Sliding energy landscape governs interfacial failure of nanotube-reinforced ceramic nanocomposites

We report the sliding adhesion of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and graphene on silica using single nanotube pullout force measurements and potential energy landscape calculations by density functional theory (DFT). In contrast to isotropic sliding of graphene on silica, the sliding of hBN on silica exhibits strong directional dependence with unusually high energy barriers formed by stacking of unterminated Si or O atoms on N atoms. Stronger interfacial adhesion energy and shear strength across possible termination structures of silica with hBN versus graphene cumulate in the measured interfacial shear strength of similar to 34.7 MPa versus similar to 19.2 MPa for the respective nanotube-reinforced composites (C) 2021 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

By conducting single nanotube pullout force measurements and DFT calculations, the study reveals the sliding adhesion of hBN on silica exhibits stronger directional dependence with unusually high energy barriers compared to graphene. The interfacial adhesion energy and shear strength across termination structures of silica with hBN are found to be significantly higher than with graphene.