Fracture behaviour at elevated temperatures of alumina matrix composites reinforced with silicon carbide whiskers

Abstract

Creep tests were performed on alumina matrix composites containing 9.3,18 and 30 vol % of SiC whiskers. Careful examination after failure showed that the fracture characteristics were dependent upon the microstructure of the material. Whisker pullouts were visible at the fracture surfaces of the composites with 30 and 18 vol % of SiC whiskers due to preferential debonding at the whisker-matrix interfaces, and these composites also developed crack networks due to the propagation of cracks along whisker-free channels between whisker agglomerates. No whisker pullouts or crack networks were visible in the composite with 9.3 vol % of SiC whiskers where the whisker distribution was reasonably uniform.