@inproceedings{387a89ea081c4634acd50f8af3254241,
title = "Fracture toughness modifications by means of CO2 laser beam surface processing of a silicon nitride engineering ceramic",
abstract = "Surface treatment of an Si3N4 engineering ceramic with a CO2 laser was carried out to identify changes in the fracture toughness (K1c). A Vickers macro hardness indentation method was adopted to determine the K1C prior to and after the CO2 laser treatment. After determination of the surface integrity, crack geometry, crack lengths and the dimensions of the diamond indentations, computational and analytical methods were employed to calculate the K1c . A decrease in the surface hardness of nearly 7% and of 44% in the resulting crack lengths was found after laser treatment. This inherently led to a 64% increase in the K1c for the Si3N4. This could have occurred due to melting and redistribution of the melt zone which softened the near (top) surface layer forming a degree of oxidation, causing the surface of the engineering ceramic to transform into a new composition.",
keywords = "crack length, laser treatment, heat affected zone, indentation load, American Ceramic Society",
author = "Shukla, {P. P.} and J. Lawrence",
note = "36th International MATADOR Conference ; Conference date: 14-07-2010 Through 16-07-2010",
year = "2010",
month = jul,
day = "14",
doi = "10.1007/978-1-84996-432-6_114",
language = "English",
isbn = "9781849964319",
series = "Proceedings of the 36th International MATADOR Conference",
publisher = "Springer London",
pages = "519--522",
editor = "Srichand Hinduja and Lin Li",
booktitle = "Proceedings of the 36th International MATADOR Conference",
address = "United Kingdom",
}