Fracture resistance of ductile dispersion-toughened aluminum oxide reinforced with aluminum

Miscellaneous · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:7080558

Flinn, B D

The toughening of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} by Al was investigated in two composite materials which exhibit different debonding characteristics. The study involved electron microscopy, mechanical testing, and modeling. Electron microscopy provided in-situ measurements of the microstructural parameters that govern ductile ligament toughening. Fracture toughness testing was used to measure the resistance curve behavior and steady state toughness of the composites. Modeling of the resistance curve measurements in the large scale bridging regime allowed the determination of the stress/stretch relationship of the ductile ligaments. This parameter, characteristic of the contribution to fracture toughness from ductile ligaments, allowed the effects of finite-sized specimens to be predicted. Electron-microscopy results were used in conjunction with models to calculate the overall toughness imparted by the ligaments during ductile rupture. The results for two very different debond lengths agree well with the measured toughness values. This agreement confirms that toughening is dominated by the plastic work expended during the ductile rupture of the ligaments stretched between the crack surfaces.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Santa Barbara, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7080558
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM
FRACTURE PROPERTIES
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
COMPOSITE MATERIALS
DUCTILITY
MICROSTRUCTURE
REINFORCED MATERIALS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELEMENTS
MATERIALS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
METALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
TENSILE PROPERTIES
360603* - Materials- Properties