There have been may efforts to replace steel in knives with other materials. To date, none have the combination of attributes that steel has. Ceramic metals can be made to very high hardness, but will chip or shatter easily. Carbon fiber is very tough, but won't take an edge worth squat.......properly heat treated steel, with the alloy chosen for the task the knife is to do, will have what you want.
Why search for unicorns to eat, when the field is full of Angus beef.
All that said, these new materials are super cool !
I remember being asked to help with a demonstration in school back in the early 60's. I was the nerd kid, and was chosen to assist the man from Dupont to show some new things dealing with heat and strength. After the demos on dishes that could go from freezer to oven,and ones that could be dropped and not break, he took out what looked like a black handkerchief. He lit a blow torch, and then held the cloth up. He told me to apply the torch to the cloth. I did, and it glowed red where the flame was. He then had me turn off the torch, and handed me the cloth. It was unharmed, and not more than warm. He said it was a new material that was being developed for the space program and to be used in space suits. It was nearly bullet-proof, stronger than steel, fire resistant, and soft as silk.......it was a prototype for what they later patented as Kevlar.
