Masahiro Yokouchi

Mechanical Properties of α- and β-SiAlON Composite Ceramics Using β-SiAlON Powder

β-SiAlON powder was used as a raw powder to fabricate α/β-SiAlON composite ceramics with different rare earth elements. The phases present in the sample fabricated from -SiAlON, α-Si3N4, AlN, and rare earth oxide powders were - and -SiAlONs. The composition was dependent on the chemical composition and firing profile. The sample obtained by adding Yb2O3 had a high -SiAlON content. The /-SiAlON composite ceramics had high densit. Their microstructures depended on the used metal oxides, namely, the addition of Nd2O3 and CaCO3 resulted in the elongation of the -SiAlON grains. The bending strength, fracture toughness, and hardness were influenced by the -SiAlON content, amount of elongated grains, and density of the sample.

Crack-Healing Behavior of Mullite/SiC Particle/SiC Whisker Multi-Composite and Mechanical Properties of the Multi-Composite

For improving fracture toughness as well as endowing with excellent self-crack-healing ability, mullite/SiC particles /SiC whiskers multi-composites were developed. Crack-healing ability and the mechanical properties of the specimens were investigated. Mullite/ 20 vol% SiC whiskers, mullite/ 25 vol% SiC whiskers and mullite/ 15 vol% SiC whiskers/ 10 vol% SiC particles composites can completely heal the pre-crack of 100 ım in surface length by heat-treatment at 1300 oC for 2 h in air. However, not completeness of the strength recovery was caused for mullite/ 15 vol% SiC whiskers composite by crack-healing. In spite of the same SiC content, the crack-healing ability of mullite/ 15 vol% SiC whiskers/ 10 vol% SiC particles composite is superior to that of mullite/ 25 vol% SiC whiskers composite. Admixing with SiC whisker was effective for improvement in fracture toughness. Additionally, the fracture toughness was not reduced by admixing with SiC particles.

High-temperature fatigue strength of crack-healed Al2O3 toughened by SiC whiskers

Al2O3 reinforced by SiC whiskers (Al2O3/SiC-W) was sintered in order to investigate the fatigue strength of crack-healed specimens at high temperature. A semi-elliptical surface crack of 100μm in surface length was introduced on each specimen surface. These specimens were crack-healed at 1300°C for 1 h in air, and static and cyclic fatigue strengths were systematically investigated at room temperature, 900°C, and 1100°C by three-point bending. The static and cyclic fatigue limits of the crack-healed specimens were more than 70% of the average bending strength at each testing temperature. Crack-healed specimens of Al2O3/SiC-W were not sensitive to static and cyclic fatigues at room temperature and high temperatures. Therefore, the combination of crack-healing and whisker reinforcement can play an important role in increasing static and cyclic fatigue strengths at high temperature.

Development of structural ceramics having large crack-healing ability and fracture toughness

Al2O3 reinforced by SiC whiskers (Al2O3/SiC-W) was hot pressed to investigate the crack-healing behavior. Semi-elliptical surface cracks of 50 to 450μm in surface length were introduced using a Vickers indenter. The specimens containing pre-cracks were crack-healed at temperatures between 1000°C and 1300°C for 1h in air, and their strengths were measured by three-point bending tests at room temperature and elevated temperatures between 400°C and 1300°C. The results show that Al2O3/SiC-W possesses considerable crack-healing ability. The surface cracks with length of 2c=100μm could be healed by crack-healing at 1200°C or 1300°C for 1h in air. The maximum crack size that can be healed for Al2O3/SiC-W is 2c=200μm. Fracture toughness of the material was also determined. As expected, the SiC whiskers made their Al2O3 tougher.