Fracture Toughness of Ceramics Fired at Different Temperatures

Abstract

The fracture toughness test was performed at room temperature on sets of 5 ceramic samples made from material for high voltage insulators (kaolin 36 wt. %, Al₂O₃ 30 wt. %, clay 12 wt. % and feldspar 22 wt. %) fired at temperatures 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1100, 1200, 1250, 1300, 1400, 1500 °C at heating and cooling rate of 5 °C/min. The precrack was made to each sample by indentation under the loads 10 N – 200 N, the dwell time was 45 s and the loading rate was 10 N/s. Results of the fracture toughness tests were in accordance with changes of structure of the samples after the partial firings. Fracture toughness from 20 °C to 500 °C is almost constant and it varies between 0.1 MPa·m^0.5and 0.2 MPa·m^0.5. Dehydroxylation (420 °C – 600 °C) does not influence the value of fracture toughness. At temperature interval where we assume sintering (700 °C – 1250 °C) we observe exponential dependence of fracture toughness up to 1.5 MPa·m^0.5. From comparison of the fracture toughness, Young’s modulus and flexural strength follows a correlation and proporcionality of these mechanical properties.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.18.1.1349