Oxidation_of_niobium_particles_embedded_in_a_sintered_ceramic_matrix_-_a_proposed_model.pdf

28 Tommaselli, Mariano and Kuri Materials and Corrosion 2005, 56, No. 1 Oxidation of niobium particles embedded in a sintered ceramic matrix – a proposed model M. A. G. Tommaselli, N. A. Mariano and S. E. Kuri* Ceramics display superior properties of hardness, chemical sta- the oxidation mechanisms of niobium particles embedded in an bility and refractoriness. However, their brittleness often limits their Al2O3 matrix, based on a thermogravimetric analysis. Two types application as engineering components. The addition of second- of oxidation kinetics are identified here: linear and parabolic ki- phase inclusions that influence crack propagation has been exhaus- netics, with activation energies of 12.4 kJ/mol and 24.9 kJ/mol, re- tively studied. One of the main toughness enhancement theories spectively. Based on our results, a kinetic model is proposed to de- proposes it is caused by the plastic deformation of ductile inclusions scribe the oxidation of niobium particles embedded in alumina during crack propagation. This article proposes a model to explain ceramic composite matrix. 1 Introduction dation kinetics of metallic particles embedded in ceramic ma- trix is complex, since it is dependent on the metal oxidation Ceramic-ceramic and ceramic-metal composites have been resistance, ceramic matrix properties such as oxygen diffusion widely studied with a view to expanding the range of applica- through the grains, grain boundaries and pores, and the size, tions of ceramic mater