Surface mechanical analyses by Hertzian indentation

Abstract

of grain-boundary glassy phase [14][15][16][17]. The use of conventional fracture toughness evaluations to predict resistance to wear, erosion, and machining may lead to incorrect choices of materials for such applications.Fracture toughness may be determined from Hertzian tests by measuring the minimum load, P min , necessary to propagate cracks in a set of tests [18] on abraded samples (i.e., ones with a high surface flaw density). The test method uses flaws a few microns deep, and so gives results relevant to wear and erosion properties.Here we present surface flaw sizes of polished polycrystalline alumina specimens, with G=1.2, 3.8 and 14.1 µm, determined using the Hertzian indentation method [6][7][8]18], and fracture toughness values determined by the Hertzian method. These fracture toughness values are compared to those derived from Vickers indentation tests. The results are also compared to the rates of wet erosive wear for the same materials. AbstractHertzian indentation technique was used to measure surface flaw sizes on polished dense polycrystalline alumina specimens with grain sizes G = 1.2, 3.8 and 14.1 µm. Two surfaces finishes were studied: well-polished (Syton) and coarse-polished (45 µm diamond paste). Flaw sizes depended on the surface finish and increased with increasing grain size. Fracture toughness (K Ic ) for each material (relating to the propagation of flaws of a few µm depth) was determined from the minimum fracture load in a series of Hertzian tests. K Ic values were 3.58, 3.45 and 2.96 MPam 1/2 for G=1.2, 3.8 and 14.1 µm, respectively. Fracture toughness values were also determined by Vickers indentation over a range of loads; the K Ic values determined from the Hertzian tests were consistent with the trends in K Ic with crack size from the Vickers indentation tests. Keywords: surface, Hertzian indentation, flaw size, alumina. Resumo A técnica de indentação Hertziana foi usada para medir o tamanho das trincas nas superfícies de amostras densas de alumina Theoretical background -Hertzian indentationThe Hertzian indentation test is an alternative to the familiar Vickers indentation test for evaluation of the fracture properties of brittle materials. A great advantage of the Hertzian indentation test is that the deformation in the substrate produced by the indenter is wholly elastic until fracture occurs. This means that the complications associated with the residual stresses in Vickers indentation test do not exist. The stress field is independent of the plasticity properties of the substrate and varies continuously and smoothly near to the contact area. The contact stress field is not substantially affected by minor defects in the indenter geometry. The stress state induced can be found rigorously and exactly [19].On the other hand the Hertzian indentation test has some drawbacks. The stress fields have steep gradients in depth, thus it is difficult to accurately estimate the stress intensity factors for cracks driven by Herztian loads. The principal data needed are the loads at whic...

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