Contact damage of silicon carbide/boron nitride nanocomposites

To investigate the deformation mechanism of silicon carbide (SiC)/boron nitride (BN) nanocomposites, Hertzian contact tests were performed on monolithic SiC, and nanocomposite and microcomposite SiC/BN. Monolithic SiC had the typical microstructure of hot-pressed SiC with Y₂O₃ and Al₂O₃ additives, composed of slightly large grains in small matrix grains. The microcomposite comprised large BN grains dispersed along the grain boundaries of elongated SiC grains, while the nanocomposite showed a finer microstructure with fine BN particles and small matrix grains. These microstructural differences led to differences in the mechanism of contact damage. The damage of the monolithic SiC and the SiC/BN microcomposite exhibited classical Hertzian cone fracture and many large cracks, whereas the damage observed in the nanocomposites appeared to be quasi-plastic deformation.