Study and modelling of the thermo-mechanical behaviour of melt-textured YBaCuO-composites containing Ag and/or 211 particles

• Published in: Journal of the European Ceramic Society Vol. 19; no. 6; pp. 1519 - 1523
• Main Authors: Tancret, F, Haussonne, J.-M, Monot, I, Vansse, O, Osterstock, F
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.1999; Elsevier
• Subjects: composites; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cuprates superconductors (high tc and insulating parent compounds); Exact sciences and technology; High-Tc compounds; Mechanical and acoustical properties, elasticity, and ultrasonic attenuation; oxide superconductors; Physics; Properties of type I and type II superconductors; Superconductivity; thermal shock resistance; toughness and toughening; composites; oxide superconductors; toughness and toughening; thermal shock resistance; Inorganic compounds; Transition element compounds; Thermomechanical properties; Ceramics; Experimental study; Metal particle; Silver; Composite materials; Barium oxides; Thermal shock; High-Tc superconductors; Microstructure; Quaternary compounds; Copper oxides; Yttrium oxides
• ISSN: 0955-2219; 1873-619X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0955-2219(98)00471-3

YBa 2Cu 3O x high- T c ceramic superconductors have been elaborated by the melt-textured-growth method with additions of Ag particles and/or Y 2BaCuO 5 (211 green phase) in order to study the fracture properties and the thermal shock resistance. The Vickers indentation technique, initially devoted to the sole determination of the toughness has been used in conjunction with a new thermal shock resistance parameter. It makes use of the initial stage of stable propagation of Vickers indentation cracks when submitted to a thermal stress, and results in a generalisation of the fourth parameter of Hasselman. Whereas the toughness increases with increasing 211 content, does the thermal shock resistance decrease. This is explained with respect of the strongly micro-cracked (along the 001 planes) microstructure which is seen as a stacking of dense laminates bound by the 211 particles and subjected to a linear temperature gradient. The higher the number of bounding particles, the stiffer the quenched material, and the higher the induced thermal stress. This micro-mechanical model is implemented into a finite element software. The first results of the calculations confirm the above approach.