Ductile Ceramics

Chapter 2
Ductile Ceramics
Abstract Not all ceramics are brittle at room temperature. There are some ceramics
which are ductile at ambient temperatures. Such ceramics, for example are single
crystals MgO, SrTiO3, etc. They undergo plastic deformation and by dislocation
motion slip lines are observed on the deformed specimens. In pure MgO at room
temperature, dislocations are very mobile at comparatively low stresses. Changing
the microstructure, possibly by alloying, the mobility of dislocations may be
reduced and an increase in strength may be achieved. As usually observed, material
undergoing plastic deformation tend to strain harden, a feature observed also in
ductile ceramics. Of the several factors influencing the strength properties of ductile
ceramics, grain size is outstanding. Fine grained ceramics are desirable. Originally
brittle ceramics show elongation at high temperatures which is a usual observation.
There is a transition temperature from brittle to ductile behavior which depends on
the ceramics. One of the common methods to determine the brittle to transition
temperature is by impact testing, and for this purpose various sophisticated
machines have been developed. An extraordinary phenomenon related to ductility is
superplasticity, where very high values of strains can be achieved before fracture.
Superplastic ceramics are oxide (zirconia) or non-oxide ceramics. Well-known
superplastic ceramics are SiC and FeC. The common feature of superplastic
materials is the requirement of very fine grains, namely, in the nanosize range.
2.1 Introduction
This chapter considers the mechanical properties of ductile ceramics, which can be
grouped into three categories as classified below:
(a) Ductility at elevated temperatures. As is commonly known, some ceramics are
ductile at high temperatures and it is meaningful to consider brittle–ductile
transition. This was mentioned in Chap. 1, Sect. 1.11 on the Impact Testing of
Ceramics.
J. Pelleg, Mechanical Properties of Ceramics, Solid Mechanics 113

and Its Applications 213, DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-04492-7_2,
Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014
114 2 Ductile Ceramics
(b) Ductile ceramics that show plasticity at ambient temperatures. Their features
and, in some cases, modifications in their compositions are significant. Fur-
thermore, certain additions to base ceramics, those which promote ductility
(such as metals), are considered.
(c) Superplasticity in ceramics. Some ceramics show plastic behavior with elon-
gations of *100 % and more. This is an important feature of this class of
ceramics, because it is of structural interest for technical or industrial
applications.
2.1.1 Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures
The most outstanding feature of ceramics in this category is the various degrees of
plasticity that occur following the transition from brittle to ductile condition. This
is the first transition to be discussed here, since all the other features are conse-
quences of the brittle-to-ductile transition (henceforth: BDT).
2.1.1.1 Transition Temperature
The classic method for evaluating the transition temperature from a ductile to a
brittle state is by impact testing. The basic reasons for using such a test are the high
strain rate that can be achieved by impact and its simplicity. Though there are
currently many other ways to vary strain rate, those who choose to perform impact
tests can enjoy the use of modern, instrumented impact machines. For most
ceramics which are brittle at room temperature (henceforth: RT), ductility is a
high-temperature feature; thus, it is more meaningful to discuss BDT, rather than
ductile-to-brittle transition (DBT), the more common nomenclature.
Relatively few impact strength data are available in the literature on ceramics
and there are even fewer recorded experimental reports. The major limitations of
performing such impact tests are the brittleness and low impact strength of
ceramics at low and ambient temperatures, especially when the focus is on their
applications at elevated temperatures, in light of their high strength properties.
For an early work on the determination of the transition temperature by impact,
one may consult the paper by Kingery and Pappis [29]. Above a critical transition
temperature, ductility increases markedly and ductile fractures are observed in
ceramics. An illustration of the transition temperatures for a few ceramics may be
seen in Fig. 2.1.
The experimental set-up for impact loading is shown in Fig. 2.2. The samples
are cylindrical, 6 in. long and 1/2 in. in diameter, supported on dense, sintered
alumina knife edges across a 41/2 in. span.
The furnace is heated with silicon carbide resistant elements to 1600 C. The
samples were impacted in the furnace by a pendulum hammer having a 23.65 in. arm
length and a 0.411 lbs wedge-shaped, sintered alumina head, as shown in Fig. 2.2.
2.1 Introduction 115
Fig. 2.1 Impact strength of: a A12O3 and MgO; b Pyrex and soft glass; c semivitreous
whiteware body [29]. With kind permission of Wiley and Sons
Tests were performed until fracture occurred after successive blows of the hammer.
About 12 specimens were tested at each temperature. The pendulum velocity at
impact was approximately 41 in./s.
These impact test outcomes are different from the familiar impact results for
metals, where impact strength increases above the transition temperature; this is
not observed in Al2O3 and MgO. Furthermore, in all these cases, an examination of
the fracture surfaces indicates that brittle fracture has occurred, whereas the
fracture in metals is ductile. The transition temperature in Al2O3 is about 900 C.
Both the soft glass and Pyrex-brand glass samples showed little variation of impact
strength at temperatures up to 500 C, which can be considered their transition
temperatures. However, the results for Pyrex are questionable, because the spec-
imen slumped at *600 C. The semivitreous, white-ware body tested showed no
variation in impact strength at temperatures up to 1000 C, its probable transition
temperature. The 900 C temperature, in the case of Al2O3, at which the impact
strength decreases, is about the temperature at which plastic flow and creep
commence. The expectation that, by analogy with metals, an increase in impact
strength and ductile failure should also be observed at sufficiently high tempera-
tures for ceramics was not observed in these impact tests.
Fig. 2.2 The apparatus for

impact testing at elevated
temperatures [29]. With kind
permission of Wiley and Sons
Recent experiments, however, determine transition temperature by varying the

strain rates, whereas, in the impact tests, the information is obtained at the single
strain rate characteristic of the given machine. Strain rate influences transition
temperature both in single crystals and in polycrystalline materials. Moreover, in
single crystals all the effects should be taken into account. In Fig. 2.3, the influence
of orientation is indicated. Here, the BDT of precracked sapphire in four-point
bending is shown as a function of orientation and strain rate from RT to 1500 C.
As can be seen in the figures below, Tc specimens fracture at the stresses indicated
in the temperature range *20–1000 C. Above Tc, specimens exhibit general
yield with a yield stress that falls with decreasing temperature. Transition occurs at
the temperature at which the yield stress in bending is equal to the fracture stress
for the specimen geometry used. Tc is the BDT of the specimens shown.
These tests were performed using an Instron Model 8561 (single screw)
machine in air and the furnace was adapted to perform four-point bend tests. The
rates indicated in Fig. 2.3 relate to crosshead displacement. Figure 2.4 shows the
resolved shear stress at yield for the specimens tested at e_ ¼ 4:2 107 s1 above
Tc at the indicated orientations. The mechanism for slip is dislocation glide, which
explains the orientation dependence of yield, as seen in Fig. 2.4. Thus, the BDT
temperature, Tc, of the sapphire (Al2O3) varies not only with the strain rate, but
also with the crystallographic orientation of the fracture plane.
The activation energy of the process controlling the BDT in sapphires, derived
from the strain rate variation of T, is approximately 3.2 eV, close to that for
dislocation glide. This was obtained by the Eq. (2.1):
Fig. 2.3 Fracture stress versus temperature data: a specimens of orientation A (1012) (transition
temperature, T = 1035 ± 5 C), b specimens of orientation B (1105) (T = 1055 ± 5 C),
c specimens of orientation C ð1120Þ (T = 1090 ± 10 C), d specimens of orientation D (0001)
(T = 1025 - 1050 C). e_ ı ¼ 4:2 107 s1 for (a), (b) and (c), and 1.3 9 10-6 s-1 for (d) [26].
With kind permission of Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.4 Critical resolved shear stress for yield (above the transition temperature) in bending for
all specimens tested at e_ ¼ 1:3 106 s1 compared with data obtained by compression tests of
Castaing et al. C specimens show prismatic slip and those of A and B show basal slip [26]. With
kind permission of Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.5 Stress–strain curves

of the Si–C–N ceramics
tested in compression at high
temperatures in the
1400–1700 C range at a
strain rate of 4 9 10-5 s-1
[25]. With kind permission of
Etsuko Hasebe of the
editorial staff of the Japan
Institute of Metals (JIM)

Ea
e_ ¼ exp ð2:1Þ
kT
The plastic deformation of the sapphire occurred due to basal and prismatic slip
during loading above T. Basal slip was found in A- and B-oriented specimens and
prismatic slip in C-oriented specimens. The resolved stresses at yield (according to
the author) are comparable to those measured by other researchers under com-
pression in the appropriate slip system.
Note that the impact BDT in Al2O3, as indicated above, is *900 C, whereas
for sapphires it was *1000 C. The reason for this may be that, in polycrystalline
Al2O3, grain-boundary sliding contributed to the onset of plastic flow, which is
absent in single crystal Al2O3. The effect of strain rate on BDT is observed also in
superplastic deformation, discussed below in Sect. 2.2c.
2.1.1.2 Ductility and Strength
Not unlike the case of superplastic ceramics, ductility and strength relations are
influenced by strain rate. The conditions of the experiment must be above the DBT
to observe plastic flow, which is different for various ceramics. An illustration of
the effect of strain rate and temperature on the strain (ductility) at some stress level
can be seen in monolithic Si–C–N. Silicon–nitride-based ceramics are quite
promising candidates for mechanical applications at elevated temperatures.
Specimens were prepared by hot isostatic pressure (henceforth: HIP) of pyrolyzed
powder compact at 1500 C and 950 MPa, without any sintering additives. These
compression tests were conducted at temperatures from 1400 to 1700 C in a
nitrogen atmosphere with a servo-hydraulic-type testing machine at constant
crosshead speed in an induction heating furnace. In Fig. 2.5, stress–strain curves

tested in compression at
1600 C at various strain
rates [25]. With kind
permission of Etsuko Hasebe
of the editorial staff of the
Japan Institute of Metals
(JIM)

tested in compression at
1700 C at the strain rates
indicated [25]. With kind
permission of Etsuko Hasebe
of the editorial staff of the
Japan Institute of Metals
(JIM)
obtained by compression tests at various temperatures and at an initial strain rate

of 4 9 10-5 s-1 are shown.
The arrows in the curves indicate the locations where the tests were interrupted.
In curves when no arrows are shown, the specimen has failed at the end of the curve.
Deviation from linearity may be seen even at 1400 C, but at this temperature and at
1500 C, only slight plastic deformation was observed, in spite of the high com-
pressive stress over 1000 MPa. At the same stress, a compressive strain of *7 %
was obtained at 1600 C. Yet, a compressive strain of about 11 % was achieved at
1700 C at a lower compressive stress. Figures 2.6 and 2.7 illustrate compressive
stress–strain curves at various strain rates at 1600 and 1700 C.
Fig. 2.8 TEM micrographs of the Si–C–N ceramics, a before test (as-HIP-treated), and after
compression tests at b 1700 C, 2 9 10-5 s-1, and c 1700 C, 4 9 10-5 s-1 [25]. With kind
permission of Etsuko Hasebe of the editorial staff of the Japan Institute of Metals (JIM)
The strain-rate exponent of the compressive stress in the strain-rate range above
4 9 10-5 s-1 at 1600 and 1700 C is about 0.1. Recall that the strain rate is
related to stress as:
r ¼ C_em je;T ð2:2Þ
where m is strain-rate sensitivity or the strain-rate exponent and e_ is the strain rate.
Usually, m can be evaluated from the slope of a plot of log r versus log e_ . In
metals, m is low, \0.1, at RT, but may increase with T. Ceramics fail in pure
compression by the coalescence of axially oriented microcracks. Lankford
expresses the compressive stress for low rates of loading (10-5–15-1 s-1) as:
rc / e_ 1=ð1þnÞ ð2:3Þ
Here, rc is the compressive strength, n is the stress-intensity exponent in the

