Effects of ceramic fillers on fracture resistance of barrier ribs of PDP

Barrier ribs of plasma display panel (PDP) are glass matrix composite reinforced with alumina particles. Mechanical properties of the ribs are very crucial for the improvement in reliability of the panel as the ribs might fracture during transportation and service. In this study, therefore, the effects of filler type and content on the mechanical properties of the ribs were investigated. The fillers used include $Al_2O_3$, $TiO_2$, $ZrO_2$ and fused silica. The content of the filler was changed from 0 to 40 vol.%. The mechanical properties of the ribs measured were hardness, Young's modulus, fracture toughness, and 3-point bending modulus. The fracture toughness evaluated by micro-Vicker's indentation of the composites, in general, was measured to increase with the content of the filler until the sintered density does not decrease significantly. The improvement, however, was dependent on the type of filler employed.