Plastic deformation kinetics of fine-grained MgO in tension

The plastic deformation kinetics of 99.4% MgO (d(o) = 5.3 mum) was investigated at 1500degrees-1600degreesC in uniaxial tension. It was determined that the stress exponent n approximate to 1 and the activation energy Q = 204 kJ/mole. Neither the present results on MgO, nor data in the literature on MgO and other oxide ceramics, can be fully explained by the models usually proposed for the plastic deformation of fine-grained oxide ceramics. The present results are however in good agreement with the model for grain boundary diffusion plastic flow recently developed by Kim, Estrin and Bush. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.