macroscopic tensile crack velocity relationship and n is in the range 50–200.
Equation (2.3) expresses a relatively strain-rate insensitive process controlled by
the thermally-activated growth of microcracks. This process is said to dominate
the compressive failure of some ceramics, such as Al2O3, SiC and Si3N4. An
additional equation (Grady and Lipkin) predicts a transition from the dependence
expressed by Eq. (2.3) to one given as:
rc / e_ 1=3 ð2:4Þ
which occurs at a material-dependent characteristic strain rate that, for most

ceramics, lies within the range of 103–104 s-1.
TEM micrographs of these specimens after the compression tests at 1700 C are
shown in Fig. 2.8, together with the results of the pretest sample.
The microstructure before the test (Fig. 2.8a) is a fine, two-phase structure,
consisting of roundish Si3N4 crystalline grains, 20–80 nm in size, in a turbostratic,
graphite-like phase. These phases are homogeneously distributed. The micro-
structures of the specimens after the compression tests, at both the initial strain
Fig. 2.9 Schematic curve for

toughness
x
σf
Load
extension
rates of 2 9 10-5 s-1 (Fig. 2.8b) and 4 9 10-5 s-1 (Fig. 2.8c), also consist of
Si3N4 and graphite-like phases, similar to the structure before the test. However,
the Si3N4 grains in the structures at both the initial strain rates were considerably
coarsened during testing. The sizes of the Si3N4 grains after the compression tests
were about 200 and 150 nm for the 2 9 10-5 and 4 9 10-5 s-1, respectively.
Si–C–N ceramics maintained their mechanical strength up to 1500 C and
plastic flow was observed during the compressive stress tests at 1600 and 1700 C,
making Si–N-based ceramics one of the most promising candidates for mechanical
applications at elevated temperatures.
2.1.1.3 Toughness
In defect-free solid materials, the ability to absorb energy, expressed by the area
under the stress–strain curve, is known as ‘toughness’. This represents the resis-
tance of a material to fracture and is expressed as the amount of energy per volume

having the units mkg2 m kg:m
m ¼ m3 , given in SI system notation as joules per cubic
meter (J/m3). For such defect-free solids (as in the case of metals), the relation is:
Z ef
UT ¼ area under the curve ¼ r de ð2:5Þ
0
Graphically, the area under the curve and up to the fracture is shown in Fig. 2.9.
In Eq. (2.5), the elastic contribution is neglected. Toughness and strength are
related, but not necessarily the same, especially when brittle and ductile materials
are considered. Whereas strength indicates how much force a material can support
before breaking, toughness shows how much energy a material can absorb before
fracture. A material may be strong and tough, if it fractures by withstanding a high
force and exhibits high strain, but brittle materials with high strength (*equal to
its yield stress) may be strong, but not tough, since their strain values are limited.
Variables that greatly influence the toughness of a material are: strain rate (rate of
loading), temperature and notch effect (for more details see [7]).
The fracture toughness [7] resulting from crack propagation is related to a

critical stress intensity factor, Kc, which is a measure of fracture toughness rep-
resenting the resistance of the material to failure from fracture initiated by a
preexisting crack. One may add to the aforementioned variables that influence
toughness: loading rate, composition, environment, microstructure and the tip
geometry. A subscript is used to denote the crack opening mode to Kc and the
equation can be expressed as:
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
KIc ¼ r paB ð2:6Þ
Here, a is the crack length and B is a dimensionless parameter. From Eq. (2.6),
the critical stress, rf, is:
KIc KIc
rf ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ¼ pffiffiffiffiffiffi ð2:6aÞ
paB a pa
and a = B1/2. B is a crack length and component geometry factor that is different
for each specimen and is a dimensionless parameter. Expressions for a are tabu-
lated for a wide variety of specimen and crack geometries, and specialty finite-
element methods are available to compute it for new situations. KIc values are also
used to calculate the critical-stress value, when a crack of a given length is found
in a component. The critical-crack length is given from Eq. (2.6) as:

1 KIc 2
ac ¼ ð2:6bÞ
p rB
For edge crack, a is the crack length or one-half crack length for internal cracks.
In the literature, the above relations are often given in terms of Y, rather than B,
with the same meaning. One immediately realizes the connection between this
equation and the one derived by Griffith in his theory on brittle fracture.
The best quality ceramics contain imperfections, all of which have remarkable,
but detrimental influences on the mechanical properties. Therefore, toughness or
rather ‘fracture toughness’ is of critical importance for design purposes. Like
impact tests, a very common method for testing toughness in ceramics is by the
introduction of a notch, usually a V notch. Ceramics and ceramic-based com-
posites, having high strength but low crack resistance, are considered for appli-
cation due to their high strength. However, wide-scale application is still hindered
by the presence of cracks. One of the accepted testing methods for the evaluation
of critical stress intensity factor, KIc, is the single-edge, V-notched beam
(henceforth: SEVNB) method. Several ceramics (of zirconia, alumina and silicon–
nitride ceramics, zirconia and alumina single crystals, silicon carbide, etc.) were
tested for fracture toughness by the SEVNB method [17]. V-notched specimens
were tested using flexural tests and KIc values were calculated by means of three-
point and four-point flexure tests. The load–deflection diagrams for V-notched
specimens contributed to better understanding of the deformation behavior of
ceramics at RT and 1300–1400 C. Figure 2.10 illustrates the effect of V-notch
Fig. 2.10 Effect of V-notch root radii on the KIc values: a for Si3N4, and b for Y-PSZ ceramics
[17]. With kind permission of Elsevier
Fig. 2.11 Load-deflection of notched test: a Si3N4 + 30 % SiC + 3 % MgO; b SiC + 50 %

ZrB2 + 10 % B4C. Specimens 1 and 3 tested at room temperature and specimens 2 and 4 tested
at 1400 C [17]. With kind permission of Elsevier
radii on KIc values for Si3N4 and yttria partially-stabilized zirconia (henceforth:
Y-PSZ) ceramics, while the load–deflection relation is illustrated in Fig. 2.11.
Analysis of the data of the fractured specimens reveals that a fracture crack
propagated from the points where additional stress concentrations were present.
This confirms the assumption that the fracture of a loaded ceramic specimen starts
from a small crack ahead of a machined notch root. It is believed that KIc is
influenced more by the sharpness of the notch root, rather than by its shape. The
data in Table 2.1 are from three to four-point flexure tests performed on several
monolithic ceramics. Table 2.2 shows the KIc values at RT and high temperatures
attained by the SEVNB method for these notched specimens.
Single crystals of zirconia and alumina were tested by SEVNB and by the
single-edge notched beam (henceforth: SENB) method, and the results are shown
Table 2.1 Comparative fracture toughness tests (MPa m1/2) of several ceramics [17] (with kind
permission of Elsevier)
Test method Three-point flexure Four-point flexure ða=W 0:2. . .0:3Þ
(a/W & 0.5)
Our results RRFT’97 results
Si3N4 5.5 ± 0.07(5)a 5.35 ± 0.16(5) –
GPSSN 5.3 ± 0.04(5) 5.2 ± 0.18(5) 5.36 ± 0.34(129)
Si3N4 + 30 % SiC + 3 % MgO 2.27 ± 0.14(4) 2.40 ± 0.16(5) –
SSiC 2.45(1) 2.66 ± 0.20(4) 2.61 ± 0.18(56)
SiC + 50 % ZrB2 + 10 % B4C 3.59 ± 0.12(3) 3.51 ± 0.15(3) –
Al2O3-998 3.5 ± 0.05(5) 3.6 ± 0.06(5) 3.57 ± 0.22(135)
Y-PSZ 5.7 ± 0.17(5) 5.9 ± 0.19(5) –
±Standard deviation
a
The number of specimen tested (in parentheses)
Table 2.2 High temperature fracture toughness test results (SEVNB method) [17] (with kind
Materials KIc (MPa m1/2)
20 C 1300 C 1400 C
Si3N4 5.5 ± 0.1 4.2 ± 0.3 –
Si3N4 + 30 % SiC + 3 % MgO 2.27 ± 0.1 – 2.68 ± 0.1
SiC + 50 % ZrB2 + 10 % B4C 3.52 ± 0.1 3.63 ± 0.3 3.70 ± 0.1
Si3N4 [22]a 5.6 ± 0.5 5.0 ± 0.4 –
a
The notches were produced by diamond saw with V-shaped tip
Table 2.3 KIc values for single crystals obtained by SEVNB and SENB methods (MPa m1/2)
[17] (with kind permission of Elsevier)
Single Peculiarity Elastic Test method Brittleness Index
crystals modulus measure, v u
SENB SEVNB
(GPa)
Zirconia Partially stabilized 245 9.33 ± 0.95 10.33 ± 2.17 1 0.9
(3 % Y2O3)
Alumina Specimen axis 45 to 403 2.31 ± 0.34 2.45 ± 0.29 1 0.94
optical axis of
crystal
Specimen axis 90 to 410 3.19 ± 0.53 2.85 ± 0.50 1 1.12
optical axis of
crystal
in Table 2.3. In Table 2.3, v is a measure of brittleness and is defined by the ratio
of the specific elastic energy accumulated in the ceramics by the moment of
fracture to the total energy spent on its deformation. v was evaluated from stress–
strain curves obtained during a four-point bend test.
The index of sensitivity, u, to stress concentrations, which is equal to the ratio of

the KIc values, obtained by the SEVNB and SENB methods is shown in Table 2.3. In
the tests of elastic materials, u (v = 1) is about 0.6, and in those of inelastic mate-
rials, (u \ 1), exceeding 0.9. Almost all the studies on the deformation behavior of
V-notched ceramic specimens with a u value of about 0.6 produced linear load–
deflection diagrams or diagrams with small nonlinearity, as seen in Fig. 2.11 of lines
1 and 3, which are the results of comparatively slow crack growth.
A practical and relatively easy method for obtaining mechanical properties is by
indentation tests. For ceramics, the most common methods of performing such
tests are the Vickers and the Knoop hardness tests, which are very attractive,
practical and relatively less expensive than the other tests discussed in Chap. 1.
Assessing the toughness of ceramic materials by means of indentation testing is
often done, also due to the ease of performance and low cost of conducting the
measurements. Vickers hardness can be expressed [7] as:
P P
DPH ¼ HV ¼ 1:854 2
¼a 2 ð2:7Þ
d d
P is the load and d is the diagonal. a is a numerical factor (1.854) that depends on
shape and it is quoted as *2 for ceramics, as a consequence of using the projected
area of the indenter contact with the surface plane. Vickers or Knoop indentations
introduce cracks into the ceramics the sizes of which may be measured. The sizes
of these artificial surface cracks are related to KIc. In particular, the lengths of
these impression cracks are related to KIc and the connection between them has
been evaluated, for example, by Anstis et al. [11]. A Vickers indentation is per-
formed on a flat ceramic surface so that cracks develop around the indentation. By
measuring the crack lengths, it is possible to estimate KIc, which are in inverse
proportion to the toughness of the material. The crack-length method for evalu-
ating toughness, according to Anstis et al. [11] is given by:
1=2
E P
KIc ¼ 0:016 3=2 ð2:8Þ
H c
Thus, toughness, measured and expressed by KIc, is dependent on the elastic

