Influence of the size and concentration of soft-phase inclusion agglomerates on ceramic specimen strength

Abstract

The paper is a theoretical study into the influence of the content and distribution of soft-phase inclusion agglomerates in the matrix of a ceramic composite specimen on its strength and deformation properties. The movable cellular automata method was used to simulate uniaxial compression of two-dimensional composite material specimens with an aspect ratio of 1:1. It is found that the strength and deformation properties of the generated composites decrease nonlinearly with the growing volume fraction of inclusions. The average size of inclusion agglomerates at the same volume fraction of the soft-phase particles slightly affects the strength and deformation properties of the simulated specimens. The obtained theoretical results can be used to develop new ceramic materials, such as composite ceramics with dimensions preserved at varying temperature.