• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.356-362
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• 1998

Hertzian crack suppression phenomena and relatively high damage tolerance were investigated in hard/soft silicon nitride ($Si_3N_4$) bilayers. Coarse $\alpha}-Si_3N_4$ powder was wsed for the hard coating layer and fine $\alpha}-Si_3N_4$ powder was used for the soft substrate layer. The two layers were designed with a strong interface. Hertzian indentation was used to investigate contact fracture and damage tolerance property. Hertzian crack suppression has occurred with increasing applied load and decreasing coating thickness. The crack suppression contributed strength improvement, especially in the bilayers with thinner coatings. Ultimately, the combination of hard coating with soft but tough underlayer improved the damage tolerance of brittle $Si_3N_4$ ceramics.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 1998

The effect of the $\alpha$/$\beta$ phase fraction on the mechanical properties in silicon nitrides was investigated in part 1. In part II, we describe the role of microstructure on the mechanical properties and contact damage of silicon nitrides with coarse/equiaxed and coarse/elongated microstructures. Grain sizes and shapes were controlled by starting powder. Hertzian indentation using spherical indenter was also used to investigate contact damage behavior. Cone cracks from the spherical indentation were suppressed when the silicon nitride contains coarse and elongated grains. Coarse and elongated grains played an important role of cone crack suppression. The size of quasi-plastic zone does not depend on grain size or shape but depends on the fraction of $\alpha$/$\beta$ phase. A quasi-plastic zone was consisting of microcracks by shear stress during indentation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.787-793
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• 2002

In this study, a bar impact test of low velocity was carried out to gain an insight into the damage mechanism and sequence induced in alumina plates(AD 85 and AD 90) under impact conditions. An experimental setup utilizing an instrumented long bar impact was devised, that can measure directly the impact force applied to the specimen and supply a compressive contact pressure to the specimen. During the bar impact testing, the influences of the contact pressure applied along the impact direction to the specimen on the fracture behavior were investigated. The measured impact force profiles explained well the damage behavior induced in alumina plates. The higher contact pressure to the specimen led to the less damage due to the suppression of radial cracks due to the increase in the apparent flexural stiffness of plate. It had produced the change of damage pattern developed in the specimen; from the radial cracks to the local contact stress dominant damage. It would contribute to the improvement of the ballistic property in ceramic plates. The observed results showed the following sequence in damage developed: The development of cone crack at impact region, the formation of radial cracks from the rear surface of plate depending on the plate thickness, the occurrence of crushing within the cone envelope and the fragmentation.