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Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...

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Ductile phase toughening involves the incorporation of a ductile metal phase into<br />

brittle ceramics to facilitate yielding of the metal particle <strong>and</strong> blunting of the<br />

propagating cracks. In this regard, energy is dissipated through the deformation<br />

of the ductile phase <strong>and</strong> crack blunting at the ductile particle. In most cases, bridging<br />

ligaments along the crack profiles are also produced [5–7]. In general, large amounts<br />

of metallic particles (30–70%) are needed to improve the fracture toughness of<br />

ceramics [8]. Addition of a large amount of metal microparticles deteriorates the<br />

sinterability of ceramics significantly. Further, failure of such MMCs originates from<br />

cavities in large metal inclusions [9].<br />

Fracture toughness of ceramics can also be improved by the addition of ceramic<br />

reinforcements in the forms of particulates, whiskers, <strong>and</strong> fibers to form ceramicmatrix<br />

composites (CMCs) [10–14]. The reinforcing effect of fibers is much higher<br />

that that of particulates <strong>and</strong> whiskers. Continuous silicon carbide <strong>and</strong> carbon fibers<br />

have been widely used to reinforce ceramics [15–17]. The toughening mechanisms<br />

of fiber-reinforced CMCs are mainly attributed to the crack deflection at the<br />

fiber–matrix interface, crack bridging <strong>and</strong> fiber pull-out. It has been demonstrated<br />

that weak fiber–matrix interfacial bonding facilitates the fiber pull-out toughening<br />

mechanism to operate. This is because strong interfacial bonding allows the crack to<br />

propagate straight through the fibers, resulting in low fracture toughness [15].<br />

Continuous fiber-reinforced CMCs are generally fabricated by chemical vapor<br />

infiltration or polymer infiltration <strong>and</strong> pyrolysis (PIP). However, these processing<br />

techniques are costly <strong>and</strong> time consuming.<br />

5.2<br />

Importance of <strong>Ceramic</strong>-Matrix Nanocomposites<br />

In the past few years, considerable attention has been paid to the development of<br />

nanocrystalline ceramics with improved mechanical strength <strong>and</strong> stiffness, <strong>and</strong><br />

enhanced wear resistance [18–20]. Decreasing the grain size of ceramics to the<br />

submicrometer/nanometer scale leads to a marked increase in hardness <strong>and</strong> fracture<br />

strength. However, nanocrystalline ceramics generally display worse fracture toughness<br />

than their microcrystalline counterparts [18]. The toughness of nanoceramics<br />

can be enhanced by adding second phase reinforcements.<br />

Grain size refinement in ceramics <strong>and</strong> their composites can yield superplasticity at<br />

high strain rates [21, 22]. Superplasticity is a flow process in which crystalline<br />

materials exhibit very high tensile ductility or elongation prior to final failure at high<br />

3<br />

Figure 5.1 Schematic illustrations of three<br />

toughening mechanisms in ceramics: (a) phase<br />

transformation toughening showing<br />

transformed monoclinic zirconia (1) from<br />

metastable tetragonal zirconia (2); (b) ductile<br />

phase toughening through (1) ductile phase<br />

5.2 Importance of <strong>Ceramic</strong>-Matrix Nanocompositesj133<br />

deformation or crack blunting <strong>and</strong> (2) crack<br />

bridging; (c) fiber toughening showing (1) crack<br />

deflection, (2) crack bridging <strong>and</strong> (3) fiber pullout.<br />

Reproduced with permission from [1].<br />

Copyright Ó (2005) Elsevier.

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