The Effect of Holding Time on the Properties of N-Vacancy Diffused High-Entropy Nitride Ceramics (Ti_0.25V_0.25Cr_0.25Nb_0.25)N_0.825

High-entropy ceramics (HECs) have garnered significant attention due to their unique microstructure, desirable properties, and vast compositional space. In this study, we utilized homemade TiN_0.3 with anionic vacancies as a sintering aid, equimolarly mixed with VN, CrN, and NbN. Our results demonstrate the following: Firstly, high-entropy nitride ceramics with a single rock salt phase were successfully synthesized within a holding time of 5 min. Secondly, the samples exhibited their maximum hardness, flexural strength, and fracture toughness values at a holding time of 15 min-measuring at 21.51 ± 1.50 GPa, 1271 ± 24 MPa, and 3.63 ± 0.35 MPa m^1/2, respectively.