Effect of the particle size distribution of spinel on the mechanical properties and thermal shock performance of MgO–spinel composites

The influence of varying the amounts of spinel with a similar median particle size, but with different distribution, on the mechanical properties and thermal shock performance of MgO–spinel composites was investigated. Mechanical properties of composites decreased significantly with increasing spinel content due to the thermal expansion mismatch. However, γ_WOF values of composites increased markedly, because of a significant change in the fracture mode from transgranular to intergranular fracture. A narrow distributed spinel A (Alcoa MR66) particles resulted in shorter initial crack propagation distances from the spinel particles, but spinel B (Britmag 67) particles with a significantly broader distribution were the origins of longer interlinked cracks. The improved resistance to thermal shock in MgO–spinel composites can therefore be attributed to the microcrack networks developed around the spinel particles, associated with the high values of γ_WOF, and not to an increased K_1c. On the basis of theoretically calculated R values and experimentally found γ_WOF/γ_i ratios, resistance to thermal shock damage would be more strongly favoured with materials containing spinel B particles, rather than spinel A, for which a much larger volume% was required to achieve a similar improvement.