modulus, E, of the material, its hardness, H, (microindentation is often preferable
for the proper evaluation of the indentation crack), crack length, c, and the applied
load. Anstis et al. [11] employed a two-dimensional fracture mechanics analysis.
The crack length, c, is measured from the center of the impression to the crack tip in
meters; E is in GPa and H is the Vickers hardness in GPa. The height of the opposite
triangular faces is h. It is clear that under small indentation loads, only small cracks
form, as indicated schematically in Fig. 2.12. Actual Vickers indentation cracks are
shown in Fig. 2.13. Equation (2.8) is often also expressed as:
1=2
E a2
KIc ¼ a 3=2 ð2:8aÞ
H c
Indentation surface cracks
h a
Before indentation After indentation
Fig. 2.12 Schematic indentation of a Vickers test before and after indentation. Crack resulting
from the indentation are shown
Fig. 2.13 Scanning electron micrographs of radial crack systems of Al2O3 in 3 modifications
a AD999 (P = 50 N), b Vi (P = 50 N), and c sapphire (P = 10 N), showing the effect of
increasing grain size on pattern definition; width of field 200 lm [11]. With kind permission of
John Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.14 Plot of KIC

determined with conventional
methods versus the quantity
(E/HC)0.5(a2/c3/2) [19]. With
kind permission of Springer
since Vickers hardness may be given in terms of the half-diagonal, a, as:
P
H¼ ð2:7aÞ
2a2
by substituting the value of P from Eq. (2.7a) into Eq. (2.8), one obtains
Eq. (2.8a). 12 2
Equation (2.8a) is expressed in Fig. 2.14 in terms of KIc versus HEc a
c3=2
:
More about toughness and fracture toughness, expressed in terms of KIc, will be
discussed in the chapter on Fracture in Ceramics.
2.1.1.4 Grain Size Effect
Various strength properties of materials (especially metals) are related to the grain
size effect. The well-known, empirical Hall–Petch (henceforth: H–P) relation
addresses the grain size effect of these properties [7], expressed as:
ky
ry ¼ r0 þ pffiffiffi ð2:9Þ
d
ry is the yield stress, r0 represents resistance to dislocation glide, ky is a measure

of dislocation pile-up behind an obstacle (a grain boundary, for example) and d is
the size of the grain. One may ask how this relates to ceramics. Indeed, various
mechanical tests have indicated that the H–P relation also applies to ceramics
in many cases [10, 9] and, thus, this relation has been successfully extended to
the study of ceramics, as well. Various mechanical properties have been applied
to test this relation, but a very common property, hardness, is very often used to
indicate the H–P concept. Figure 2.15 shows H–P variation with the grain size of
Fig. 2.15 The dependence of

the hardness of TZ-3YB and
B261 ceramics on the inverse
square root of grain size [10].
With kind permission of
Dr. Trunec
Fig. 2.16 SEM micrograph

showing the microstructure of
the TZ-3YB ceramics
sintered at 1400 C for 2 h
Dr. Trunec
yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZ-3YB) and zirconia nano-

powder (B261).
The hardness of TZ-3YB ceramics clearly decreases with increasing grain size
from HV = 12620 MPa at a grain size of 0.19 lm to HV = 10971 MPa at a grain
size of 1.79 lm. The hardness of B261 ceramics shows a higher dispersion, but the
linear fit seems to be quite reasonable. These hardness values were determined by
Eq. (2.7). The values in the graph may be reasonably expressed by a line
(r2 = 0.94), which means that this dependence follows the H–P relation.
Figure 2.16 illustrates the microstructure of TZ-3YB.
Miyoshi [36] has confirmed the H–P relation by measuring Wickers hardness as
a function of d-1/2 for almost the entire grain-size range investigated. Furthermore,
using bending strength tests, Rothman et al. [9] reported the adherence to the H–P
relation even for spinel, such as magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) (Fig. 2.17).
Fig. 2.17 a Bending strength as a function of average grain size; b shows agreement between the
experimental data and the Hall–Petch relation [9]. With kind permission of Mr. Rothman for the
authors
The grain-size dependence of mechanical properties is also observed in

ceramics. Thus, one can state that the H–P relation is a general observation of most
materials, metals and ceramics alike. Deviations from the linear H–P plots, known
as the inverse H–P trend, observed in metals having small dimensions, will be
discussed later on in the chapter dedicated to that topic.
2.1.1.5 Addition of a Second Phase
A second phase may be either in solution in the matrix or in a state of dispersion.

Often, a soluble second phase is in an undissolved stage, since the processing,
mainly the thermal treatment, occurs at a low temperature or for an insufficient
amount of time for the induction of complete solubility. A second phase may be
another ceramic, polymer or metal in various shapes and sizes. Fibers and whiskers
are also often used for strengthening ceramic base materials. Here, the focus is on
the mechanical properties and not on the influence of a second phase on other
physical characteristics (e.g., electrical, magnetic or optical). Furthermore, the
method of fabrication of ceramics necessary to densify compacted powder samples
(green bodies) in order to form a continuous three-dimensional (henceforth = 3D)
structure and, thus, to get ceramic pieces appropriate for the selected application is
of critical importance. Moreover the second phase may be crystalline or in an
amorphous stage. Although the present objective of adding a second phase is to
enhance the mechanical performance of ceramics, it often occurs that the addition
of a second phase weakens some mechanical properties, probably due for its
promotion of pore formation. An insoluble second phase is a discontinuity in the
matrix and, from this standpoint, pores and cracks, though they are not a genuine
second phase, may be considered as such.
Usually, the consolidation of the constituents of a ceramic is done by means of
a sintering process, which is a densification of the granular (or powder) compact
Fig. 2.18 Plots of flexural

strength and fracture
toughness (by SENB) of hot
pressed ZrB2–ZrO2 ceramics
Elsevier
by heat treatment. During this stage, the microstructures of the samples evolve into
the initial stage of basic ceramics. Note that for maximum densification, HIP is a
common practice.
Several examples will be presented to show the influence of a second phase, for
example in the ZrB2 case. There is a growing interest in ZrB2-based ceramics for
their outstanding properties: high melting point, high electrical and thermal con-
ductivities, chemical inertness and good oxidation resistance. These properties
make them attractive candidates for high-temperature applications, in which cor-
rosion-wear-oxidation resistance is of interest, for example, for use as ballistic
armor, coatings on cutting tools, electrical devices, nozzles etc [16]. Furthermore,
refractory diborides exhibit partial or complete solid solution with other transition-
metal diborides, which allows compositional tailoring of properties such as the
thermal expansion coefficient and hardness.
The fracture toughness of ZrB2, with and without additives, is generally in the
range of 3.5–4.5 MPa m1/2. For most applications, however, the value of tough-
ness is unsatisfactory, which hinders its wider use and, therefore, the incorporation
of various additives is expected to remedy this problem. ZrO2 additive was found
to improve the mechanical properties of ZrB2 and to enhance its toughness.
Figure 2.18 is an illustration of the effect of ZrO2 additive in ZrB2 on flexural
strength and fracture toughness.
The densification of ZrB2–ZrO2 is improved with increasing amounts of ZrO2,
which is attributed to the smaller grain size of ZrO2. Denser aggregates are
expected to provide better mechanical properties, as indeed observed in Fig. 2.18.
Figure 2.19b illustrates the effect of increasing the volume fraction of ZrO2. Note
that the increase of the relative density follows the trend of the plots shown in
Fig. 2.18.
Considering the microstructure, energy dispersive spectroscopy (henceforth
EDS) patterns reveal that it is characterized by the presence of a coarser and
elongated ZrB2 matrix and relatively finer and equiaxed ZrO2 grains. This appears
in Fig. 2.20. With the increase in the amount of ZrO2, a denser microstructure is
obtained. The fracture surface indicates that ZrB2 grains fracture predominantly
Fig. 2.19 a Densification curves of hot-pressed ZB20Z and ZB30Z; b relative density (%) of
hot-pressed ceramics with increased ZrO2 content from 15 to 30 vol% [34]. With kind permission
of Elsevier
Fig. 2.20 Fracture surface of ZB20Z (ZrB2-20 vol% ZrO2), EDS patterns show that the bigger
and coarser grains are ZrB2, the finer and equiaxed grains are ZrO2 [34]. With kind permission of
Elsevier
transgranularly and ZrO2 grains, which are dispersed among ZrB2 grain bound-
aries, fracture intergranularly. The introduction of the smaller second phase of
ZrO2 effectively restrained the growth of grains during hot pressing, becoming
more significant with the higher content of ZrO2.
Fig. 2.21 SEM image of

microcrack from Vickers
indentation on the polished
surface of ZB25Z [34]. With
kind permission of Elsevier
Flexural strength improved with the increase in the amount of ZrO2 and the
strength increased from 667 MPa for the ZB15Z (ZrB2-15 vol% ZrO2) to
803 MPa for the ZB30Z (ZrB2-30 vol% ZrO2) ceramics, as indicated in Fig. 2.18.
The finer grains are responsible for the improved strength, which can be associated
with the H–P relation. Similarly, the increased ZrO2 content plays an active role in
the toughness of the ZrB2-based ceramics. An increase from 15 to 30 vol% ZrO2
increases toughness from 5.6 to 6.5 MPa m1/2. There are two reasons for this
increased toughness: deflection of the crack and stress-induced phase transfor-
mation. In the case of crack-deflection toughening, ZrO2 grains hinder crack
growth or its propagation, as indicated in Fig. 2.21. The increase in toughness due
to phase transformation is associated with the transformation of tetragonal ZrO2
into the monoclinic phase. The more tetragonal ZrO2 is present in the ceramic, the
more monoclinic ZrO2 transformation will occur during the process. Both kinds of
toughening, namely, from phase transformation and crack deflection, were largest
in ZB30Z (ZrB2-30 vol% ZrO2). It is common to express toughness in terms of
hardness measurements, involving the dimension of the crack formed on the
surface in the vicinity of the indentation, as follows:
2=5
E P
KIc ¼ g ð2:10Þ
H ðal1=2 Þ
In Eq. (2.10), g is a dimensionless constant for a given indenter geometry,

provided the volume is conserved within the ‘plastic zone’ (adjacent to the
indentation). E is the elastic modulus; H is the Vickers hardness; P is the indent
load; 2a is the average indentation diagonal length; 2c is the crack length; and
l = c - a. This relation is applied for toughness where the samples exhibit
Palmqvist-type cracks (0.25 \ l/a \ 2.5). The hardness of the ceramic also
increases with increasing ZrO2 and can reach a value of 22.7 GPa under a load of
9.8 N having the composition of ZrB2-30 vol% ZrO2. The load dependence of
hardness is quite pronounced and the nature of decrease in hardness with increased
load has the same form in all ceramics.
A second phase might weaken the ceramics by reducing some of the
mechanical properties, probably because, in some way, it promotes pore forma-
tion. Above, pores were described as a ‘‘discontinuity in the material’’ and, thus, as
having an undesirable effect. In the following, the effect of ceria on the mechanical
Fig. 2.22 Effect of ceria

addition on fracture
toughness and modulus of
elasticity of ZTA (zirconia
toughened alumina) [35].
Elsevier
Fig. 2.23 Effect of ceria on

