Dynamic fatigue property of silicon carbide whisker-reinforced silicon nitride

The dynamic fatigue behavior of 30 vol pct SiC whisker-reinforced silicon nitride was determined in flexure as a function of temperature from 1100 to 1300 C in an air environment. The fatigue susceptibility parameter n decreased from 88.1 to 20.1 with increasing temperature from 1100 to 1300 C. A transition in the dynamic fatigue curve occurred at a lowest stressing rate of 2 MPa/min at a temperature of 1300 C, resulting in a considerably lower value of n = 5.8. This transition was primarily due to creep that was enhanced by a combination of high temperature and very slow deformation rate. The fatigue resistance of natural flaws at 1100 C was found to be greater than that of artificial flaws produced by indentation.