Indentation deformation and cracking in oxide glass –toward understanding of crack nucleation

Cracking is one of the most serious and unfavorable phenomena in glass. To enhance the damage resistance of glass, methods for controlling factors related to cracking have been discussed for many years. In this brief review, various works on indentation-induced fracture in oxide glass are introduced and relevant issues regarding indentation techniques are discussed. In particular, various aspects of the indentation fracture (IF) method, which is a well-known empirical technique for evaluating the apparent fracture toughness of brittle materials, are discussed and it is emphasized that indentation techniques are powerful tools for comparing crack resistances between glass compositions. Finally, some novel approaches to analyzing indentation deformation and fracture in oxide glass are introduced to aid in understanding the brittle behaviors of glass and improving the mechanical properties of glass. © 2019 The Author