Through the observation of wear scar of two ceramic materials, microstructural wear mechanisms was investigated. As for the -5 vol% SiC nanocomposite, the grain boundary fracture was suppressed by the presence of SiC nano-particles. The intragranular SiC particles have inhibited the extension of plastic deformation through the whole grain. Part of plastic deformation was accommodated around SiC particles, which made a cavity at the interface between SiC and matrix alumina. On the other hand, gas-pressure sintered silicon nitride showed extensive grain boundary fracture due to the thermal fatigue. The lamination of wear scar was initiated by the dissolution of grain boundary phase. These two extreme cases showed the importance of microstructures in wear behavior.

In purpose of introducing the inverse magnetostrictive properties into the structural ceramics, based nanocomposites dispersed with nano-sized Ni-Co particles were studied. The composites were fabricated by the hydrogen reduction and hot-pressing of and NiO-CoO mixed powders. The mixtures were prepared by using Ni- and Co-nitrate as source materials for the Ni-Co particles. Microstructural observations revealed that nano-sized Ni-Co particles were dispersed homogeneously at grain boundaries. High strength above 1 GPa was obtained for the wt% Ni-Co nanocomposite fabricated by a controlled powder preparation process. The inverse magnetostrictive response to applied stress was obtained due to the presence of dispersed Ni-Co particles, which indicates a possibility to incorporate new functions into the structural ceramics without loosing the mechanical properties.