Mechanical performance and fracture behaviour of glass-matrix composites reinforced with molybdenum particles

A borosilicate glass-matrix composite has been fabricated by addition of molybdenum particles in various volume fractions. In order to systematically investigate the effect of metallic particulate reinforcement on the overall composite mechanical behaviour, a FEM based numerical model was prepared. The study focused on the global elastic and fracture response of the composites. By studying crack propagation patterns, toughening mechanisms such as crack deflection and load transfer were detected, thus enabling to assess the influence of second phase volume fraction on composite fracture toughness. Microscopy observations of fracture surfaces were performed to support the numerical results. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.