Patent attributes
Embodiments of the invention provide a ceramic composites and synthesis methods that include providing a plurality of nanoparticles with at least one first rare-earth single-crystal compound, and mixing the plurality of nanoparticles with at least one ceramic material and at least one ceramic binder including at least one solvent. The method further includes preparing a ceramic green-body from the mixture, and sintering the ceramic green-body to form a ceramic composite of a polycrystalline ceramic with a plurality of embedded single-crystal nanorods. The embedded single-crystal nanorods include at least one second rare-earth single crystal compound. The at least one second rare-earth single crystal compound can include or be derived from the at least one first rare-earth single crystal compound.
