• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.602-615
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• 1996

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the microstructural effect on the R-curve behavior in three aluminas with different grain size distributions by analyzing the bridging stress distribution. The crack opening displacement (COD) according to the distance behind the stationary crack tip was measured using an in situ SEM fracture method. The measured COD values in the fine-grained alumina agreed well with Wiederhorn's sollution while they deviated from Wiederhorn's solution in the two coarse-grained aluminas because of the increase of the crack closure due to the grain interface bridging in the crack wake. A numerical fitting procedure was conducted by the introduction of the power-law relation and the current theoretical model together with the measured COD's in order to obtain the bridging stress distribution. The results indicated that the bridging stress function and the R-curve computed by the current model were consistent with those computed by the power-law relation providing a reliable evidence for the bridging stress analysis of the current model. The strain-softening exponent in the power-law relation n, was calculated to be in the range from 2 to 3 and was closely related to the grain size distribution. Thus it was concluded from the current theoretical model that the grain size distribution affected greatly the bridging stress distribution thereby resulting in the quantitative analysis of microfracture of polycrystalline aluminas through correlating the local-fracture-cont-rolling microstructure.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.583-589
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• 1996

In this study a new analytical model which can describe the relationship between the bridging stress and microstructure has beenproposed in order to investigate the microstructural effect on the R-curve behavior in polycrystalline aluminas since the R-curve can be derived via the bridging stress function. In the currently developed model function the distribution of grain size is considered as a microstructural factor in modeling of bridging stress function and thus the bridging stress function including three constants PM, n, and Cx, can be established analytically and quantitatively. The results indicate that the n value is closely related to the grain size distribution thereby providing a reliability of the current model for the bridging stress analysis. Thus this model which explains the correlation of the bridging stress distribution and microstructual parame-ters is useful for the systematic interpretation of microfracture mechanism including the R-curve behavior in polycrystalline aluminas.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.590-601
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• 1996

This study aims at developing the double cantilever beam (DCB) method in order to calculate the bridging stress distribution in polycrystalline aluminas with different grain sizes. In the already existing DCB methods the measured crack opening displacement (COD) in coarse-grained aluminas deviates generally from the calcula-ted one because of the grain-interface bridging in the crack wake. In the current DBC method developed in the present study the effect of the bridging stress was considered in the DCB analysis. whereas the only effect of applied point-loading at the end of DCB specimen was taken into account in the existing DCB analysis The crack closure due to bridging stress was calculated using the power-law relation and the theoretical model developed in Part I of the present paper as bridging stress function and then compared analytically. The limitations of the current DCB methods such as specimen dimensions applied loads and elastic modulus were discussed in detail to provide a reliability of the newly developed DCB analysis for the bridging stress distribu-tion in polycrystalline aluminas.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 1996

In this study the subcritical crack growth behavior in an Al2O3-SiCw composite has been investigated using in situ fracture technique of applied moment double cantilever beam (AMDCB) specimens indside an SEM. This technique allows the detailed observation of whisker and grain bridging in the crack wake region. The experimental results indicated that the KI-a curve was deviated from the conventional powder law form and that the existed a region where the rate of microcrack growth was decreased with increasing the externally applied stress intensity factor. This behavior could be explained by arising crack growth resistance i.e. R-curve behavior which was associated with crack shielding due to whisker and grain bridging. The R-curve was also analyzed from the KI-a curve data in order to quantify the bridging effect in the Al2O3-SiCw composite.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1449-1458
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• 1994

A new analytical model which can discribe the relationship between the bridging stress and the crack opening displacement was proposed to investigate the microstructural effect on the R-curve behavior in a polycrystalline alumina. The crack opening displacement according to the distance behind the stationary crack tip was measured using in-situ fracture technique in an SEM, and then used for a fitting procedure to obtain the distribution of bridging stress. The current model and an empirical power law relation were introduced into the fitting procedure. The results indicated that the bridging stress function and R-curve computed by the current model were consistent with those computed by the power law relation. The microstructural factor, e.g., the distribution of grain size, was also found to be closely related to the bridging stress. Thus, this model explained well the interaction effect between the distribution of bridging stress and the local-fracture-controlling microstructure, providing important information for the systematic interpretation of microfracture mechanism including R-curve behavior of a monolithic alumina.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.1129-1138
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• 1997

