Ideal Ceramics: Diamond–Silicon Carbide Composite for Lightweight Ceramic Protection

This paper examines the protective properties of two-layer protective panels based on the diamond–silicon carbide ceramic material “Ideal” in comparison with a panel containing corundum tiles. For the first time, the fractional composition of fragments formed after the dynamic testing of panels is assessed and the total surface energy of the resulting small fragments is determined. It is shown that Ideal ceramics are close in terms of properties to ideally brittle material, as a result of which the effective dissipation of kinetic energy and destruction of the indenter are ensured. It is established that during the brittle fracture of Ideal ceramics, the formation of transcrystalline cracks is observed, which proves the high level of strength of interphase bonds in the material.