Estimation of Thermal Shock Resistance by Infrared Radiation Heating and Water Flow Cooling Techniques

Abstract

Thermal shock is a mechanism often leading to failure of ceramic materials that may occur during rapid heating or cooling. These tests were performed in order to compare the thermal shock resistance of ceramic materials by cooling with that of the heating method and hence to evaluate parameters such as thermal shock strength (R1c) and thermal shock fracture toughness (R2c). During the present study, thermal shock resistance of alumina and mullite ceramics was estimated experimentally and theoretically using the thermal shock parameters. The critical thermal stress at the onset of thermal shock fracture was calculated using fracture time, which is measured by an acoustic emission. Results show that thermal shock parameters of alumina specimens decreased with increasing temperature of fracture point. This effect can be attributed to the temperature dependence of the thermal properties. The experimental values of thermal shock parameters evaluated by IRH and WFC techniques were in good agreement at the temperature of fracture point. The thermal shock parameters enabled the definition of a unified thermal shock resistance of ceramics, which is independent of the nature of the testing techniques.