Development of microstructure during creep of polycrystalline mullite and a nanocomposite mullite/5 vol.% SiC

• The microstructures of as-sintered and creep tested polycrystalline mullite and mullite reinforced with 5 vol.% nano-sized SiC particles have been characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The dislocation densities after tensile creep testing at 1300 and 1400 °C were virtually unchanged as compared to the as-sintered materials which indicates diffusion-controlled deformation. Mullite matrix grain boundaries bending around intergranular SiC particles suggest that grain boundary pinning, in addition to a reduced mullite grain size, contributed to the increased creep resistance of the mullite/5 vol.% SiC nanocomposite. Both materials showed pronounced cavitation at multi-grain junctions after creep testing at 1400 °C which suggests that unaccommodated grain boundary sliding, facilitated by softening of the intergranular glass, occurred at this temperature. This is consistent with the higher stress exponents at 1400 °C. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Materialteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Materials Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Creep

Electron microscopy

Grain boundaries

Mullite

Nanocomposites

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