A micromechanical fracture analysis to investigate the effect of healing particles on the overall mechanical response of a self‐healing particulate composite

Abstract

A computational fracture analysis is conducted on a self‐healing particulate composite employing a finite element model of an actual microstructure. The key objective is to quantify the effects of the actual morphology and the fracture properties of the healing particles on the overall mechanical behaviour of the (MoSi2) particle‐dispersed Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (YSZ) composite. To simulate fracture, a cohesive zone approach is utilised whereby cohesive elements are embedded throughout the finite element mesh allowing for arbitrary crack initiation and propagation in the microstructure. The fracture behaviour in terms of the composite strength and the percentage of fractured particles is reported as a function of the mismatch in fracture properties between the healing particles and the matrix as well as a function of particle/matrix interface strength and fracture energy. The study can be used as a guiding tool for designing an extrinsic self‐healing material and understanding the effect of the healing particles on the overall mechanical properties of the material.

Modelling the fracture behaviour of thermal barrier coatings containing healing particles

“…Within the context of self-healing TBC systems, few modelling studies have addressed the effect of the healing particles on the TBC properties and the thermomechanical response [29,30]. The effect of the healing particles on the fracture mechanisms and the mechanical properties of a particulate composite representing a self-healing TBC microstructure were studied using cohesive element-based finite element analysis in [31][32][33]. However, one critical aspect that has not been analysed in detail pertains to the mismatch in thermo-elastic properties coupled to a mismatch in fracture properties.…”

Uncertainty Quantification of the Lifetime of Self-Healing Thermal Barrier Coatings Based on Surrogate Modelling of Thermal Cyclic Fracture and Healing

“…Finite element simulations have been extensively used to study the influence of self-healing particles and other microstructural parameters on the TBC lifetime [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. These numerical simulation techniques can in general capture the experimentally-observed damage process that occurs in metallo-ceramic material systems [19,20].…”

In situ experimental study on fracture toughness and damage mechanism of TiB2‐reinforced steel matrix composites

“…Al 3 Ti particle fracture and void development starting at the fractured particles were the main damage mechanisms in the material. Ponnusami et al 23 used a finite element model of a real microstructure to perform a computational fracture analysis on a self‐healing particulate composite. The results of the micromechanical fracture simulations showed that the crack path and mechanical characteristics were significantly affected by the mismatch between the fracture properties of the particle, matrix, and interface.…”