermet transforms into FCC + BCC, which belongs to the category of medium entropy alloy. The mechanical properties displayed a direct relationship with the TiC skeleton's content. Notably, cermet with a TiC volume fraction of 65% exhibited bending strength of 770 MPa, crack-initiation toughness (K IC) of 10.31 MPa•m1/2, crack-propagation toughness (K JC) of 35.1 MPa•m1/2. Mechanisms such as crack deflection and branching acted at the crack tip, significantly reducing peak stress. Contrasting prior studies marked by pronounced interface delamination, the robust adhesion between CoCrCuFeNi and TiC in this study facilitated the congruence of strength and toughness. Our findings introduce a pioneering methodology for designing laminated metal/ceramic composites with CoCrCuFeNi infiltration layers, aiming to achieve superior strength and toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]