hardness and strength of ZTA
Elsevier
properties of yttria-stabilized zirconia-toughened alumina (henceforth: ZTA) will

be considered to show how pores can, indeed, degrade mechanical properties.
Figures 2.22 and 2.23 clearly show the degradation of the modulus of elasticity
(henceforth: MOE), the fracture toughness, the hardness and the modulus of
rupture (henceforth: MOR) with the addition of ceria, respectively.
The authors (Mangalaraja et al. [35]) claim that the possible reason for this
reduction in strength is due to the high density of the microcracks. As the distances
between the microcracks decrease, they near each other and coalescence occurs
spontaneously, which substantially reduces the strength of the materials. More-
over, the decreased mechanical properties are found to be due to the higher
apparent porosity, possibly resulting from the addition of ceria. The higher degree
of apparent porosity is a result of the solid-state mixing of powders.
It was observed that the addition of ceria deteriorates the mechanical properties,
including the fracture toughness of yttria-stabilized ZTA, although reports exist to
the contrary [46] for polycrystalline yttria-stabilized ZTA, in which fracture
toughness is increased by the addition of ceria.
2.1.1.6 Particle Size Effect
The mechanical properties of ceramics are influenced by the particle size of both
the base ceramic and of the added phases. Thus, to obtain a fine-grained
Fig. 2.24 Variation of

flexural strength of alumina
measured at room
temperature after sintering to
various temperatures
(800–1600 C). The increase
in strength occurs at low
theoretical density after
which a leveling in strength
occurs [5]. With kind
permission of John Wiley and
Sons
(henceforth: FG), uniform ceramic microstructure after sintering, the distribution

of the particle sizes in the slurries of the components (while in the green stage) is
of major importance for the production of a high viscosity substance. A proper
particle-size distribution facilitates particle arrangement and the development of a
relatively dense structural packing. Particle size affects densification, which is a
prerequisite for the reduction of pores, thus enhancing the mechanical properties.
The range of particle sizes is quite broad—from less than 100 nm to greater than
100 lm. However, the 4-sieve particle-size distribution (henceforth: PSD), which
was borrowed from soil mechanics, is of great importance. Sieving is one of the
oldest techniques for powder separation (based on size or some other physical
characteristic) still in use today. It is among the most widely used and least
expensive methods due to its relative simplicity, low capital investment, high
reliability and the low level of technical expertise required for the determination of
the PSD for a broad range of sizes. There are both dry and wet sieving processes.
Typically, wet sieving is used for the analysis of particles finer than *200 mesh
(75 lm). For particle-size analysis, one can consult Special Publication 960-1 of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology (henceforth: NIST).
Products used in ceramic or abrasive applications are generally manufactured
from powders. The PSD has profound effects on the processing and functioning of
these products, which include most oxides and minerals ranging from aluminum
oxide to zirconium oxide. Laser diffraction, dynamic light scattering and acoustic
spectroscopy have all been successfully utilized to characterize ceramic materials.
It has been mentioned that particle size affects densification, which is a pre-
requisite for the reduction of pores, thus enhancing mechanical properties. The
effect of pores in alumina serves as an example of the direct influence of densi-
fication which is influenced by particle size. Figure 2.24 shows flexural strengths
following subjection to varying degrees of densification. In addition, changes in
Young’s modulus may be seen in Fig. 2.25. Changes occurring with different
degrees of densification are expressed by the two relations given below:
Eq. (2.11), suggested by Lam et al. [30] and Eq. (2.12), its modification given by
Mangalaraja et al. [35]:
Fig. 2.25 Experimental

Young’s modulus data of
high purity alumina for three
different green densities
expressed by the theoretical
expressions mentioned above
John Wiley and Sons

E P
¼ 1 ð2:11Þ
E0 Pg
and
0
EE P
¼ 1 ð2:12Þ
E0 E0 Pg
As in the case of flexural strength, variation of the Young’s modulus with the
degree of densification increases during the initial stages of sintering.
0
In the above equations, E and E are Young’s modulus values of the porous and
the theoretically dense materials, respectively, and P is the fractional porosity (not
load). The subscript g refers to the green body. The right-hand side of the equation
0
represents the degree of densification. In Eq. (2.12), E is the Young’s modulus at
the onset of densification. The increase in strength properties, even with minimum
densification, is an indication that strength property improvements may be made
by controlling the sintering mechanism and the geometry of the particle structure.
Figure 2.26 shows the apparent porosity versus the average grain size of
ceramic specimens sintered at *1340 C. These specimens were prepared from
magnesite and bauxite by means of an in situ pore-forming technique.
In general the size of the pores depends, among other factors, on the particle size
of the aggregate. Particle size is the most important parameter in the production of
ceramic products; it must be optimized to ensure that the desired mechanical and
physical properties are achieved. The majority of ceramic products are manufac-
tured by the process of slip casting in a mold. Maintenance of the desired PSD
requires control of the dispersion stability of the ceramic slip. Like all ceramic
materials and castables, in alumina refractories a proper PSD is of importance,
Fig. 2.26 Apparent porosity

of specimens sintered at
1340 C [50]. With kind
permission of Professor Wen
Yan
Fig. 2.27 Compressive

strength of sintered specimes
versus average particle size
sintered at 1340 C [50].
Professor Wen Yan
rather than using a single-sized component. This helps to create better packing,
compared to the use of mono-sized particles. Besides influencing packing, PSD
effects flow, apparent porosity and, hence, the strength of castables. Some research
has been done to discover the relationship between particle size and physical
properties. Figure 2.27 shows compressive strength versus average particle size.
Having established that the size of the pores depends on particle size, some
other examples may now be considered, in which the effect of grain size is
expressed in terms of pore density. In shell casting, ceramic molds are often used.
Previous studies have indicated that zirconia is one of the least reactive materials
and apparently holds promise as a mold refractory material, viable for metallur-
gical processing and the investment casting of TiAl alloys [15]. An important
factor in zirconia mold properties is the role played by PSD on the packing.
Information on this experimental procedure and the effect of PSD on zirconia mold
properties may be found in the original paper of Chen Yan-fei et al. [15] FG,
Fig. 2.28 Stress–strain relations for the CSZ1, CSZ2 and CSZ3 specimens; a green stage,
b sintered [15]. With kind permission of Elsevier
uniform, sintered microstructure is obtained from slurries with median PSD and
optimal viscosity, which facilitate particle arrangement and a structure with good
packing. The mechanical properties of these molds were evaluated at RT by three-
point bend tests of green and sintered (950 C for 2 h) aggregates. Instron was
used for the constant load test on five samples. The bending is given as:
3FL
rw ¼ ð2:13Þ
2ah2
where F is the fracture load, L is the span length, and a and h are the width and
thickness of the sample fracture area, respectively. Equation (2.13) is basically the
same relation given in Eq. (1.122) from Chap. 1, Sect. 1.9, which was then given as:
2P L2 c 3PL
rf ¼ 2tc3
¼ ð1:122Þ
3
2tc2
In 1.122 P = F, t = a and c2 = h2.

The load–deflection relation in Eq. (2.13) may be expressed in terms of the
stress–strain relation as:
6hd
e¼ ð2:14Þ
L2
where e and d are the strain and deflection, respectively. Figures 2.28a and 2.28b
are the stress–strain curves, in accordance with Eqs. (2.13) and (2.14) at the green
and sintered stages, respectively, for the CSZ1, CSZ2 and CSZ3 specimens having
different PSDs. It is interesting to compare the aggregates of these samples in the
green stage and post-sintering (see Figs. 2.29 and 2.30). The PSDs of the powders
used for these zirconia mold preparations appear in Fig. 2.31, showing that the
median particle diameters are 20, 30 and 40 lm, respectively.
Fig. 2.29 Morphologies of fracture surfaces of green zirconia ceramic moulds with different
PSDs: a CSZ1; b CSZ2; c CSZ3 [15]. With kind permission of Elsevier
Fig. 2.30 Morphologies of fracture surfaces of sintered zirconia ceramic moulds with different
PSDs: a CSZ1; b CSZ2; c CSZ3 [15]. With kind permission of Elsevier
Fig. 2.31 Particle size

distributions of zirconia
powders [15]. With kind
permission of Elsevier
The particle morphologies of the zirconia powders observed by scanning

electron microscope (henceforth: SEM) are shown in Fig. 2.32.
Observations indicate that particle morphology and PSD greatly influence the
quality of slurries in the reproduction of details and thin sections of ceramic molds.
Consequently, good cast-metal quality may be obtained. It is clear from the results
Fig. 2.32 SEM micrographs of zirconia powder: a CSZ1; b CSZ2; c CSZ3 [15]. With kind
that the surface roughness of castings is directly related to the fineness of the
investment powders. Decreasing the size of powders causes the formation of
extremely small pores in the zirconia ceramic mold which prevents the deeper
penetration of molten TiAl into these cavities under the same hydrostatic or cen-
trifugal pressure and, thus, improving surface quality. Thus, pore size, in particle-
size-dependent zirconia molds, greatly influences casting quality; the finer the
particle size, the smaller the pore diameter in the ceramic mold. The relation between
the zirconia powder characteristics determines the resulting mechanical properties
of the ceramic molds. The bend strength of zirconia ceramic molds is directly related
to the PSDs in the green and sintered ceramic (bar-shaped) specimens.
2.1.2 Ductile Ceramics at Low or Ambient Temperatures
This section deals with the features of ductile ceramics and, in some cases, the
modifications in composition that induce ductility at low temperatures, as well as
additives to base ceramics, such as metals, which also promote ductility.
Polycrystalline ceramics are of great interest for specific industrial applications,
but the primary drawback of using ceramic materials in structural applications is
their inherent brittleness, which results from the strong bonding between the
metallic and non-metallic components. In general, most ceramics are brittle and
Fig. 2.33 Stress–strain

curves for single crystals of
MgO with a h111i loading
axis [23]. With kind
various internal imperfections, such as porosity, reduce both strength and ductility.
Due to the fact that most engineering ceramics are compacted from powders, the
presence of some porosity is inevitable, which makes most ceramics very brittle.
Furthermore, ceramics suffer from the presence of microcracks, which act as stress
raisers. Generally, tensile stresses must be kept low, if sudden failure is to be
avoided. Although the production of ductile polycrystalline ceramics (or other
ionic solids) at RT has not yet been achieved in a satisfactory manner, it has been
the objective of many research studies. Material purity is a contributing factor,
though not necessarily a controlling one in governing the RT ductility of solids, in
general, and of ceramics, in particular. Moreover, complications exist in poly-
crystalline ceramics, involving the presence of particles in the grain structure that
may induce grain-boundary sliding, thus masking the possibility of real ceramic
ductility in the absence of the contribution of grain-boundary sliding. Therefore,
attempts have been made to study ductility in single crystals, in which a contri-
bution from grain boundaries is ruled out.
A typical and much studied example of ductility in single crystals is MgO.
Parker et al. [6] were the first to suggest that single crystals of MgO could be
deformed at RT. Ever since the probability of RT ductility was confirmed, much
attention has been given to evaluate the factors that affect such ductility and the
mechanical properties of this structure. In addition to the other effects, crystal
orientation also affects the deformation of single crystals. Figure 2.33 relates
Fig. 2.34 Total strain versus

