Heterogeneous materials: a new class of materials with unprecedented mechanical properties

Here we present a perspective on heterogeneous materials, a new class of materials possessing superior combinations of strength and ductility that are not accessible to their homogeneous counterparts. Heterogeneous materials consist of domains with dramatic strength differences. The domain sizes may vary in the range of micrometers to millimeters. Large strain gradients near domain interfaces are produced during deformation, which produces a...