Nanocrystals Not Small Enough To Avoid Defects

Nanocrystals as protective coatings for advanced gas turbine and jet engines are receiving a lot of attention for their many advantageous mechanical properties, including their resistance to stress. However, contrary to computer simulations, the tiny size of nanocrystals apparently does not safeguard them from defects. In a study by researchers with the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and collaborators from multiple institutions, nanocrystals of nickel subjected to high pressure continued to suffer dislocation-mediated plastic deformation even when the crystals were only three nanometers in size.

Image credit: NDT Education Resource Center