temperature for single-crystal
MgO with a h100i loading
axis and for polycrystalline
MgO [23]. With kind
applied stress to true strain at three temperatures. The lowest temperature in this
figure is 349 C, not strictly RT. However Fig. 2.34 also shows RT ductility
(strain). Figure 2.35 shows stress–strain curves for small-grained polycrystalline
material. When this polycrystalline material was yielded at RT using the Instron
machine, yielding was followed by a decrease in stress at an increasing rate until
final fracture occurred.
The temperature dependence of the bulk yield stress of the small-grained
polycrystalline specimens is included in Fig. 2.34 for comparison with the single-
crystal results. Note that the RT strain of the small-grained polycrystalline MgO is
0.005. Also notice that the loading axis orientation is h100i and not h111i as in
Fig. 2.33. Figure 2.36 shows the variation with temperature of yield stresses for
MgO single crystals with various loading axes. The yield-stress variation is also
indicated for polycrystalline MgO. Typical behavior for single crystals loaded with
a h111i axis at RT failed without plastic deformation.
A slip-band structure may be seen in Fig. 2.37, showing specimens deformed at
RT and at 1240 C. This band structure is similar to the dislocation band structure
revealed by hot etching {100} faces of a h111i specimen just yielded at about
650 C and then air-quenched (Fig. 2.38). In Fig. 2.34, the RT true strain at failure

curves far small-grained
polycrystalline MgO [23].
Elsevier
of [100] loaded specimen at 20 psi/s was about 0.05. The polycrystalline MgO at
RT had a strain at fracture of about 0.6 %, as seen in Fig. 2.34 and was about 2 %
above 600 C. The observed poor ductility of the polycrystalline MgO is attributed
to cleavage fracture, slip non-uniformity and a lack of five independent slip sys-
tems, which is a requirement for polycrystalline ductility according to Taylor [45].
Above 600 C, slip can occur on the {100} h110i slip system. At higher tem-
peratures, stress-induced climb and high dislocation mobility inhibit cleavage
fracture. Surface effects are extremely important and good ductility can be
obtained only with specimens having carefully prepared, chemically polished
surfaces. Thus, the h110i slip systems provide the additional slip systems neces-
sary to satisfy Taylor’s criterion. It was also found that MgO single crystals are
ductile at RT and elongation values in excess of 10 % were obtained regularly [6].
Elongations of as much as 20 % on the tension side of a single-crystal bend-test
specimen have also been reported. High purity is essential. Thus, purity and
environmental effects play major roles in brittleness [41].
Fig. 2.36 Yield stress versus

temperature for single-crystal
and polycrystalline MgO
Elsevier
Studies on single crystals, bicrystals and polycrystalline materials of MgO have

shown that the strength of magnesium oxide depends on the availability of mobile
sources. Research on single crystals has shown that the mechanical properties of
magnesium oxide fall into two categories, namely, they are either extremely strong
and elastic in the complete absence of mobile dislocation sources or relatively
weak and ductile in their presence [43]. The mobility of a dislocation depends on a
number of factors, such as crystal structure, bond character, temperature and
microstructure. In pure magnesium oxide at RT, dislocations are very mobile at
comparatively low stresses [42]. Changing the microstructure, possibly by alloy-
ing, the mobility of dislocations may be reduced and an increase in strength may
be achieved.
As indicated above, the effects of impurities and surface reactions with com-
ponents of the air exert control over ductility. It was predicted by researchers that a
class of materials, normally considered brittle (i.e., ionic solids having cubic
crystal structures) would possess a degree of ductility. Experiments performed on
ionic materials indicate that face-centered cubic and body-centered cubic ionic
materials can exhibit a considerable amount of ductility under controlled condi-
tions, such as induced by impurities and surface effects. For instance, the ductility
of MgO is shown in Fig. 2.39.
Fig. 2.37 a Etched grains of polycrystalline MgO deformed at room temperature, X95;
b deformed at 1240 C, X95; c deformed at 1240 C, X190 [23]. With kind permission of
Elsevier
Fig. 2.38 Etched {100}

h110i slip bands (X75) [23].
Elsevier
The stress–deflection curve for a MgO single crystal is indicated in Fig. 2.40. To
eliminate the environmental effect, these specimens were cleaved and tested under
oil. The base material was of commercial grade, thus the crystals were impure,
Fig. 2.39 MgO single

crystal which was bent in air
at room temperature [20].
With kind permission of John
Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.40 MgO cleaved

under oil, stored 48 h, and
then tested under oil [20].
Wiley and Sons
containing *1/2 % or even more of foreign material (mostly silica). Nevertheless,

the amount of elongation on the tension side of the specimens varied from 0 to
20 %, with an average of perhaps 5 % for the batch tested. In Fig. 2.40, three
typical stress–deflection curves for MgO are seen. Undoubtedly, the variation in
ductility was due, in part, to variation in purity. The effect of impurities and ambient
gases, such as O or N, are assumed to be associated with the dislocation-impurity
interaction. O or N can diffuse from the surface into the interior of the ceramic,
acting like inherent impurities. It is well known that the reaction of the impurities
with the dislocations and their pinning form Cottrell-like atmospheres. Dragging
dislocations with their atmospheres and their immobilization are dependent on the
amount of impurities and the amount of locks formed by impurity-dislocations
interactions. Dislocation sources may have been activated by the high local stresses
required to activate the motion of the dislocations having impure atmospheres.
Eventually, when sufficient atmospheres form, the dislocation is immobilized and
cleavage sets in. Thus, the free motion of dislocations gradually becomes more

curves of SrTiO3 at different
temperatures (arrows indicate
load release) [13]. With kind
Sons
difficult and ductility becomes restricted, requiring higher stresses. The effect of
embrittlement by impurities or by ambient gases depends on their amount.
One interesting case is that of the ceramic SrTiO3, which belongs to the class of
ceramics having a perovskite structure. This ceramic is expected to fail in a brittle
manner at low temperatures, but, surprisingly, it was found to exhibit plastic
behavior when deformed by compression in the range of 78–1050 K. Above this
temperature, in the 1500–1800 K range, it behaved as a brittle material [13]. Such
materials are often used as substrates for electronic devices for high-temperature
superconductors. Therefore, there is a need to obtain information about the
mechanical properties of SrTiO3. Single crystals of SrTiO3 were tested by com-
pression in the h001i orientation at 78–1811 K. Figure 2.41 displays representative
curves of the true stress versus the nominal plastic strain in SrTiO3 specimens that
were deformed at 78–1811 K.
Several features may be observed in Fig. 2.41 at several temperatures:
(1) The stress at the beginning of plastic deformation is weakly dependent on
temperature;
(2) The stress plateau of plastic deformation, being the most pronounced at 296 K,
decreases with increasing temperature and;
(3) The work-hardening rate after the short plateau increases with increasing
temperature.
The most striking feature of the stress–strain curve at RT is the extended plastic
deformation, reaching a plastic compressive strain of up to 8 % before fracture. At
78 K, a specimen can be plastically strained to 9 % before fracture. Figure 2.42
shows the two side faces of a specimen that has been deformed to 3 % at RT in
transmitted polarized light. The bands of birefringence lie at an angle of 45 to the
[001] compression axis. These structures are typical of plastically-deformed
specimens at temperatures below 900 K; above 1500 K, no such structures can be
detected within the deformed, transparent samples, since no plastic deformation
has taken place. Figure 2.43 suggests that the temperature range under investi-
gation may be subdivided into four regimes: (i) regime I (T B 300 K), the low-
temperature regime, where rc (critical flow stress) decreases as the temperature
Fig. 2.42 Polarized-light

micrograph showing single-
crystal SrTiO3 after 3 %
plastic deformation at RT
John Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.43 Critical flow stress

(rc) and fracture stress (rFr),
as a function of temperature
John Wiley and Sons
increases and high ductility is observed; (ii) regime II (T = 300–1050 K), which is
characterized by an almost-constant rc value and ductile behavior decreases as the
temperature increases; (iii) regime III (T = 1050–1500 K), which is characterized
by complete brittleness of the specimens, but an increase in rFr (fracture stress) is
observed with increasing temperature; (iv) regime IV (T = 1500–1811 K), where
ductility occurs again, but rc rapidly decreases if the temperature is increased.
Thus, a ‘two-directional’ transition phenomenon-a ductile–brittle-ductile transi-
tion—is observed in these ceramics.
It can be summarized that a class of ceramics materials, normally considered
brittle could posses a degree of ductility depending on the production technique,
Fig. 2.44 Undeformed and

superplastically deformed
Si3N4. An elongation over
470 % is noted [47]. With
and among the many factors the impurity concentration exerts control over the
degree of ductility. The restriction to use ceramic materials at low temperature by
the transition from ductile behavior to brittle fracture can thus be overcome in
cases when production occurs under strict controlled conditions.
2.1.3 Superplasticity in Ceramics
2.1.3.1 Introduction
A superplastic phenomenon occurs in solid crystalline materials, including

ceramics, and is a state in which the material may be deformed before fracture and
may reach large strains, well above 100 %, often even in the range of 200–500 %.
Figure 2.44 shows superplastic behavior in Si3N4 with a 470 % elongation.
This usually occurs at high, homologous temperatures of about 0.5 Tm, where
Tm is the absolute melting temperature. However, often a superplastic state is
found in metals and alloys even at RT. An essential feature of materials exhibiting
superplastic behavior is their fine grains. Superplastic materials may be thinned
down, usually in a uniform manner, before breaking, without neck formation,
unlike ductile metals, where necking is a common feature before fracture sets in.
Two-phase ceramics seem to be desirable for superplasticity, since the second-
phase particles are finely dispersed to pin the grain boundaries, thus maintaining
the FG structure. The particles in superplastic materials are thermally stable. In
addition, these ceramics must be strain-rate sensitive, with a value [0.3. Recently,
superplastic behavior was also observed in iron aluminides with coarse grain
structures. It is believed that this is due to recovery and dynamic recrystallization.
Some relate superplasticity to grain boundary sliding [31]. Most of the reports
consider ZrO2 (zirconia) as a typical superplastic ceramic. New developments
have also been achieved in the superplasticity of Si3N4 and SiC.
2.1.3.2 Oxide Superplastic Ceramics
As previously indicated, zirconia is a typical superplastic ceramic and was among the
first oxide ceramics to be studied. As early as 1986, Wakai et al. studied
Fig. 2.45 Superplastically

elongated specimen of
Y-TZP at 1450 C [48]. With
kind permission of Professor
Wakai
Fig. 2.46 a Load-nominal strain under constant displacement rate; b estimated true stress–true
strain curves assuming a uniform deformation without necking [48]. With kind permission of
Professor Wakai
yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia FG polycrystals (henceforth: Y-TZP) in the tem-

perature range of 1000–1500 C. The grain size was B0.3 and the tensile experiments
were performed at strain rates of 1.1 9 10-4–5.5 9 10-4 s-1. Over 120 % strain was
obtained at 1450 C. Furthermore, the interest in this ceramic is a consequence of its
excellent bending strength and toughness. The yttria (3 mol percent) was in solid
solution. Figure 2.45 illustrates the superplasticity observed in this alloy.
The Y-TZP specimen showed an elongation [120 %. It is compared with an
undeformed specimen. The elongation in the gage length was uniform and no local
necking was observed. These tests were performed at constant displacement in a uni-
versal tensile testing machine in air and at 1450 C. The results of these tests are shown
in Fig. 2.46. As usual, the true strain, et, was obtained (see Chap. 1, Sect. 1.2.1) by using:

l Dl
et ¼ ln ¼ ln 1 ð1:9Þ
l0 l0
In the above, l and l0 are the elongated and original gage lengths, respectively.
The true stress is related to the true strain by:
rt ¼ r exp ðet Þ ð2:15Þ
where the nominal stress is the ratio of the load, P, to the original cross-section of
the specimen, A0, i.e., r = (P/A0).
2.1.3.3 Other Non-oxide Superplastic Ceramics
Superplasticity is not limited to zirconia-type ceramics. Other ceramics have also

been found to exhibit superplasticity, such as nitrides or carbides. Representative
examples are Si3N4 and SiC. In these cases, superplasticity occurs in single-phase
ceramics. Section 2.1.3.1 (i) A superplasticity of * 470 % in Si3N4 (Fig. 2.44) has
been mentioned above.
Superplasticity is one of the common properties of FG ceramics at elevated
temperatures. Superplastic forming and strengthening by superplastic forging are
applicable to a wide range of ceramics, including oxides and non-oxides. Zhan
et al. [51] have studied the superplastic behavior of FG b-silicon nitrides (with
5 wt% Y2O3) under compression in the temperature range 1450–1650 C at var-
ious strain rates. It was found that b-Si3N4 can be deformed at high strain rates
(*10-4–10-3 s-1) in a range of temperatures and at pressures of 5–100 MPa. No
strain hardening occurs even during slow deformation. Beside Eqs. (1.9) and
(2.15), the initial strain rate may be expressed as:
l_
e_ ¼ ð2:16Þ
l0
Here, l_ is a constant. The immediate strain rate is expressed as:
e_ ¼ e_ 0 expðeÞ ð2:17Þ
The corrected flow stress is given by:

