Dynamics of consolidation and crack growth in nanocluster-assembled amorphous silicon nitride

Journal Article · Sat Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1998 · Journal of the American Ceramic Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1998.tb02354.x· OSTI ID:616479

Tsuruta, Kenji; Nakano, Aiichiro; Kalia, R K; Vashishta, P ^[1]

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1. Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States). Concurrent Computing Lab. for Materials Simulation

Consolidation and fracture dynamics in nanophase amorphous Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} are investigated using 10{sup 6}-atom molecular-dynamics simulations. At a pressure of 15 GPa and 2,000 K, the nanophase system is almost fully consolidated within a fraction of a nanosecond. The consolidation process is well-described by the classical theory of sintering. Under an applied strain the consolidation system develops several cracks which propagate parallel to each other, causing failure at multiple sites. The critical strain at which the nanophase system fractures is much larger than that for crystalline Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States); Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States); Department of the Army, Washington, DC (United States); Petroleum Research Fund (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG05-92ER45477
• OSTI ID: 616479
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 81; ISSN 0002-7820; ISSN JACTAW
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
AMORPHOUS STATE
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CRACK PROPAGATION
FRACTURE MECHANICS
SILICON NITRIDES
SINTERING