Measurement of ceramics cracking during water quenching by digital image correlation

Measuring the thermal shock crack growth process is crucial for revealing ceramic materials and structures’ thermal shock failure mechanisms and evaluating their reliability. We used a self-made water quenching system to conduct thermal shock tests on alumina and zirconia ceramics. The thermal shock process was recorded by high-speed digital image correlation (DIC) during the test. The process of thermal shock crack initiation and propagation in two kinds of ceramics was determined by analyzing the speckle image change on the sample’s surface. It is found that the crack growth rate of alumina is faster than that of zirconia, which is caused by different material parameters. This paper presents an in-situ measurement method for the initiation and propagation of thermal shock cracking in ceramic materials. It can provide a measurement method to identify and predict the thermal shock damage of ceramic components.     

Observation of ceramic cracking during quenching

It is difficult to observe the thermal shock cracking in real time, so the measurement of the crack after thermal shock is considered as an alternative method. This paper proposes a new experimental method which can exhibit the thermal shock cracking in real time by water quenching of translucent ceramic and high‐speed imaging. The crack propagation is captured, and the crack growth rate is calculated. The results confirm the previous theoretical predictions of crack propagation under thermal shock. This paper expands the research on understanding the failure mechanisms of ceramic materials in thermal shock.     

A new arrangement of SiC particles in reaction bonded Si3N4-SiC ceramic refractory and crack behaviors under thermal shock

High temperature protection brick lining is important for super-charged boilers. In practice, Si₃N₄ bonded SiC ceramics are usually chosen as the raw material of refractory bricks due to their excellent performance under high temperature. In the field of the ceramic refractory material, a main goal is to improve the resistance of ceramics under thermal shock because their inherent brittleness may cause failure under sudden change in temperature. In this paper, we fulfilled this goal by introducing a new particle arrangement called “double dispersion” for the SiC particle-reinforced ceramic refractory material. And we established the micro-structure models for both the original and the modified ceramic refractory material. To study the influence of the particle arrangement on the fracture toughness, we performed simulations of the crack initiation and propagation under the same thermal load for the original and the modified material. The results showed that the “double dispersion” method can improve the thermal shock resistance of the reaction-bonded Si₃N₄-SiC ceramic refractory.     

Influence of shear stress state on dynamic fracture of a glass ceramic Macor

The effect of shear stress on the dynamic failure of ceramic materials is not sufficiently investigated in the published literature. With the use of a bespoke split Hopkinson pressure bar, this paper presents an effort to investigate the dynamic shear compressive response of Macor, a model ceramic material with zero porosity and light weight characteristics. A cone specimen and cylindrical specimens with varying inclined angles are used to introduce the shear stress to the Macor ceramic. The dynamic failure initiation and crack propagation are monitored by the high speed photography and Digital Image Correlation techniques. It is found that the equivalent stress of Macor at the initiation of failure decreases nonlinearly with the increase of shear stress. The high speed images show that the crack originates from the minimum cross-section of the cone specimen and the obtuse angle corner of the inclined cylindrical specimens. The cracks propagate parallel to the inclined plane instead of the axial loading direction. The fractographic analysis shows the compacted zone in the shear fracture surfaces of the cone specimen and the inclined cylindrical specimens. This indicates a significant role of shear loading in the dynamic failure process of Macor.     

3D microstructure model and thermal shock failure mechanism of a Si3N4-bonded SiC ceramic refractory with SiC high volume ratio particles

In this study, an efficient method was proposed to establish 3D microstructure model of a Si₃N₄-bonded SiC ceramic refractory with SiC high volume ratio particles and its failure mechanism under thermal shock was studied based on the established microstructure model. The proposed modeling method based on modified 3D Voronoi tessellation method and “precise shrinkage ratio method” was able to establish 3D geometric model of a SiC ceramic refractory with SiC high volume fraction particles more quickly than usual methods. The modified 3D Voronoi tessellation method generated Voronoi polyhedrons (VPs) limited in finite space perfectly. The proposed “precise shrinkage ratio method” achieved a precise volume fraction of SiC particles in the established microstructure model. The crack initiation and propagation under thermal shock were calculated by employing the extended finite element method (XFEM) on the established microstructure model. The results showed the failure mode on micro-scale clearly and efforts of interface strength on the failure mode were also explored. The proposed modeling method was especially suitable for establishing 3D microstructure models of ceramic composites or isotropic metal-ceramic particle composites with high volume fraction particles and extended the use of VPs.     