1
rc ¼ r0 ½expðeÞn ð2:18Þ
For the corrected flow stress the stress exponent, n, must be known and is given as:
e_ ¼ Arn ð2:19Þ
A typical, corrected true stress-true strain curve is shown in Fig. 2.47, together
with the uncorrected curve. The effect of the strain rate at 1550 C during a
compression test is seen in Fig. 2.48. After the initial transient state, a steady state
is reached for all the strain rates. The true strain rates are based on the corrected
data. As can be seen, no strain hardening occurred in these tests, even at low strain
rates, unlike other cases in which pronounced strain hardening has been observed.
In those cases, the starting powder was a-Si3N4, rather than b-Si3N4. The strain
hardening was attributed to microstructural changes during deformation, such as
dynamic grain growth and a-to-b phase transformation. However, no shape change
Fig. 2.47 Typical correction

curve for a compression test
at 1550 C and an initial
strain rate of 3 9 104/s, in the
as-hot-pressed b-Si3N4 [51].
Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.48 Compressive

stress–strain curves for
various strain rates of the
as-hot-pressed Si3N4 at
1550 C [51]. With kind
Sons
occurred in the present material, due to the uniform PSD of the starting powder
and the absence of an a-to-b phase transformation, as illustrated in Fig. 2.49.
The mechanism that controls the deformation rate at high temperatures, i.e., the
plastic flow, may be expressed (constitutive equation) by:

Arn Q
e_ ¼ p exp ð2:20Þ
d RT
where e_ is the strain rate, r the flow stress, A is a temperature-dependent constant,

d the grain size, n and p the stress and grain-size exponents, respectively, and Q the
activation energy for flow.
In order to use Eq. (2.20), the stress exponent, n, must be determined. A plot,
according to Eq. (2.19), expressed on a logarithmic scale at various temperatures
provides the values of n, as shown in Fig. 2.50. The slopes of these curves give the
values of n at the temperatures indicated. The initial flow stress regions were
ignored and only the quasi-steady-state part of the flow stress is plotted in Fig. 2.50.
Note that the values of n that barely change with temperature are *1–1.4.
Fig. 2.49 TEM photographs of: a an undeformed sample and b a deformed sample at 1600 C,
with a true strain of -1.1, showing no dynamic grain growth [51]. With kind permission of John
Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.50 Strain rate versus

stress at various temperatures,
under compression
(n = slope), in the as-hot-
pressed b-Si3N4 [51]. With
kind permission of John
Wiley and Sons
The higher values of the stress exponent seem to occur at temperatures above
1823 K. The temperature dependence of the strain rate is shown in Fig. 2.51, where
the strain rate is plotted against the reciprocal, absolute temperature. The activation
energy, Q, calculated from the slopes of the lines in Fig. 2.51, are 344 ± 26 kJ/mol
at 20 MPa and 410 ± kJ/mol at 100 MPa. High-resolution transmission-electron
microscopy (henceforth: HRTEM) observations of materials, both before and after
deformation, are shown in Fig. 2.52. Observe that most of the grain boundaries have
a glass film, although some grain boundaries were free of such film. This indicates
that the formation of glass film is dependent on grain-boundary orientation and
whether they were perpendicular or parallel to the direction of the applied force and
on grain orientation. Those boundaries oriented in parallel show wide films
(Fig. 2.52a), whereas the film thickness on grain boundaries perpendicular to the
applied load direction were smaller (Fig. 2.52b).
It was also mentioned above that some relate superplasticity to grain-boundary
sliding (see, for example [31]). Guo-Dong Zhan et al. [51] report that grain-
boundary sliding may also be the mechanism of superplasticity in Si3N4, in
Fig. 2.51 Determination of activation energy for flow equation in the as-hot-pressed b-Si3N4
[51]. With kind permission of John Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.52 Representative HRTEM photographs of boundaries oriented a parallel and b perpen-
dicular to the applied load direction, indicating that the grain-boundary film thickness decreased
after superplastic deformation, under compression ((?) applied stress direction during
deformation) [51]. With kind permission of John Wiley and Sons
addition to grain rotation, accommodated by viscous flow. Furthermore, FG

b-Si3N4 exhibits high grain-size stability against dynamic grain growth during
sintering and deformation, a characteristic that satisfies the microstructural
requirement for classic superplasticity. This kind of Si3N4 does not work-harden as
do the other silicon nitrides discussed earlier.
2.1.3.4 Superplasticity in Carbides
‘Superplasticity’ is basically defined as the ability of a material to exhibit

exceptionally large tensile elongation during stretching. In addition to oxides and
nitride-like materials, some carbides also show large elongation and frequent
Fig. 2.53 HIPed B, C-SiC specimens before and after tensile deformation. The tensile test was
conducted at 1800 C, and at an initial strain rate of 3 9 10-5 s-1 in an argon atmosphere. The
specimen deformed uniformly, and a superplastic elongation of 140 % was achieved [40]. With
kind permission of John Wiley and Sons
superplastic behavior. For better familiarity with carbide behavior, this section will
discuss SiC and FeC as exemplars.
(1) SiC
It is somewhat difficult to produce SiC without additives, because it is hard to
obtain a dense material due to its low self-diffusivity and covalent nature. Thus, the
role of the additives is to loosen or modify this bond structure. The most common
additives are B and C [8]. B additives, for instance, provide superior mechanical
strength at elevated temperatures. High superplasticity at a level of *140 % has
been observed in b-SiC doped with B or C and having a small grain size of 0.2 lm,
fabricated by ultra-high hot isostatic pressure (henceforth: UH-HIP). The B seg-
regated at the grain boundaries and apparently promoted grain-boundary sliding,
one mechanism of superplasticity [4]. However, when liquid-phase sintering is the
fabrication method and there is an amorphous phase at the grain boundary, rather
than solid-phase sintering with no amorphous phase, it is easier to deform the
product.
Basically, the degree of elongation depends on the additive. Thus, when 1 % B
and 3.5 % free C are added to SiC fabricated by HIP at 980 MPa at a temperature of
1660 C with an average grain size of 200 nm, a 140 % superplastic elongation is
obtained at 1800 C [40]. When b-SiC was produced by liquid-phase sintering,
prepared with different oxynitride glasses in an N2 atmosphere [4], the elongation
was either 74 or 153 % at the initial strain rate of 1 9 10-5 s-1 at 2023 K under
tension, depending on its composition (the additives forming the oxynitride glasses).
Figure 2.53 compares specimens before and after deformation. A superplastic
elongation of 140 % was achieved.
This specimen deformed uniformly. Stress–strain curves following HIP and
hot-pressed B, C-SiC are shown in Fig. 2.54. The hot-pressed SiC was sintered
under a pressure of 30 MPa at 2000 C for 1 h and the average grain size was 2 lm.
The B, C-SiC, after HIP, exhibited a superplastic elongation of [100 %, whereas
the hot-pressed B, C-SiC fractured without significant plastic deformation. Thus,
grain refinement was effective for obtaining superplasticity in SiC. HRTEM
observation and electron energy-loss spectroscopy analysis revealed that there was
no glassy phase at the grain boundaries, but boron segregation and carbon excess
Fig. 2.54 Stress–strain curves of HIPed B, C-SiC and hot-pressed B, C-SiC. The tensile tests
were conducted at 1800 C and an initial strain rate of 1 9 10-4 s-1 in an argon atmosphere.
HIPed, B, C-SiC exhibited superplastic elongation of 114 %, because of grain refinement. On the
other hand, hot-pressed B, C-SiC fractured without plastic deformation [40]. With kind
permission of John Wiley and Sons
Table 2.4 Chemical compositions and some properties of as-sintered materials [4] (with kind
Material Additives (wt%) Grain size Density Sintering
(nm) (g/cm3) condition
SiO2 MgO Al2O3 Y2O3 AIN
SiC (G1) 3.78 0.981 1.17 2.13 0.936 260 3.15 2073 K 30 MPa
20 min in N2
SiC (G2) 5.022 3.321 0.657 230 3.21 2073 K 30 MPa
15 min in N2
were observed there. A small amount of oxygen segregation was also detected at the
grain boundaries. However, the amount of segregated atoms was not enough to
form an intergranular glassy phase, such as had formed in the experiments of
Nagano et al. [4]. Yet, Wang et al. [49] indicate that the microstructure of the
material, both before and after the superplastic deformation, retains the micro-
structural features of that material before its deformation.
In the work of Nagano et al. [4], the starting material was ultra-fine b-SiC
powder with a particle size of *90 nm. The mixtures of SiO2, MgO, Al2O3, Y2O3
and AlN were then rendered into oxynitride compositions by SiC ball milling in
n-hexane. The SiC was mixed with 9 wt% oxynitride powders by SiC ball milling
in n-hexane. The mixed powder was hot-pressed at 2073 K under a stress of
30 MPa in N2. The chemical compositions and other properties of the sintered
materials are shown in Table 2.4. Compression and tension tests at constant
crosshead speeds were performed using a universal testing machine with a furnace
at initial strain rates from 1 9 10-4 to 5 9 10-6 s-1 at temperatures ranging from
1973 to 2048 K in N2. The degree of specimen deformation was evaluated from
the displacement of the crosshead. Compressive and tensile directions were
Fig. 2.55 True stress–true

strain curves at 1998 K in
compression tests [4]. With
Fig. 2.56 True stress–true

strain curves at 2023 K in
tension tests [4]. With kind
perpendicular to the hot-pressing direction. The true stress–true strain curves at

