Simultaneously achieving strength and ductility in Ni3Al nanowires with superlattice intrinsic stacking faults

Simultaneously improving strength and ductility has been an attractive theme in materials science and engineering. Through designing nanostructures, it is possible to overcome the traditional trade-off between ductility and strength of materials. In this paper, we show that introducing superlattice intrinsic stacking faults in nickel aluminide (Ni3Al) can facilitate its strength and toughness. In comparison with twin boundaries, the enhancing effect of superlattice intrinsic stacking faults is more obvious. Most significantly, the yield strength of samples with superlattice intrinsic stacking faults is always superior to their single crystalline counterparts, indicating that the yield strength of single crystalline Ni3Al can be exceeded. These findings provide new insights into the nanostructural design of aerospace materials.