Advances in the Design of Toughened Ceramics

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Nippon Seramikkusu Kyokai Gakujutsu Ronbunshi (Journal of the Ceramic Society of Japan)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2109/jcersj.99.993· OSTI ID:5362418

Becher, Paul F. ^[1]

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1. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

The mechanical performance of brittle ceramics can be improved by increasing their fracture toughness/resistance. This is reflected by increases in resistance to strength degradation from in-service thermal stresses, slow crack growth, and contact or impact damage when the fracture toughness is enhanced. Furthermore, it appears that the distribution of the fracture strengths is narrowed (e.g., increased Weibull modulus) in toughened ceramics. Two approaches which can result in improved fracture toughness are transformation toughening and reinforcement processes. The reinforcement process can be achieved by introducing various microstructural features (e.g., strong whiskers and platelets, large noncubic matrix grains, and elongated matrix grains). However, the design of toughened ceramics employing either transformation toughening or reinforcement mechanisms must consider the material properties and characteristics which control each mechanism. Both the analysis of the toughening contributions and experimental observations can be used to define the influence of microstructure and material parameters on the toughening effects. These observations, then, provide a basis for the design of toughened ceramics.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Materials Sciences & Engineering Division (MSE)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 5362418
• Report Number(s): CONF-911084--2; ON: DE91016767
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Nippon Seramikkusu Kyokai Gakujutsu Ronbunshi (Journal of the Ceramic Society of Japan) Journal Issue: 1154 Journal Volume: 99
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360203* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Mechanical Properties
ALLOYS
BRITTLENESS
CARBON ADDITIONS
CERAMICS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL LATTICES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
Crack bridging
DESIGN
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
GRAIN SIZE
IRON ALLOYS
MARTENSITE
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MICROSTRUCTURE
MONOCRYSTALS
MORPHOLOGY
Mechanical properties
Microstructure
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
REINFORCED MATERIALS
SIZE
TETRAGONAL LATTICES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
Toughness
Transformation
WHISKERS
ZIRCONIUM COMPOUNDS
ZIRCONIUM OXIDES