Rev.Adv.Mater.Sci.(RAMS)
No 5, Vol. 10, 2005, pages 483-489

GENERATION OF NANOCRACKS AT GRAIN BOUNDARY DISCLINATIONS IN NANOCOMPOSITE MATERIALS

M.Yu. Gutkin, I.A. Ovid'ko and N.V. Skiba

Abstract

A theoretical model is proposed which describes the generation of nanocracks at grain boundary disclinations in a nanocomposite material. The equilibrium (critical) length of the nanocrack is calculated and studied in dependence of the system parameters. It is shown that the nanocrack can change its direction at the nanoinclusion/matrix interface or propagates straight into the bulk of the nanoinclusion. The probability of nanocrack generation increases near the nanoinclusions with negative (compressive) dilatation eigenstrain. The decrease in size of a nanoinclusion diminishes the probability of nanocrack growth along the interface, if the eigenstrain is negative, and increases this probability, if the eigenstrain is positive (tensile).

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