• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.212-217
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• 2000

An optimum route to fabricate the $Al_2O_3/Cu$ nanocomposites with sound microstructure and improved mechanical properties was investigated. Microstructural investigations for the composites prepared using $Al_2O_3/Cu$-nitrate showed that fine Cu particles with average size of 150 nm were homogeneously distributed within the $Al_2O_3$ matrix grains and at the grain boundaries. Fracture strength of 953 MPa and toughness of 4.8 Mpa(equation omitted)m were measured for the composite. The strengthening and toughening of the composites are explained by the refinement of the microstructure and the crack bridging/deflection, respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.148-152
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• 2002

The microstructures and indentation fracture of pressureless-sintered $DyNbO_4$ crystalline were investigated as a basic study for the application of weak phase of fibrous monolithic composites. They were comprised with many lamella twins as well as micro-cracks at the grain boundaries. The hardness at room temperature was remarkably low value(575 Hv) due to the low relative density and existence of microcracks at grain boundaries. The main fracture mode was a typical intergranular fracture, and showed remarkable micro-cracking effect. The heavy plastic deformation was observed around the site of indentation. In addition, the $DyNbO_4$ was expected to apply as a weak phase in the fibrous monolithic composites because of the low hardness and easily plastic deformation that could be led the preferable pulled-out and microcracking toughening under the failure.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.212-221
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• 1999

Mechanical properties of polypropylene filled with recycled rubber dusts obtained from the buffing process in sport shoe sole manufacture were investigated. The use of these dusts eliminates the need for the size reduction process which is usually employed in rubber recycling. Two different waxes, polypropylene wax and ethylene vinyl acetate wax, were used in the PP/rubber dust compound. Two different processes, extrusion and injection moulding, were used to study the influence of the blends on the properties. The waxes gave significant improvement in the shaping of the extrudate. It was found that the impact strength of the injection moulded samples were higher than the extruded samples and the virgin PP. The tensile properties (yield stress and modulus) were dependent on the amount of rubber dust addition. An increase in the rubber dust loading gave lower yield stress and modulus.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.16 no.5 s.95
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• pp.348-353
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• 2007

The propagation of a macro-scale crack and the accompanying transformation zone around it was visualized in an Y-TZP ceramic using a mechano-luminescence (ML) technique. The technique allows realistic fractures that take place catastrophically in actual applications to be realistically stimulated. Unlike conventional quasi-static R-curves, the ML technique on a relatively fast time frame permitted a so-called quasi-dynamic R-curve in the crack speed range from 50 to 140 m/sec. to be measured. Effective toughening then commenced and the applied stress intensity factor increased to 27 $MPa{\sqrt{m}}$. The transformation zone height obtained from the ML observations was in good agreement with that predicted by the Marshall model, and coincided with previously observed results for quasi-static conditions by Raman spectorscopy and x-ray analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1099-1106
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• 1994

It is suggested that the microstructural toughening process in the initial rising portion of R-curves observed in polycrystalline alumina should be different from the grain bridging mechanism identified in the long crack regime. Microcracking in the advancing crack front seems to be a prerequisite for the development of unbroken bridging ligaments behind the crack tip. In order to test such a proposition, attempts were made to identify experimentally the presence of microcracks in the frontal zone of propagating cracks. In-situ observation is made of crack growth in a miniature double cantilever beam specimen of a average grain size of 10 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ alumina. Presence of a few microcracks was identified in front of crack tip on the propagating crack plane. The R-curves were re-evaluated based on the observation.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.101-105
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• 1995

Electrical discharge machinable $Si_3N_4$ was fabricated with the addtion of 20-60 vol% TiN by gas pressure sintering. Their sinterability, microstructure, mechanical and electrical properties were characterized as a function of the TiN content. The addition of TiN up to 20 vol% increased the flexural strength and fracture toughness as compared with those of the monolithic Si3N4. For the TiN content higher than 40 vol%, the electrical resistivity was lower than $1062\Omega$.cm. The $Si_3N_4$ with the addition of 40 vol% of TiN appears to have the optimum considerable sinterability, mechanical and electrical properties, and machinability. A microstructural analysis showed that the enhanced toughening was due to the crack deflection.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.125-130
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• 1995

Electrical discharge machinable $SiC-TiB_2$ composites were fabricated by hot-pressing. Their mechanical and electrical properties were determined as a function of $TiB_2$ content. The addition of $TiB_2$ to SiC matrix increased the strength and toughness and decreased electrical resistivity. The flexural strength and fracture toughness of SiC-40 vol% $TiB_2$ composited were approximately 50% higher than those of monolithic SiC ceramics. Microstructural analysis showed that the toughening was mainly due to the crack deflection, with some possible contribution from crack branching or microcracking.

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2010

The propagation of cracks was quantitatively analyzed in $Al_2O_3$ ceramic using the mechanoluminescence (ML) of $SrAl_2O_4$:Eu,Dy. The bridging zones behind the crack tip were clearly detected in the crack path of $Al_2O_3$ within a realistic time frame. The magnitudes and shapes of the bridging stress distributions changed with the advancing cracks. They continued to change with the change in the applied load even after the cessation of crack propagation. Effective toughening then commenced, and the applied stress intensity factors dramatically increased up to ~50 MPa $\sqrt{m}$. The expected $K_{Tip}$ values based on the instantaneous bridging stress distributions obtained from the ML observations deviated greatly from those obtained from the measurement using the conventional crack tip lengths; rather, they support the results obtained when bridging tips were used in the quasidynamic crack propagations.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.549-555
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• 1991

Mullite-zirconia (0∼4 mol% yttria) composites were obtained by In-situ sintering of zircon and alumina mixture, and their mechanical properties were studied in conjuction with microstructure observation. Martensitic transformation temperature (Ms) of zirconia dispersed in the mullite matrix decreased with Y2O3 contents and was about 600$^{\circ}C$ for ZrO2 containing 4 mol% Y2O3. On cooling of this composites, tetragonal to monoclinic phase transformation induced microcracks at the grain boundary of mullite matrix. The microcracks seemed to absorb the fracture energy in stress field during mechanical tests. Therefore, toughening mechanisms of this composite were considered to nucleation and extension of microcrack, and crack deflection mechanism due to the difference of thermal expansion coefficient between matrix and dispersed phase.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.28 no.9
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• pp.696-704
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• 1991

ZrO2-Toughened Alumina-Ceramics (ZTA) with SiC Whisker as dispersive additive were prepared by pressureless sintering at 1$600^{\circ}C$ and 1$650^{\circ}C$ and by HIPing at 1$600^{\circ}C$ in Ar atmosphere. Effects of SiC-Whisker addition on microstuructural, mechanical, and thermal properties were investigated and the toughening mechanisms between theory and experiment were compared. Specimens with 15 vol% Whisker prepared by HIPing showed 8.26 MPa.ma1/2 in fracture toughness and 600 MPa in flexural strength owing to contribution of the three mechanisms such as crack deflection, whisker bridging and whisker pullout in spite of difference between the theoretical and experimental values due to the partial inhomogeneous dispersion of SiC-Whisker in the matrix and the processing flaw.