The Effects of Water Entry Postures on the Thermal Shock Behavior of Alumina

The effects of water entry postures on thermal shock behavior during quench tests were investigated for the first time using alumina ceramic. The differences in the crack patterns and residual strength for specimens with different water entry postures after the quench tests were shown. At the initial thermal shock temperature of 310°C, the average residual strength of the lateral posture specimens is 330.4 MPa, but the longitudinal ones' is 118.4 MPa. The results showed that water entry posture strongly affects the quenching thermal shock behavior; to better experimentally characterize the thermal shock resistance, the unified water entry posture during testing must be considered.     

Cracking behavior of ZrB2-SiC-Graphite sharp leading edges during thermal shock

Crack initiation and propagation of ZrB₂-SiC-Graphite (ZSG) sharp leading edges (SLEs) subjected to thermal shock were systematically evaluated by the water spraying method followed by a crack dyeing treatment. Distinct differences in the crack patterns among different test conditions were observed, and the cracking behavior of ZSG SLEs (including crack initiation time, crack number and critical failure temperature) was revealed to be strongly dependent on both the cooling rate and the microstructure. The crack propagation during thermal shock could be considered as a quasistatic process (crack speed was lower than 1?cm/s) that needed to be driven by continuous cooling.     

Simulation of thermal shock cracking in ceramics using bond-based peridynamics and FEM

The effects of moderate intensity ‘hot’ or ‘cold’ shock in brittle solids have been extensively studied, while much less is known about thermal shock response during large temperature variations. In this study, a combined finite element – peridynamics numerical procedure is proposed for the simulation of cracking in ceramic materials, undergoing severe thermal shock. Initially, Finite Element nonlinear heat transfer analysis is conducted. The effects of surface convection and radiation heat exchange are also included. Subsequently, the interpolated temperature field is used to formulate a varying temperature induced action for a bond-based peridynamics model. The present model, which is weakly coupled, is found to reproduce accurately previous numerical and experimental results regarding the case of a ‘cold’ shock. Through several numerical experiments it is established that ‘cold’ and ‘hot’ shock conditions give rise to different failure modes and that large temperature variations lead to intensified damage evolution.     

Fractal characterization of ceramic crack patterns after thermal shocks

This work utilized a combination of experimental evidence and fractal geometric method to assess the effect of crack extension concerning the thermal shock on residual strength of ceramics. Sintered alumina (Al₂O₃) ceramic slabs were bundled and quenched in water under different thermal shock temperatures. The fractal dimension of thermal shock crack patterns on the interior surface and the cooled surface was calculated by the Box-counting method. Fracture energy of a fractal pattern of microcracks in quasi-brittle solids was employed to explain the relationship between crack length and fractal dimensions. The results show that if the crack propagation has the same crack length but a larger fractal dimension, it will absorb more fracture energy. The thermal shock crack patterns of Al₂O₃ ceramics with different grain sizes were analyzed, and the smaller grain size ceramic had a higher fractal dimension of crack patterns than the larger one.     

Thermal shock resistance behavior of auxetic ceramic honeycombs with a central crack or an edge crack

In this paper, the thermal shock resistance of an auxetic ceramic honeycomb plate is studied based on the fracture mechanics concept for the cases of a central crack or an edge crack. The transient temperature field and transient thermal stress field are obtained for both auxetic and non-auxetic structures. The relationship between the thermal stress intensity factor (TSIF) and the internal cell angle, crack length and time is determined and the critical temperature for the initiation of crack propagation is predicted. Results show that compared with the non-auxetic ceramic honeycombs which are at an internal cell angle of 30°, the critical temperature of the auxetic ceramic honeycombs whose cell are orientated at an angle of −30° increases by 78.5% and the TSIF at the crack tip decreases by 40%, respectively. Hence, the auxetic structures have better thermal shock resistance. This study indicates that auxetic ceramic honeycombs have significant potential applications in harsh temperature environments.     

Modeling the thermal shock induced cracking in ceramics

Prediction of surface cracking in ceramics due to quenching is performed numerically using either the coupled criterion or a cohesive zone model. Under such a thermal shock, a network of short cracks with minimal spacing between them initiate and propagate until some of them stop while the others continue propagating. The numerical implementation consists of a periodic array of cracks modeled by a representative volume element. It allows crack initiation, simultaneous propagation and period doubling to be predicted. The investigation of the crack period doubling allows a precise determination of the optimal crack spacing, which decreases with an increasing thermal shock amplitude. The predicted crack spacing results are in agreement with experimental measurements.     

