Abstract
Effects of loading rate, specimen size and annealing treatment on the fracture toughness of WC-Co alloys were investigated using Bridge Indentation method. This method was compared with Short Bar method and with Microcrack Indentation method for WC-Co alloys and A12O3 base ceramics.
The results obtained are as follows:
(1) Effects of the loading rate and the residual stress at the precrack tips are negligibly small in the case of BI method.
(2) JIS standard specimen for transverse rupture strength is enough to determine the effective fracture toughness of hard materials, using BI method without special apparatus.
