Mechanical Properties of alumina/cobalt nanocomposites fabricated by PECS technique

Abstract

Pulse Electric Current Sintering (PECS) technique allows the rapid heating and cooling, thus promoting the heat and mass transfer. For preparing Al₂O₃/Co nanocomposites, in which the secondary phase should be dispersed into matrix, we used the PECS technique. The amount of the Co was restrained for fabricating the intra-granular dispersed nanocomposites. Nanocomposites fabricated by PECS technique were measured mechanical properties, such as Vickers hardness, fracture strength, and fracture toughness, and observed microstructure using SEM and TEM. Finally, we evaluated the relationship between fracture toughness and frontal process zone (FPZ) size.