Thermal shock behavior of nano-sized ZrN particulate reinforced AlON composites

Aluminum oxynitride (AlON) has been considered as a potential ceramic material for high-performance structural and advanced refractory applications owing to its excellent stability and mechanical properties such as high rigidity and good chemical stability. Thermal shock resistance is a major concern and an important performance index of refractories and high-temperature ceramics. While zirconium nitride (ZrN) particles have been proven to improve mechanical properties of AlON ceramic, the thermal shock behavior has not been evaluated yet. The aim of this investigation was to identify the thermal shock resistance and underlying mechanisms of hot-pressed 2.7% ZrN–AlON composites by a water-quenching technique over a temperature range between 225 °C and 275 °C. The residual strength and Young's modulus after thermal shock decreased with increasing temperature range and thermal shock times due to large temperature gradients and thermal stresses caused by abrupt water-quenching. The presence of nano-sized ZrN particles exhibited a positive effect on the improvement of both residual strength and critical temperature difference of AlON ceramic due to the toughening effects, the higher thermal conductivity of ZrN, the refined grain size and the reduction of porosity. Different toughening mechanisms including crack deflection, crack bridging and crack branching were observed during thermal shock experiments, thus effectively enhancing the crack initiation and propagation resistance and leading to a considerable improvement in thermal shock resistance in the ZrN–AlON composites.     

Microstructure-based modelling and experimental investigation of crack propagation in glass–alumina functionally graded materials

The aim of the present work was the determination of the fracture mechanisms in glass–alumina functionally graded materials (FGMs). The investigation was performed by means of a combined approach based on microscale computational simulations, which provided for an accurate modelling of the actual FGM microstructure, and experimental analysis. The numerical results proved that microstructural defects, such as pores, deeply influenced the damage evolution. On the contrary, the minimization of the mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion of the ingredient materials allowed to obtain low thermal residual stresses, which did not relevantly affect the crack propagation. In order to support the numerical model, microindentation tests were performed on the cross-section of FGM specimens and the experimentally observed crack paths were compared to the computationally predicted ones.     

Alumina/NiCu Laminate under Thermal Shock up to 1000°C: II, Prediction of the Laminate Behavior

In this investigation, a multilayered, multimaterial system with strong interface subjected to thermal shock loading was analyzed. The analysis was based on a one-dimensional spatio-temporal finite difference scheme of the temperature field, and the thermal residual stresses and zero misfit stress temperature were considered. Using a failure criterion based on crack initiation, the number of broken layers due to thermal shock and residual mechanical strength at room temperature could be predicted. Furthermore, the room temperature residual strength of the laminate as a function of thermal shock temperature was constructed, demonstrating steplike behavior. Using this model, the mechanical behavior of the alumina/NiCu laminate system subjected to thermal shock loading of up to 1000°C was predicted. The model revealed the superiority of this material system over monolithic ceramics under thermal shock conditions.     

Investigation of Thermal Shock in a High-Temperature Refractory Ceramic: A Fracture Mechanics Approach

The results of a study on the thermal shock behavior of a high-temperature refractory ceramic that is used as a furnace liner in the melting of steels are presented in this paper. The experimental studies show that thermal shock damage initiates by edge cracking after the first shock cycle. Subsequent subcritical crack growth occurs by the incremental extension of dominant cracks until catastrophic failure occurs. The observations of the crack profiles also reveal the formation of viscoelastic bridges that promote crack-tip shielding/toughening via crack bridging. Following a brief discussion of the respective mechanisms of fracture and thermal shock damage at different temperatures and temperature ranges, the implications of the results are discussed for refractory ceramics that are toughened by viscoelastic crack bridging.     

