Title: Statistical analysis of fracture toughness of SiC ceramics determined by Vickers indentation method

Authors: Lidija Ćurković; Vera Rede; Marijo Lalić

Addresses: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Department of Materials, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Department of Materials, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia. ' Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, Department of Materials, University of Zagreb, Ivana Lučića 5, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract: In this paper fracture toughness, K_IC, of CVD SiC ceramics was determined by measuring the crack lengths associate with a Vickers indentation. It is well known that the measured fracture of brittle ceramics shows large variability. Therefore, the probabilistic characteristics of fracture toughness were analysed by a two-parameter Weibull distribution function, with scale parameter, K₀, and the Weibull modulus, m. These parameters were determined by the linear regression method for K_IC data measured at load of 9.81, 29.43, 49.01 and 98.1 N, respectively. It was found that the measured fracture toughness follow a Weibull distribution.

Keywords: CVD; chemical vapour deposition; SiC ceramics; fracture toughness; Weibull distribution; silicon carbide; Vickers indentation; crack lengths.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2011.043572

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2011 Vol.6 No.5, pp.359 - 365

Published online: 09 Nov 2011 *

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