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How to estimate hardness of crystals on a pocket calculator

Journal Article · · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics
 [1]
  1. Institute of Physics v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Prague (Czech Republic)
A generalization of the semiempirical microscopic model of hardness is presented and applied to currently studied borides, carbides, and nitrides of heavy transition metals. The hardness of OsB, OsC, OsN, PtN, RuC, RuB{sub 2}, ReB{sub 2}, OsB{sub 2}, IrN{sub 2}, PtN{sub 2}, and OsN{sub 2} crystals in various structural phases is predicted. It is found that none of the transition metal crystals is superhard, i.e., with hardness greater than 40 GPa. The presented method provides materials researchers with a practical tool in the search for new hard materials.
OSTI ID:
20960235
Journal Information:
Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Journal Name: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 75; ISSN 1098-0121
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English