Metal boride ceramic composites and uses thereof

A composite matrix of a formula (W1-xMxB4)z(Q)n, wherein:

• the composite matrix comprises a first component comprising crystalline W1-xMxB4 and a second component comprising one or more ceramics Q;
• the first component and the second component are uniformly dispersed within the composite matrix;
• M is one or more of titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), zirconium (Zr), niobium (Nb), molybdenum (Mo), ruthenium (Ru), hafnium (Hf), tantalum (Ta), rhenium (Re), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), lithium (Li), yttrium (Y) and aluminum (Al);
• x is from 0 to 0.999, wherein if x is 0 then M is absent;
• each of the one or more ceramics comprises at least two elements, and at least one of the two elements is B (boron), C (carbon), Si (silicon), N (nitrogen), or O (oxygen);
• z is a volume percent from 0.1% to 99.9%;
• n is a volume percent from 0.1% to 99.9%;
• a sum of n and z is 100%;
• Q is not tungsten carbide (WC);
• and
• Palmquist Toughness of the composite matrix is from 1-10 MPam1/2.