Plastic Deformation Mechanisms in SiC‐Whisker‐Reinforced Alumina

摘要: SiC-whisker-reinforced Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] samples (SiC[sub w]/Al[sub 3]), obtained from three different manufacturers, containing 0-30 vol% SiC have been crept under compression at 1,400 C in flowing argon. Compressive creep tests and microstructural observations used to characterize the plastic deformation mechanisms. The presence of whiskers decreased rate by reducing grain-boundary sliding. Damage formation was increased, however, because acted as stress concentration sites. For specimens with whisker loadings greater than 15%, absolute not strongly dependent on concentration, cavitation damage negligible below a critical that depended fabrication procedure specimen. This regime characterized exponent approximately 1, which occurred primarily diffusional flow. materials less SiC, grain boundary