Silicon carbide (SiC) is an important ceramic material usually found in polycrystalline form with grain boundary thickness ranging from a few nanometers to a few hundred nanometers and grains with multiple orientations with sizes of the order of few micrometers. The present work focuses on analyzing how the interplay between different orientations of SiC grains and different grain boundary thicknesses can be exploited for targeted improvement in the fracture resistance properties of SiC. Crack propagation simulations using the cohesive finite element method (CFEM) are performed on the finite element meshes developed on experimentally processed SiC morphologies. Analyses were performed at two different length scales: 300 μm × 60 μm (scale-1:Microscale) and 75 μm × 15 μm (scale-2:Mesoscale). Lower resolution microstructure at scale-1 does not explicitly consider the presence of grain boundaries (GBs). Higher resolution microstructure at scale-2 explicitly models GBs. Results indicate that the effect of change in grain orientation is on crack path only. The fracture resistance is not significantly affected. The presence of GBs may directly aid in strengthening a microstructure’s fracture resistance. However, indirectly it may weaken a microstructure by favoring the formation of microcracks. Significantly higher crack formation in grain interior while lower interfacial energy dissipation in comparison to interfaces indicates overall lower fracture strength of grain interiors in comparison to interfaces. If GBs are not accounted for, the second most influencing factor affecting fracture strength is the average grains size. Overall, it is mainly the GBs not the grain orientation distribution and grain size that significantly affects fracture strength.
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October 2011
Research Papers
Effect of Meso to Micro Transition in Morphology Dependent Fracture of SiC Ceramics
Hongsuk Lee,
e-mail: lee761@purdue.edu
Hongsuk Lee
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
, West Lafayette, IN 47907
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Vikas Tomar
Vikas Tomar
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
, West Lafayette, IN 47907
Search for other works by this author on:
Hongsuk Lee
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
, West Lafayette, IN 47907e-mail: lee761@purdue.edu
Vikas Tomar
School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University
, West Lafayette, IN 47907J. Eng. Mater. Technol. Oct 2011, 133(4): 041001 (10 pages)
Published Online: October 13, 2011
Article history
Received:
March 4, 2011
Revised:
July 14, 2011
Accepted:
July 22, 2011
Online:
October 13, 2011
Published:
October 13, 2011
Citation
Lee, H., and Tomar, V. (October 13, 2011). "Effect of Meso to Micro Transition in Morphology Dependent Fracture of SiC Ceramics." ASME. J. Eng. Mater. Technol. October 2011; 133(4): 041001. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4004686
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