• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.34 no.11
• /
• pp.1715-1720
• /
• 2010

In this study, we analyzed the crack-healing characteristics of specimens; different crack lengths and coating methods of $Si_3N_4$ ceramic structures with long cracks were analyzed. Cracks with lengths of about $100-500\;{\mu}m$ were obtained using a Vickers indenter for a load of 24.5-98 N. In the case of a crack obtained by applying a load of 24.5 N, the crack-healed specimen with $SiO_2$ nanocolloid coating exhibited the highest bending strength, which was higher than that of a smooth specimen by 140%, but the bending strength of a crack-healed specimen that had a $SiO_2$ nanocolloid coating and originally had multiple cracks was lower than that of a smooth specimen. However, when compared to the cracked specimens, the bending strength of most specimens with multiple cracks increased slightly. On the basis of these results, the crack-healing characteristics of $Si_3N_4$ ceramic structures with multiple indentations were studied for different coating methods. The most effective coating method for long-crack specimens was hydrostatic pressure coating.