Damage evolution and fracture mechanisms of ceramic matrix composites with nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques

The fracture behavior of Nicalon(TM) fiber reinforced calcium aluminosilicate (CAS) glass-ceramic matrix composites (Nicalon(TM)/CAS) was investigated with the aid of a nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique. Infrared (IR) thermography was employed for two different types of Nicalon(TM)/CAS composites, i.e., cross-ply and unidirectional specimens. During tensile testing, an IR camera was used for in-situ monitoring of progressive damages of Nicalon(TM)/CAS samples. The IR camera provided the temperature changes during tensile testing. Microstructural characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to investigate the fracture mechanisms of Nicalon(TM)/CAS composites. In this investigation, the thermographic NDE technique was used to facilitate a better understanding of the fracture mechanisms of the Nicalon(TM)/CAS composites during tensile testing.