Al2O3/20 vol%YAG composite containing equiaxed grains and Al2O3/20 vol%LaAl11O18 composite containing elongated grains were fabricated using Al2O3-Y2O3 composition and Al2O3-La2O3 composition, respectively, by hot-pressing. In order to investigate the influence of microstructural control of second phase on toughening effect of toughened ceramic composites, AE (acoustic emission) measurements have been coupled with fracture toughness experiments(SENB and SEPB method). A separation of the fracture toughness and analysis of toughening mechanism was possible using the AE technique. The fracture toughness of hot-pressed materials was estimated to be 3.2 MPam0.5 for monolithic alumina, 4.7 MPam0.5 for Al2O3/20 vol%YAG composite and 6.2 MPam0.5 for Al2O3/20 vol%LaAl11O18 composite. In monolithic Al2O3, toughening does not occur as a result of either microcracking or grain bridging, whereas, composites exhibit toughening effects by both microcracking in the frontal zone and gain bridging in the wake zone, resulting in an improvement of fracture toughness as compared with monolithic Al2O3. The fracture toughness of Al2O3/20 vol%LaAl11O18 composite is higher than that of Al2O3/20 vol%YAG composite. It may be attributed to the elongated microstructure of Al2O3/20 vol%LaAl11O18 composite, resulting relatively greater bridging effect.

• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.37-37
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• 1995

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

The propagation of cracks was quantitatively analyzed in $Al_2O_3$ ceramic using the mechanoluminescence (ML) of $SrAl_2O_4$:Eu,Dy. The bridging zones behind the crack tip were clearly detected in the crack path of $Al_2O_3$ within a realistic time frame. The magnitudes and shapes of the bridging stress distributions changed with the advancing cracks. They continued to change with the change in the applied load even after the cessation of crack propagation. Effective toughening then commenced, and the applied stress intensity factors dramatically increased up to ~50 MPa $\sqrt{m}$. The expected $K_{Tip}$ values based on the instantaneous bridging stress distributions obtained from the ML observations deviated greatly from those obtained from the measurement using the conventional crack tip lengths; rather, they support the results obtained when bridging tips were used in the quasidynamic crack propagations.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1266-1273
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• 1998

Al2O3/(5~20vol%)LaAl11O18 composites in which the second phase was dispersed with a elongated grain shape were fabricated using Al2O3 and La2O3 composition by hot-pressing. In order investigate the in-fluence of LaAl11O18 on the toughening of LaAl11O18 on the toughening of Al2O3 matrix composites AE(acoustic emission) analysis was con-ducted together with an evaluation of fracture toughness using of SEPB technique. The degree of AE events occurred in composites were more than those in monolithic alumina. The occurrences of AE event increased with increasing the amount of LaAl11O18 phase in the Al2O3/LaAl11O18 composite is two times higher compared to monolithic alu-mina. The main toughening mechanism was attributed to the bridging of LaAl11O18 grains at tip of pro-pagating crack.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1099-1106
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• 1994

It is suggested that the microstructural toughening process in the initial rising portion of R-curves observed in polycrystalline alumina should be different from the grain bridging mechanism identified in the long crack regime. Microcracking in the advancing crack front seems to be a prerequisite for the development of unbroken bridging ligaments behind the crack tip. In order to test such a proposition, attempts were made to identify experimentally the presence of microcracks in the frontal zone of propagating cracks. In-situ observation is made of crack growth in a miniature double cantilever beam specimen of a average grain size of 10 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ alumina. Presence of a few microcracks was identified in front of crack tip on the propagating crack plane. The R-curves were re-evaluated based on the observation.