J O U R N A L OF M A T E R I A L S S C I E N C E L E T T E R S 11 (1992) 1127-1128

Notch sensitivity and temperature dependence of non-linear deformation of ceramic-metal composite

S. M. BARINOV, V. YA. SHEVCHENKO

High-Tech Ceramics Scientific Research Centre, Academy of Sciences of the USSR, Ozernaya 48, Moscow 119361, USSR

The operating reliability of structural materials depends on the sensitivity of their mechanical properties to stress concentration being created by pores and other structural defects. It is known that the influence of the notch as a model stress concentrator on the deformation of metals and ceramics differs greatly. A notch in metals causes the localization of plastic flow and, as a consequence, a decrease in the relative non-elastic deformation portion in a general specimen deformation. A notch in ceramic materials can play the opposite role. If a ceramic material is characterized with increasing R-curves of crack propagation resistance, then a notch causing stress concentration can initiate the progress of various dissipative processes (microcracking and phase transformations) in the field of the notch tip. This conditions the possibility of stable crack increment from the notch tip and, thus, the non-linearity of specimen deformation. Hence, the nature of irreversible processes taking place at material deformation can be judged by the sensitivity of specimen deformation to a stress concentrator. Naturally, the relationship of contributions of different dissipative processes must depend on such external factors as temperature and deformation rate, as well as on the material technological history. Thus, by the change in non-linear deformation notch sensitivity depending on various factors one can draw certain conclusions on the extent of technological optimality and materials behaviour in exploitation conditions. For example, the resistance of ceramic materials to thermal shock is to be determined by a value of ultimate elastic strain & = o:ATc, where o~ is the thermal coefficient of linear expansion and ATc is the critical temperature difference. The simplest arguments lead to the opinion that the possibility of relaxation of elastic deformation on the value of Ae at the expense of non-linear processes must lead to the increase in resistance to thermal shock
Ar'JAr = 1+

where A T'c and A Tc are the values of the critical temperature differences for material specimens which have deformation before catastrophic fracture e c + Ae and &, respectively, & is the ultimate elastic strain and Ae is the non-linear deformation. In accordance with the above, the aim of this work was to show, using some model material, the sensitivity of non-linear relative deformation to notch depend0261-8028 0 1992 Chapman & Hall

ing on the temperature and material technological history. Experiments with specimens of the ceramic-metal composite 60% LaCrO3-40% Cr were performed. Such materials can be used for high-temperature electrodes and heaters under conditions of thermal shock and thermocyclic loads [1]. The composite specimens were made by two technological methods using powder mixtures of chromium with particle size 1-20 #m and lanthanium chromite with average particle size 20 #m. The first method included cold quasi-static compaction of the mixture with subsequent sintering at 1750 C. The relative density of the obtained materials (SC materials) was 92% theoretical. The second method was based on the explosive compaction of mixtures with speeds exceeding 1000 m s -I and further sintering (EC materials) [1]. The density of the EC material was 96% theoretical. X-ray diffraction studies showed substantial broadening of both chromium and lanthanium chromite diffraction lines for EC materials compared with these for SC materials. This confirms structural fragmentation as a result of explosive treatment. Besides, scanning electron microscopy studies showed the presence of "welding points" at interphase boundaries of EC material components, whereas in SC specimens there were no such points. The above testifies to creation of a stronger bonding of diffusion welding type as a result of explosive treatment which activates further interaction of the EC material components [2, 3]. The geometry of specimens for mechanical tests was breadth 4 mm, width 6 nun and length 40 mm. Both specimens without a notch and with a thin side notch of depth 0.5 W and tip curvature radius of 50/tm were tested. The specimens were loaded by three-point bending at a span of 24 mm in a furnace filled with argon, using an Instron-type machine. The cross-head speed was 8 10 -6 ms -1 and the testing temperature range 25-1100 C. Non-linear deformation of the specimens without a notch was calculated by a successive approximations method according to [4]. Fig. 1 shows the temperature dependence of the whole and non-linear deformation of the specimens without a notch (EC and SC composites). As can be seen, EC materials are more deformable over the whole temperature range. Non-linear deformation of EC materials is already appearing at room temperature, whereas for SC materials it appears only at temperatures exceeding 900 C. With the
1127

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o~

0,50

8
E
k.

0
1.00

Q;

0,S0

(b)

Temperoture (*C)

I 500

I 1000

Figure l Temperature dependence of (1) total and (2) linear elastic deformation of unnotched specimens of (a) EC and (b) SC composites.

increase in the testing temperature the deformability of both materials increases. Fig. 2 shows the temperature dependence of relative non-linear deflection AU/Uo of the specimens without a notch (curve 1) and notched specimens (curve 2) of EC and SC materials, where u0 is the deflection corresponding to the start of deviation from linear-elastic deformation. A notch in EC material causes macroscopic embrittlement. However, with the increase in testing temperature

0.60
r"

the embrittlement effect lessens. For SC materials another situation is inherent: non-linear relative deformation of the notched specimens is always greater than that of the specimens without a notch. However, the effect decreases at temperatures higher than 900 C. Comparison of the data given in Figs 1 and 2 as well as of results of the fractographic investigations permits the following conclusion to be drawn. The unnotched specimens of EC composite are deforming non-linearly in the whole range of temperatures. Notching stipulates embrittlement of the material. Thus, the non-linearity of deformation of these materials is conditioned by plastic deformation. This assumption does not contradict date [5] according to which decrease of chromium grain size up to about 3/lm leads to a temperature decrease of the brittle-ductile transition down to room temperature. As the data from X-ray diffraction analysis showed, the explosive treatment leads to a substantial decrease in the substructural cell size in chromium and to the breaking of lanthanium chromite grains with which the plasticity can be connected. On the other hand, SC materials without a notch do not show non-linear deformation at temperatures up to 900 C. The introduction of the notch causes the emergence of non-linear deformation. Hence, the notch initiates the dissipative processes near the notch tip. This dissipative process seems to be crack bridging inherent to the fracture of sintered ceramic-metal composites [6]. At temperatures above 900 C this effect decreases, probably because of the arising of a competitive plasticity effect. Thus, this work has shown that studying of non-linear deformation notch sensitivity is efficient for the identification of the dissipation mechanisms of the external forces work upon mechanical loading of the materials in a wide temperature range, and permits useful information on the optimality of materials technology to be obtained.

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Acknowledgement

The authors are particularly grateful to Dr V. S. Ivanov for his help in materials and specimens preparation.

(a)
References
1. E . S . ATROSHENKO, B. M. BARYKIN, V. S. IVANOV, YU. L. KRASULIN and E. G. SPIRIDONOV, High Temp. High Pressure 8 (1976) 21. YU. L. KRASULIN, S. M. BARINOV and V. S. IVANOV, J. Mater. Sci. 21 (1986) 3901. D . G . MORRIS, ibid. 17 (1982) 1789. S.M. BARINOV, Indust. Lab. (USSR) 48 (1982) 78. V . I . TREFILOV, YU. V. MILMAN and S. A. FIRSTOV, "Physics of strength of refractory metals" (Naukova Dumka, Kiev, 1975). A . G . EVANS, J. Amer. Ceram. Soc. 73 (1990) 187.

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>
2.
0.20

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Temperoture (C)
500

3. 4. 5.

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Figure 2 Temperature dependence of relative non-linear deflection Au/uo for (1) unnotched and (2) notched specimens of (a) EC and (b) SC composites.

Received 3 September and accepted 17 December 1991

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