Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 February 2017
Al3Nb is known as a high oxidation resistant material, while it is quite brittle. As the fracture toughness of Al3Nb single crystal and its dependence on the composition are not obtained, the micro-sized fracture testing proposed by Suzuki et al. was performed. Al3Nb single crystal micron-order size cantilevers with a chevron-notch were fabricated in a grain of two-phase polycrystalline alloys by using FIB (Focused Ion Beam). From the load-displacement curves during the bending by a nanoindenter, the average value of fracture toughness of Nb-rich Al3Nb is evaluated to be 2.90 MPam1/2, while the fracture toughness of Al-rich Al3Nb is also evaluated to be 2.82 MPam1/2. From this result, the fracture toughness of Al3Nb is less dependent on its Al/Nb ratio. Furthermore the fracture toughness of Al3 (Nb, V) was evaluated to be 2.82 MPam1/2.The fracture toughness of Al3Nb is seemingly insensitive to V addition.
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