Ultrafine-grained LaB6–ZrB2 composite ceramics with superior mechanical and thermionic emission properties prepared by high-pressure sintering

In this study, ultrafine-grained LaB6–ZrB2 composite ceramics were successfully synthesized by sintering a mixture of self-produced LaB6 nanopowder and commercial ZrB2 nanopowder under high pressure. Compared with their coarse-grained counterparts, ultrafine-grained ceramics exhibit improved mechanical properties. Notably, the ultrafine-grained LaB6–ZrB2 composite ceramic sintered at 4 GPa and 1673 K, with an average grain size of 286 nm, shows optimal mechanical performance characterized by a Vickers hardness of 25.6 GPa, a fracture toughness of 4.1 MPa·m1/2, and an elastic modulus of 338 GPa. Furthermore, the ultrafine-grained LaB6–ZrB2 composite ceramics displayed strong thermal emission, reaching a maximum current density of 27.5 A∙cm−2 at 1773 K. The structural and functional advantages of ultrafine-grained LaB6–ZrB2 composite ceramics render them suitable for potential use in thermionic emission cathodes.