Peridynamic investigation on thermal fracturing behavior of ceramic nuclear fuel pellets under power cycles

A coupled thermo-mechanical bond-based peridynamic model is developed to investigate thermal fracturing behaviors, including random initiation and subsequent propagation of interacting thermal cracks, in ceramic nuclear pellets under power cycles. To go beyond the differences of typical time scales between thermal and mechanical systems, a multi-rate time integration scheme is introduced to the numerical model. A penalty method for contact between the fuel pellets and cladding is also incorporated into the coupled model. Two benchmark examples are provided to prove the correctness and accuracy of the proposed numerical model. Thermo-mechanical fracturing behaviors of fuel pellets under power cycles are then investigated using the coupled bond-based peridynamics, that can accurately predict realistic thermal crack patterns, including both radial and circumferential cracks. From the numerical results, it is found that radial cracks occur during power rises, but circumferential cracks initiate when the power is ramped down. The numerical results are in good agreement with previous experimental observations. In addition, the influence of cyclic power amplitude, cyclic power rate, cyclic power types, and convective heat transfer between fuel pellets and cladding on thermal fracturing behaviors of fuel pellets are studied. The numerical results can provide references for the design of nuclear fuel pellets.     

Thermal shock damage assessment of a BNW/SiO2 ceramic: Insight from temperature-dependent material properties

The high-temperature service performance of nearly fully dense 20 wt% BN_W/SiO₂ ceramic was systematically investigated. The oxidation damage and strength degradation of the whiskers combined with the surface microstructures of the samples predominantly influence the flexural strength from RT to 1000 °C. In previous work, the temperature dependence of the material properties is invariably ignored when evaluating thermal stress crack initiation and propagation behaviour. In this work, modified thermal shock models that include temperature-dependent material properties were established based on thermal-shock fracture (TSF) theory and thermal-shock damage (TSD) theory. Then, the thermal shock resistance (TSR) of the BN_W/SiO₂ ceramic was evaluated by preforming a water quenching test. The modified models could better explain the TSR behaviour of the ceramic, indicating that considering the temperature-dependent material properties will reveal the thermal shock damage mechanism more precisely.     

Thermal Shock of Layered Ceramic Structures with Crack-Deflecting Interfaces

In this paper the influence of crack-deflecting interlayers on the thermal shock behavior of a ceramic body has been studied. It is observed that the presence of such interlayers inhibits the penetration of cracks into the body and that the magnitude of this effect is much greater than that of internal stresses or of possible increases in fracture energy of the layers, because cracking occurs in a manner different from that expected. A finite difference model has been used to estimate the temperature distribution in the body, from which the crack driving force and its variation with time and penetration into the body have been calculated. It is shown that these observations are consistent with quantitative predictions, if continued crack growth in the laminate requires that the stress in the outermost intact layer is equal to the failure strength of that layer, rather than the crack driving force for the overall penetrating crack being equal to the fracture energy of the material.     

Thermal shock resistance study of stereolithographic additive-manufactured Al2O3 ceramics by in situ digital radiography

Thermal shock resistance is critical to ensure the service safety of ceramic hot-end components. The thermal shock performance of stereolithographic additive-manufactured ceramics has not yet been studied. In this study, a series of thermal shock experiments with various temperature differences was conducted on stereolithographic additive-manufactured Al₂O₃ ceramics. The surface cracks were analysed based on photographs captured before and after the thermal shock experiments. Three-point bending tests with in situ X-ray digital radiography were conducted to determine the thermal shock resistance. Crack initiation, propagation, and coalescence were observed under flexural loads. The critical temperature difference of the stereolithographic additive-manufactured Al₂O₃ ceramics was determined to be 267.22 °C. The crack length increased and residual strength decreased with increasing temperature differences. The layered structure of the stereolithographic additive-manufactured ceramics slowed crack propagation. We expect that this study will serve as a reference for the performance of stereolithographic additive-manufactured Al₂O₃ ceramics in extreme environments.     

Effect of substrate curvature on residual stresses and failure modes of an air plasma sprayed thermal barrier coating system

A set of aerofoil shaped air plasma sprayed thermal barrier coated (APS-TBC) specimens were adopted in this paper to investigate the stress distributions in the ceramic top coat (TC) and the thermally grown oxide (TGO), the mechanism of local crack generation and propagation at the TC/BC (bond coat) interface. The failure mode of the TBC system, the distribution of asperities at TC/BC interface, thickness of the TC and BC, and the TC microstructure were found to be influenced by substrate curvature. Residual stress was therefore measured across the thickness of the TC, along the undulating TGO and mapped at locations of asperities where failure tended to occur to interpret the initiation of local failure. The role of the TGO was investigated via its chemical bonding with the TC and the decohesion occurring at the TGO/BC interface. The crack propagation at the interface has been discussed with respect to the macro-failure of the TBC system.