• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.4 s.299
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• pp.208-213
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• 2007

Alumina/silver ($Al_2O_3/Ag$) nanocomposites with Ag content up to 9 vol% were prepared from nanopowder by soaking method using ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ of needle type and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The mechanical properties of specimens were investigated three-point flexural strength and toughness as a function of the Ag contents. The maximum flexural strength of the alumina/silver nanocomposite was 850 MPa for the 1 vol% composite, and also higher than monolith alumina as about 800 MPa at 3, 5, and 7 vol% Ag contents. Fracture toughness by single edged V-notch beam (SEVNB) was $4.05MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$ for the 3 vol% composite and maintained about $4.00MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$ at 5, and 7 vol% Ag content. Microstructure of fracture surface for each fracture specimens was observed. Due to the inhibition effect of alumina grain growth, the average grain size of nanocomposites depends on the content of Ag nano particles. The fracture morphology of nanocomposite with dislocation (sub-grain boundary) by silver nano-particles of second phases in the alumina matrix also showed transgranular fracture-mode compare with intergranular of monolith alumina. Thermal conductivity of specimens at room temperature was about 40 W/mK for the 1 vol% Ag content.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.343-348
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• 2007

Alumina/silver nanocomposites were fabricated using a soaking method through a sol-gel route to construct an intra-type nanostructure. The pulse electric-current sintering (PECS) technique was used to sinter the nanocomposites. Several specimens were annealed after sintering. The microstructure, mechanical properties, critical frontal process zone (FPZ) size, and thermo-mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were estimated. The relative densities of the specimens sintered at 1350 and $1450^{\circ}C$ were 95% and 99%, respectively. The maximum value of the three-point bending strength was found to be 780 MPa for the $2{\times}2{\times}10 mm$ specimen sintered at $1350^{\circ}C$. The fracture toughness of the specimen sintered at $1350^{\circ}C$ was measured to be $3.60 MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$ using the single-edge V-notched beam (SEVNB) technique. The fracture mode of the nanocomposites was transgranular, in contrast to the intergranular mode of monolithic alumina. The fracture morphology suggested that dislocations were generated around the silver nanoparticles dispersed within the alumina matrix. The specimens sintered at $1350^{\circ}C$ were annealed at $800^{\circ}C$ for 5 min, following which the maximum fracture strength became 810 MPa and the fracture toughness improved to $4.21 MPam^{1/2}$. The critical FPZ size was the largest for the specimen annealed at $800^{\circ}C$ for 5 min. Thermal conductivity of the alumina/silver nanocomposites sintered at $1350^{\circ}C$ was 38 W/mK at room temperature, which was higher than the value obtained with the law of mixture.