Fabrication and Formation Mechanism of Flowerlike Bicephalous TiB₂ Nanowhisker Clusters

Flowerlike bicephalous titanium diboride (TiB2) nanowhisker clusters were fabricated by planetary ball-milling. The pure cleavage theory and crack growth mechanism were used to explain the formation process. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and nano electronic beam diffraction show that TiB2 superhard material always has a cleavage plane along the direction of [0001] zone axe and [10 0] zone axe because of its big interplane distance, weak bonding force between planes and low index directions. The flowerlike bicephalous TiB2 nanowhisker can be gained after repeated cleavage under high strains. The discovery could open a new path to fabricate C32 type superhard ceramic nanowhiskers.