Title: Fracture mechanisms and fracture toughness of ceramics

Authors: A.D. Vasilev

Addresses: Electron Beam Analysis Laboratory, Department of Strength and Plasticity, Frantsevich Institute for Problems of Materials Science, Academy of Science of the Ukrainian SSR, Krjijanovskogo str. 3, Kiev, 252680, USSR

Abstract: A small review of notions about fracture mechanisms and fracture toughness of ceramics is presented. Using widely the scanning electron microscopy and related techniques, the combined influence of fracture mechanisms and a number of microstructural parameters on fracture toughness are considered. The essential role of the internal interfaces, such as boundaries of grains, powders, their chemical state on the fracture toughness as well as the role of modern analytical methods in understanding of influence of the structure of materials on their properties are shown.

Keywords: ceramics; fracture mechanisms; fracture toughness; temperature dependence; brittle fracture; ductile fracture; brittle-ductile transition; grain size grain boundary composition; porosity; transformation toughening; microstructure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.1993.036561

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 1993 Vol.8 No.2/3/4, pp.484 - 496

Published online: 04 Nov 2010 *

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