1998 K are shown in Fig. 2.55. No cracks were observed in both compressed
specimens. SiC (G1) showed higher flow stress and higher strain hardening in
comparison with SiC (G2). The true stress–true strain relation is seen in Fig. 2.57.
These tests were performed under tension. Strain hardening was observed in both
specimens, i.e., SiC (G1) and SiC (G2). The SiC (G1) showed higher strain
hardening and fractured at a 74 % elongation, while the SiC (G2) showed strain
hardening to a 110 % elongation and then showed strain softening. The final
elongation of SiC (G2) achieved was 153 % (Fig. 2.56).
These figures are based on Eqs. (2.16)–(2.19) and the strain-rate variation with
temperature for the activation energy evaluation is based on Eq. (2.20). To use
Eq. (2.20), the stress exponent, n, is required for various temperatures, which may
be evaluated by using Eq. (2.19). Plots of this relation are shown in Fig. 2.57.
HRTEM images at grain boundaries are shown in Fig. 2.58. An amorphous phase,
from 1 to 2 nm, is evident in SiC (G1) and SiC (G2). However, some grain
boundaries with no amorphous phases may be seen in SiC (G1). SEM photographs
of the gauge portions of the elongated specimens are shown in Fig. 2.59. The
cavitation damage of SiC (G1) after 74 % elongation was higher than that of SiC
Fig. 2.57 Relationship between flow stress and strain rate [4]. With kind permission of Elsevier
Fig. 2.58 HRTEM images at grain boundaries of a SiC(G1) and b SiC(G2) in as-sintered
materials [4]. With kind permission of Elsevier
(G2) after 153 % elongation. On the one hand, the average grain sizes of SiC (G1)
after 74 % elongation were 350 and 500 nm in the vertical and horizontal direc-
tions of the tensile axis, respectively; on the other hand, the average grain sizes of
SiC (G2) after 153 % elongation were 300 and 430 nm in the vertical and hori-
zontal directions of tensile axis, respectively. Most of the residual grain-boundary
phase after 153 % elongation was at the triple points. The contribution of grain-
boundary sliding to the total strain was calculated to be in the order of *76 % in
elongated specimens of SiC (G1) and SiC (G2). Therefore, the critical deformation
mechanism was thought to be grain-boundary sliding in both the SiC (G1) and SiC
(G2) specimens. This being the case, the initial grain size of the as-sintered
material, the grain-growth rate, the cavitation damage during deformation, the
vaporization of the grain-boundary phase and the formation of crystalline phases at
triple points are all significant factors for the improvement of superplastic defor-
mation behavior in liquid-phase sintered SiC with an amorphous phase.
Fig. 2.59 SEM photographs of a 74 % elongated SiC(G1) and b 153 % elongated SiC(G2) [4].
With kind permission of Elsevier
(2) FeC
By now, it is clear that superplasticity is not restricted to a special group of
materials. Even other carbides than the aforementioned SiC show superplasticity
under certain conditions. Iron carbide, FeC, is such a carbide.
As indicated earlier, grain size, in general, is an important factor in superplastic
phenomena and, in this regard, FeC is no exception. Thus, the processing of FeC
for superplasticity studies is usually done on FG structures. As in other superplastic
ceramic materials, a second phase is present. In the work of Kim et al. [28], for
example, an iron-based second phase was added to the carbide. Strain-rate sensi-
tivity is usually evaluated by testing for strain-rate changes. In such tests, a certain
strain rate is applied to provide a strain creating isostructural conditions (similar
structures), in order to obtain a stable grain size. While the strain rate is changed by
specific strain-rate values, the stress must be recorded. A plot is made of flow stress
versus strain rate on a logarithmic scale and from the slope of such curves, m, the
strain-rate sensitivity is determined. It is necessary to perform such tests at various
temperatures to determine the activation energy. The relation used is

m
Qc
r ¼ K e_ exp ð2:21Þ
RT
The term:

Q
e_ exp ð2:21aÞ
Rt
is the Zener-Hollomon parameter (Dieter).

In Fig. 2.60, the flow stress is shown as a function of the strain rate-temperature
Qc
parameter, e_ exp RT . The activation energy was evaluated as 200 kJ/mol. The
strain-rate sensitivity exponent, m, is 0.5 as derived from the slope. K is a material
Fig. 2.60 The flow stress as

a function of the strain rate-
temperature parameter
Qc
e_ exp RT for a superplastic fine
grained iron carbide (Fe2C–
20 % Fe) [28]. With kind
Fig. 2.61 Tensile ductility of

fine-grained iron carbide as
function of the Zener-
Hollomon parameter is
compared with some
superplastic ceramics doped
with various impurities. The
strain rate sensitivity
parameter is in the range
m = 0.5–0.6 [28]. With kind
constant, which is a structural factor and a function of the modulus; e_ is the steady-
state strain rate and the other parameters are familiar.
The tensile ductility of various superplastic ceramics are compared with that of
iron carbide in Fig. 2.61. All the curves show the same tendency, namely that tensile
Qc
ductility decreases with increased strain rate-temperature, e_ exp RT . This decrease
has been explained by grain growth. It is possible to superimpose all the superplastic
Qc
ceramics data shown in Fig. 2.51 on a common curve when e_ exp RT is multiplied
by A, which is unique for each ceramic. The results are shown in Fig. 2.62.
Kim et al. [28], in their extensive work on superplasticity, classified materials
on the basis of their elongations, defining ‘superplasticity’ as being ductility
beyond 200 %. In accordance with their classification system: superplastic-like
materials are those with elongations in the 50–200 % range; ductile ceramics have
Fig. 2.62 Tensile ductility

for fine-grained ceramics as a
Qc
function of e_ exp RT
normalized by the material
parameter [28]. With kind
elongations ranging from 3 to 50 %; and in brittle ceramics, elongations are below

3 %. They obtained tensile elongations as high as 600 % in FG iron carbide
(Fe3C–20 % Fe). The strain-rate sensitivity is an important parameter.
In an additional work, Kim [27] indicated a tensile elongation to fracture in the
200–400 % range, as shown Fig. 2.63. Here, strain hardening may be observed in
the curve. The deformation mechanism in his tests was grain-boundary sliding. To
calculate the grain-size exponent, p, one can use Eq. (2.20), as follows:
Rewrite relation (2.20) as

Arn Q
e_ ¼ p exp ð2:20Þ
d RT
This relation is often expressed as:

p
b n Qc
e_ ¼ K r exp ð2:22Þ
L RT
Clearly, these relations are equivalent when A Kbp . In Eq. (2.22), L d and
b is the Burgers vector. Expressing Eq. (2.22) on a logarithmic scale and taking the
derivative for the constant strain rate and temperature, one obtains the grain size
exponent:

o ln r
p¼n ð2:23Þ
o ln L e_ ;T
The final grain size, evaluated from fracture test specimens, is related to the
maximum flow stress of the tensile test. Table 2.5 lists the final grain sizes, the
Fig. 2.63 True stress–true strain curves obtained by tension of extruded and pressed iron carbide
at the temperatures indicated and at various constant true strain rates [27]. With kind permission
from Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
Table 2.5 Values of grain size exponent, p for the extruded and pressed 5.25 % C carbide [27]
(with kind permission from Springer Science+Business Media B.V.)
T (C) e_ ðs1 Þ Linitial (lm) Lfinal (lm) rmax (MPa) rmin (MPa) n p
-4
1000 1 9 10 3.4 6.70 3.75 1.25 1.66 2.69
1000 2 9 10-4 3.4 5.36 3.70 1.5 1.66 3.28
1000 9 9 10-4 3.4 5.10 13.2 7.0 1.66 2.73
950 9 9 10-4 3.4 4.94 16.0 8.7 1.66 2.71
800 2 9 10-4 3.4 3.98 40.05 30.05 1.66 3.03
Average 2.9
stress exponents, the grain-size exponents and other relevant parameters of this
test.
In addition to the extruded and pressed carbides, also fabrication by HIP and
pressure were performed. A comparison of the strain rate versus flow stress of
these two kinds fabrication methods in carbides may be seen in Fig. 2.64 at three
temperatures. Figure 2.65 shows the variations of strain rate versus flow stress on a
logarithmic scale for extruded and pressed iron carbide at several temperatures.
Depending on the temperatures, two values of the stress exponent were calculated
from the slopes, as shown in Fig. 2.65: the value of 2 represents testing at the
Fig. 2.64 Comparison of

strain rate versus flow stress
for the carbide fabricated by
the methods indicated in the
figure at three temperatures
[27]. With kind permission
from Springer
Science+Business Media
B.V.
725–1050 C temperature range, whereas, above this temperature, the value is 1.

The change in slope value is likely indicative of a different plastic flow mecha-
nism. It is possible that at these low stresses and higher temperatures creep occurs.
The strain rate change with flow stress relation determined by tension is
compared with the data obtained under compression, shown in Fig. 2.66 at two
temperatures. Note the microstructure of the hipped and pressed iron carbide after
large compressive deformation at 950 C and at an initial strain rate of
6.67 9 10-3 s-1, as shown in Fig. 2.67. Observe the grains that remain equiaxed
after the deformation, suggesting that the deformation mechanism was, indeed,
grain-boundary sliding. Also note that no cracks developed (see Fig. 2.67). The
activation energy may be expressed either from Eq. (2.20) or (2.22). Consider
Fig. 2.65 Strain rate versus

flow stress by tension test is
indicated for iron carbide
[27]. With kind permission
from Springer
B.V.
Fig. 2.66 Comparison of the

tension and compression of
the strain rate change versus
flow stress at two
temperatures [27]. With kind
permission from Springer
B.V.
Eq. (2.22); express it on a logarithmic scale and take the derivative of strain rate
with 1/T at constant stress and grain size to obtain the expression:

o ln e_
Qc ¼ R ð2:24Þ
o 1=T r;L
A plot expressing this relation for deformation under tension and compression
is shown in Fig. 2.68 for several stress exponents. The activation-energy values are
indicated on the plot and they are in the range of 200–420 kJ/mol; the lower value
is for n = 2 and the higher activation energy is for n = *1.
Fig. 2.67 Microstructure of

the hipped and pressed iron
carbide after large
compressive deformation
(e = -2.81) [27]. With kind
permission from Springer
B.V.
Fig. 2.68 Activation

energies from tension and
compression strain rate
change [27]
2.2 Ductility in Single Crystal Ceramics
Figure 2.69 shows additional stress–strain curves of single crystals of MgO,

deformed under compression in the [100] direction and temperature range of -196
to 1200 C. In Fig. 2.33, the loading axis was h111i and in Fig. 2.36, the defor-
mation was performed on a polycrystalline material. Note that the temperature
range in Fig. 2.33 is 349–1204 C, different than in Fig. 2.69. These crystals show
considerable elongation at all temperatures and, at RT, they may be deformed
plastically to about 6 %, as seen in Fig. 2.69a, before fracture sets in. This value of
strain is considerably higher than the one obtained for polycrystalline MgO
(as shown in Fig. 2.36), where only a strain of *0.0075 is indicated. Strain
hardening is observed in these figures at all temperatures. It is known that the
resistance of a material to deformation increases with the number of slip systems
activated and the dislocation bands, which act as barriers to dislocation movement,
generally occurring at slip-band intersections. Figure 2.70 shows the dislocation
2.2 Ductility in Single Crystal Ceramics 165
Fig. 2.69 Stress–strain curves of MgO single crystals deformed by compression in the [100]
direction at various temperatures. a Temperature range -196 to 820 C; b temperature range
972–1200 C [2]. With kind permission of Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.70 Dislocation band

structure. The single crystal
was deformed in [100]
direction [2]. With kind
permission of Wiley and Sons
band structure deformed in the [100] direction. In this figure, the slip on one set of
(110) planes encountered difficulty in passing through the slip bands formed on
conjugate planes, a set of (110) planes. The thickness of the bands increases the
resistance of the dislocations passing through them.
The stress–strain data were obtained at a constant rate of loading. The effect of
the loading rate at three different rates is shown in Fig. 2.71. As may be seen from
the curve, the slower loading rate resulted in (a) a lowering of the yield stress, (b)
an increase in the plastic strain and (c) a decrease in the work-hardening rate. In
other words, when testing these MgO crystals at a loading rate of 0.382 lbs/sq. in./
s, the elongation was above 9 %.
Bear in mind that tests providing mechanical property data, such as ultimate
strength, etc., may be considered extremely sensitive to the experimental condi-
tions and the data are usually more scattered than those in similar tests of metallic
materials.

