Fracture toughness testing of nanocrystalline alumina and fused quartz using chevron-notched microbeams

• Published in: Acta materialia Vol. 86; pp. 385 - 395
• Main Authors: Mueller, M.G., Pejchal, V., Žagar, G., Singh, A., Cantoni, M., Mortensen, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2015
• Subjects: Alumina (α-Al2O3); Aluminum oxide; Bars; Finite element analysis (FEA); Focused ion beam (FIB); Fracture mechanics; Fracture toughness; Fused quartz; Mathematical analysis; Nanocrystals; Notches; Scanning electron microscopy; Toughness; Toughness; Focused ion beam (FIB); Alumina (α-Al2O3); Fused quartz; Finite element analysis (FEA)

We show that chevron-notched samples offer an attractive approach to the measurement of fracture toughness in micron-scale samples of brittle materials and use the method to characterize quartz and nanocrystalline alumina. Focused ion beam milling is used to carve bend bars of rectangular cross-sect...