Influence of Grain Size on the Weibull Distribution of Fracture Strength in Atmospheric-pressure Solid-phase Sintered SiC Ceramics

doi:10.15541/jim20250209

Abstract

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) ceramics have found extensive application in strategic fields, such as semiconductor technology, nuclear energy, aerospace engineering, and marine engineering. This is attributed to their remarkable properties, which encompass excellent mechanical properties, resistance to high-temperature creep, acid and alkali corrosion, and high thermal conductivity. However, the fracture strength of these brittle ceramic materials typically exhibits significant discreteness, which adversely affects reliability and limits their wider application as engineering structural materials. In this work,the reliability of fracture strength in solid-state sintered silicon carbide (SSiC) ceramics was enhanced through the regulation of grain size. The influence of grain size on the mechanical properties, Weibull distribution of fracture strength, and Crack entension resistance curve (R-curve) characteristics of SSiC ceramics were systematically evaluated. The reliability regulatory mechanism for the fracture strength of SSiC ceramics was analyzed. The results indicate that, with an increase in sintering temperature from 2100β℃ to 2200β℃, the average grain size of SSiC ceramics increased from 3.01βµm to 8.45βµm, while the coefficient of grain size distribution uniformity dropped from 0.70 to 0.62. As the average grain size was reduced from 8.45βµm to 3.01βµm, the Weibull modulus of fracture strength for SSiC ceramics increased gradually from 8.5 to 12.2, representing a 44% increase. This clearly indicates the positive impact of grain refinement on the reliability of fracture strength. The enhancement in the Weibull modulus of fracture strength as a result of grain refinement can primarily be attributed to the high-density grain boundary network, which effectively mitigates stress concentration via crack bifurcation and bridging mechanisms. Additionally, the uniformity of grain distribution and reduced defect size contribute to an elevated energy threshold for crack propagation, leading to an ascending R-curve behavior. This work achieved a significant improvement in the fracture strength reliability of silicon carbide ceramics through the regulation of grain size, which is expected to promote the wider engineering application of silicon carbide ceramic materials.

Key words: silicon carbide ceramics, grain size, reliability, Weibull modulus, defect control

CLC Number:

TQ174
TB321

CAO Juan, WU Xishi, LIU Zehua, PEI Bingbing, HAN Jianshen, LIU Huan, YANG Yitian, WU Haibo, HUANG Zhengren. Influence of Grain Size on the Weibull Distribution of Fracture Strength in Atmospheric-pressure Solid-phase Sintered SiC Ceramics[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, DOI: 10.15541/jim20250209.

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