Tooth enamel-inspired ceramic coating on metal surface for enhanced mechanical properties and corrosion resistance

Shaojia Liu, Jingjing Deng, Hewei Zhao (), Tianbai Wang, Junfeng Lu, Baosen Ding, Tianqi Guo (), Robert O. Ritchie () and Lin Guo ()
Additional contact information
Shaojia Liu: Beihang University
Jingjing Deng: Peking University Health Science Center
Hewei Zhao: Beihang University
Tianbai Wang: Beihang University
Junfeng Lu: Beihang University
Baosen Ding: Beihang University
Tianqi Guo: Beihang University
Robert O. Ritchie: University of California Berkeley
Lin Guo: Beihang University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Stiffness-damping balance, high specific mechanical performance, and corrosion resistance are demanded for metals. Here, we developed an enamel-inspired ceramic (EIC) coating strategy involving hydrothermal growth of a tooth enamel-like ZrO₂ nanorods on Zr foil and amorphous ZrO₂ intergranular phase formation via controlled hydrolysis. The EIC coated Zr foil (Zr-EIC) achieved a high viscoelastic figure of merit (4.6 GPa); as well as excellent specific stiffness and hardness owing to the lightweight of ceramics, surpassing the values of Zr and previously reported Zr-based alloys or Zr-based composites. This was due to the vertically oriented stiff nanorods and unique energy dissipation derived from deformation at the crystalline/amorphous interfaces. It demonstrated exceptional NaCl corrosion resistance. This approach showed universality across Ti, Zn, and Cu substrates, enhancing both mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. By constructing an enamel-like hierarchical structure on the metal surface, the strategy overcomes traditional metal limitations without causing an increase in density.

Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-61060-1 Abstract (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-61060-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-61060-1

Access Statistics for this article

Nature Communications is currently edited by Nathalie Le Bot, Enda Bergin and Fiona Gillespie

More articles in Nature Communications from Nature
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().