curves of MgO obtained by
compression in the [100]
direction loaded at the strain
rates of A 80.7, B 3.48 and
C 0.382 lbs/sq. in./s. The +
sign indicates the appearance
of first visible crack [2]. With
kind permission of Wiley and
Sons
Another good example of single-crystal data regarding ductility or stress–strain

relations is the case of zirconia (ZrO2). ZrO2 is considered to be a promising
engineering material in comparison with other ceramics, because it reveals higher
serviceability under different loading conditions, even up to 1400 C.
Figure 2.72 presents an Y2O3-stabilized single crystal of ZrO2 with other
ceramics. Here, the crosshead speed, Vch, is in the 0.005–5.0 mm/min range.
These specimens were loaded in four-point bending under isothermal conditions.
In this figure, the power parameter in the relation V ¼ M:KN I is on the ordinate
N ð n in other terminology), where M is a parameter and KI is the stress-intensity
factor at the crack tip. Here, the deformation and strength of zirconia crystals at
different temperatures and deformation rates are compared with the most widely
used engineering ceramics, such as silicon nitride and alumina, under similar
loading conditions. Thus, a general, comparative picture of the mechanical
behavior of different types of ceramics and zirconia single crystals, over a wide
range of temperatures and deformation rates, is obtained.
Compare the stress values and the deflection of the single-crystal zirconia (in
particular, Y-PSZ-3) with those of the other ceramics presented. Table 2.6 shows
some of the properties investigated, among them that of Y-PSZ-3. Note its ultimate
strain reaching 44.0 9 10-4 m/m, obtained at a crosshead rate of Vch = 0.5 mm/min.
Furthermore, Table 2.7 may be also consulted for some of the properties of the
various zirconia at 1400 C. The deviation from linearity (elastic deformation) for
zirconia was in the l000–l100 C range (not shown in Fig. 2.72). The strain at the
elastic limit was in the range of 31.2–35.8 9 10-4 m/m, depending on the rate of
deformation (see Table 2.7). Also note that the ultimate strain of Y-PSZ-3 at an
orientation of h111i is the highest of the various zirconia. In Fig. 2.73, the load versus
the deflection is indicated for different strain rates and temperatures.
Load versus deflection diagrams for Y-FSZC-10 and Y-PSZC-3 are compared
in Fig. 2.74.
Additional experiments on stress and strain, providing information on ductility,
may be seen in Fig. 2.75. This figure illustrates the brittle and ductile failure
modes and the strain-rate dependence of yield stress. These different failure
Fig. 2.72 The influence of the temperature, T (diagrams a, c, e) at Vch = 0.5 mm/min and of the
speed Vch, (diagrams b, d, f) at T = 1200 C on the appearance of the load (P) versus deflection
d: a, b SN-1; c, d A-l; e, f Y-PSZ-3. SN-1 is a silicon nitride-based ceramic with additions of
Y2O3 and Al2O3; A-1 is an alumina-based ceramic with an addition of MgO; and Y-PSZ-3 is a
Y2O3 stabilized zirconia based single crystal [18]. With kind permission of Elsevier
Table 2.6 Physico-mechanical characteristics of investigated ceramics and crystals at ambient

temperature (average values) [18] (with kind permission of Elsevier)
Material (orientation Density Ultrasonic Elastic modulus Bending Ultimate
of the specimen (g/cm3) velocity (m/ (GPa) strength straina
a -4
axis) s) a (MOR) (MPa) (910 m/m)
Dynamic Static
Ceramics
SN-1 3.21 9289 277 280 465 16.6
SN-2a 3.27 9690 307 305 510 16.7
A-1 3.70 9347 323 320 300 9.4
Y-PSZ-3 5.94 5951 210 207 908 44.0
Crystals
Y-FSZC-10 (h101i) 5.87 5933 207 180 134 7.4
Y-FSZC-20 (h101i) 5.76 6116 215 185 140 7.6
Y-PSZC-3 (h111i) 6.04 5394 176 149 642 43.0
Table 2.7 Average values of mechanical characteristics of investigated crystals at 1400 C [18]
(with kind permission of Elsevier)
Material Vch Elastic Upper Lower Strain at Straina at Elastic
(mm/ limit yield yield elastic limit upper yield modulus
min) (MPa) pointa point (910-4 m/m) point (MPa) (GPa)
(MPa) (MPa)
Y-FSZC-10 5.0 274 – – 17.5 – 157
0.5 327 445 445 23.2 51.5 141
0.05 269 338 318 18.7 32.2 144
0.005 210 250 234 16.9 28.4 124
Y-FSZC-20 5.0 213 – – –15.3 – 140
0.5 300 – – 21.6 – 139
0.005 276 324 295 23.2 35.7 119
Y-PSZC-3 5.0 393 444 – 31.2 37.5 126
0.5 403 475 – 33.0 42.5 122
0.05 400 550 – 32.8 75.2 122
0.005 390 556 – 35.8 74.4 109
a
For Y-PSZC-3 crystals—ultimate stress and strain values
modes, which relate to the presence or absence of plastic deformation, presumably

result from the various orientations of the easy slip planes in the specimens,
relative to the applied stress. Notice the inset indicating a 7.8 % permanent strain.
In Fig. 2.76, strength is plotted versus test temperature for partially-stabilized
zirconia (henceforth: PSZ), cubic ZrO2 crystals, polycrystalline PSZ and hot-
pressed Si3N4. At 1500 C, the cubic ZrO2 specimens either failed in a brittle
manner or exhibited significant plasticity, depending on their crystallographic
orientation. The strengths of those cubic ZrO2 specimens exhibiting plasticity
depended significantly on strain rate, with their flexural strengths decreasing with
decreasing strain rate.
Fig. 2.73 Load versus deflection diagrams for a SN-1 and b Y-PSZ-3 under different conditions
of deformation [18]. With kind permission of Elsevier
Fig. 2.74 Load versus deflection diagrams for a Y-FSZC-10 and b Y-PSZC-3 at various Vch and
T = 20 C (1) and 1400 C (2–9). Arrows show specimen unloading [18]. With kind permission
of Elsevier
Fig. 2.75 Stress–strain behavior at 1500 C of partially and fully stabilized zirconia single
crystals vis. strain rate. Inset shows permanent deformation achieved in fully stabilized specimen
[24]. With kind permission of Wiley and Sons
Fig. 2.76 Temperature dependence of flexural strength of partially and fully stabilized zirconia
single crystals, polycrystalline PSZ, and hot-pressed Si3N4 (HPSN). PSZ is partially stabilized
ZrO2 with Y2O3 [24]. With kind permission of Wiley and Sons
The results for strength and toughness of PSZ single crystals indicate a sig-
nificant potential for the development of high-strength, high-temperature structural
ceramics, in which excellent retention of mechanical properties up to *1500 C is
achieved. Thus, in contrast to many ceramics, the strength of zirconia crystals
remains practically unchanged in partially-stabilized crystals and even increases in
fully-stabilized ones.
2.3 Summary
The challenge of ceramists and materials scientists is to make ceramics ductile at

RT and low temperatures, in order to extend the use of ceramic materials to more
applications. This is not a trivial goal, since the nature of ionic and covalent
bonding must be overcome by introducing dislocations and making their mobility
possible. Dislocations are primarily responsible for plastic deformation. In the last
decade, much effort has been made to develop ductile materials exhibiting proper
slip planes that enable dislocation movement. Dislocations are present in ceramics
and their role, in most ceramics, is best observed at high temperatures. However, at
low and moderate temperatures, their motion is limited, since the stress required
for their movement is high, usually above their fracture stress, so that fracture sets
in before yielding. Different mechanisms may be responsible for the BDT, such as:
grain size, an additional second phase, structural modification (preferably to
nanostructure), etc. Single crystals are likely to be the best candidates for the
development of appreciable ductility, since they have no inherent grain boundaries
(or sliding) to interfere with dislocation motion.
References
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Chapter 2

J. Pelleg, Mechanical Properties of Ceramics, Solid Mechanics 113

2.1.1 Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures

2.1.1.1 Transition Temperature

Fig. 2.2 The apparatus for

Recent experiments, however, determine transition temperature by varying the

Fig. 2.5 Stress–strain curves

2.1.1.2 Ductility and Strength

Fig. 2.6 Stress–strain curves

Fig. 2.7 Stress–strain curves

obtained by compression tests at various temperatures and at an initial strain rate

Here, rc is the compressive strength, n is the stress-intensity exponent in the

which occurs at a material-dependent characteristic strain rate that, for most

Fig. 2.9 Schematic curve for

The fracture toughness [7] resulting from crack propagation is related to a

Fig. 2.11 Load-deflection of notched test: a Si3N4 + 30 % SiC + 3 % MgO; b SiC + 50 %

The index of sensitivity, u, to stress concentrations, which is equal to the ratio of

Thus, toughness, measured and expressed by KIc, is dependent on the elastic

Indentation surface cracks

Before indentation After indentation

Fig. 2.14 Plot of KIC

since Vickers hardness may be given in terms of the half-diagonal, a, as:

2.1.1.4 Grain Size Effect

ry is the yield stress, r0 represents resistance to dislocation glide, ky is a measure

Fig. 2.15 The dependence of

Fig. 2.16 SEM micrograph

yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZ-3YB) and zirconia nano-

The grain-size dependence of mechanical properties is also observed in

2.1.1.5 Addition of a Second Phase

A second phase may be either in solution in the matrix or in a state of dispersion.

Fig. 2.18 Plots of flexural

Fig. 2.21 SEM image of

In Eq. (2.10), g is a dimensionless constant for a given indenter geometry,

Fig. 2.22 Effect of ceria

Fig. 2.23 Effect of ceria on

properties of yttria-stabilized zirconia-toughened alumina (henceforth: ZTA) will

2.1.1.6 Particle Size Effect

Fig. 2.24 Variation of

(henceforth: FG), uniform ceramic microstructure after sintering, the distribution

Fig. 2.25 Experimental

Fig. 2.26 Apparent porosity

Fig. 2.27 Compressive

In 1.122 P = F, t = a and c2 = h2.

Fig. 2.31 Particle size

The particle morphologies of the zirconia powders observed by scanning

2.1.2 Ductile Ceramics at Low or Ambient Temperatures

Fig. 2.33 Stress–strain

Fig. 2.34 Total strain versus

Fig. 2.35 Stress–strain

Fig. 2.36 Yield stress versus

Studies on single crystals, bicrystals and polycrystalline materials of MgO have

Fig. 2.38 Etched {100}

Fig. 2.39 MgO single

Fig. 2.40 MgO cleaved

containing *1/2 % or even more of foreign material (mostly silica). Nevertheless,

Fig. 2.41 Stress–strain

Fig. 2.42 Polarized-light

Fig. 2.43 Critical flow stress