Recently, the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) released the list of funded projects under the 2024 Basic Research Program for Young Students (Doctoral Students Category). Xinxin Gao, a Ph.D. candidate in our group, has been successfully awarded funding for his project:
“Structural Evolution and Mechanical Response of Coherent Twinned TiN under Complex Large Strain Conditions.”
This marks the second consecutive year that our group has secured this prestigious national grant, which is aimed at empowering doctoral students to lead independent basic research, develop innovative thinking, and build solid scientific foundations.
About the Project
Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) such as titanium nitride (TiN) are widely applied as hard protective coatings in extreme-service cutting tools and mechanical components due to their exceptional mechanical performance. However, their inherent brittleness limits further application, prompting urgent demand for strategies that enhance both strength and toughness, or even achieve intrinsic plasticity.
Inspired by recent advances in room-temperature plasticity of ceramics, this project focuses on coherent twinned TiN structures under complex strain conditions. The goal is to explore the mechanisms of toughening and plasticity by integrating first-principles calculations and experimental synthesis and characterization.
Key research tasks include:
Modeling coherent twin structures in TiN and analyzing the impact of grain boundary chemistry, twin density, and internal stresses on its strength, toughness, and plasticity.
Investigating the mechanical response under different loading orientations and strain states (uniaxial, multiaxial), and building structure–property–orientation relationships.
Synthesizing coherent twinned TiN thin films using high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS).
Characterizing structural evolution under deformation to elucidate the toughening/plasticity mechanisms in large-strain regimes.
This study is expected to provide theoretical insights and scientific basis for designing tough and ductile nitride-based thin film materials.
About Xinxin Gao
Xinxin Gao received his B.S. degree in Materials Physics from Jilin University (2017–2021) and was admitted to the doctoral program in our group in 2021 under the supervision of Prof. Kan Zhang. His research focuses on the mechanical behavior of transition-metal light-element compounds under complex strain conditions.
He has co-authored three research papers as a co-first author, published in Nature Communications, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, and Physical Review B. His early accomplishments and potential as a young researcher were critical factors in earning this competitive funding.