HIGH-TEMPERATURE FRACTURE-BEHAVIOR OF POROUS ZIRCONIA CERAMICS

Fracture experiments were performed with notched and unnotched three-point bending specimens of porous zirconia ceramics at high temperature. It is shown that introduction of coarse filler particles into a porous matrix substantially increases the work-of-fracture of porous ceramics. The effect rises with the increase in the ratio of the filler and matrix particle sizes. The contribution of various factors determining the filler effects on the work-of-fracture value is estimated.