| During past years, oxide-oxide eutectic fibers have received considerable attention as potential reinforcements in the intermetallic and ceramic matrix composites for high temperature applications. The directionally solidified YAG/alumina eutectic fiber has been demonstrated as the most promising system due to the attractive combinations of its chemical, microstructural, mechanical, and thermal stability. Recently, the YAG/alumina eutectic fiber was successfully developed using laser heat floating zone (LHFZ) and edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) techniques.;In the present work, the thermal stability and coarsening behavior of the Y3Al5O12/Al2O3 eutectic fiber at the elevated temperatures were explored. The kinetics of coarsening and the rate-controlling mechanism were investigated by measuring the activation energy for coarsening of the Y3Al5O 12/Al2O3 eutectic fiber. The diffusion of O 2- ions through the Y3Al5O12 phase and Y3+ ions through the Al2O3 phase appeared to be the rate-controlling mechanism for the coarsening of the Y3Al5O12/Al2O3 eutectic fiber. It was found that the reciprocal of the interfacial areas between the Y3Al5O12 and Al2O 3 phases is linearly proportional to the heat treatment time.;Also, the strength and fracture behaviors of a directionally solidified Y3Al5O12/Al2O3 eutectic fiber were studied. The degradation of the room-temperature tensile strength after heat treatment was attributed to the development of surface grooves at the surface of the fiber. The Y3Al5O12/Al 2O3 eutectic fiber exhibited a radial (Palmqvist) crack type and an anisotropic crack growth behavior. It was found that the Palmqvist crack length in the Y3Al5O12/Al2O 3 eutectic fiber is linearly proportional to the indentation load.;The fracture behaviors of the (Y2O3)ZrO2/Al 2O3 eutectic fiber, the CeO2-doped and Pr 2O3-doped Y3Al5O12/Al 2O3 eutectic rods were investigated. The (Y2O 3)ZrO2/Al2O3 eutectic fiber, the CeO 2-doped and Pr2O3-doped Y3Al5 O12/Al2O3 eutectic rods showed the radial (Palmqvist) crack types and the orthotropic crack growth behaviors. The CeO2-doped Y3Al5O12/Al 2O3 eutectic rod was turned out to have the highest fracture toughness among another eutectic fiber/rods (the Y3Al5O 12/Al2O3 eutectic fiber, the (Y2O 3)ZrO2/Al2O3 eutectic fiber, and the Pr2O3-doped Y3Al5O12/Al 2O3 eutectic rod). Even though the addition of Pr2O 3 to the Y3Al5O12/Al2O 3 system resulted in the weakening of the microstructure, the Pr 2O3-doped Y3Al5O12/Al 2O3 eutectic rod showed the severe crack deflection along the phase boundary. Also, the addition of CeO2 to the Y3Al 5O12/Al2O3 system resulted in the increase of the fracture toughness. |
