Fracture toughness of a layered-gradient ceramic composite ZrC–Al$_2$O$_3$

S. P. Buyakova, Yu. A. Mirovoy, A. G. Burlachenko, V. V. Shmakov, M. P. Luk'yanets, I. A. Fotin, E. V. Abdulmenova, A. S. Buyakov

Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk

Abstract: The fracture toughness and propagation of a main crack in a ZrC–Al$_2$O$_3$ ceramic composite with a layered gradient structure were studied. The outer layers of the studied material consisted of ZrC and Al$_2$O$_3$, while the intermediate layers were composites of these two materials with different component ratios. It was shown that the fracture toughness of the layered-gradient composite with crack initiation in the ZrC layer was higher than with crack initiation in the Al$_2$O$_3$ layer. This is due to the action of tensile and compressive elastic residual stresses along the crack path, the magnitude of which is determined by the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients on different sides of the interphase boundary crossed by the crack.

Keywords: layered-gradient composites, fracture toughness, zirconium carbide, aluminum oxide.

Received: 30.07.2025
Revised: 04.09.2025
Accepted: 15.09.2025

DOI: 10.61011/PJTF.2026.02.62068.20459

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