Cracking of Brittle Coatings Adhesively Bonded to Substrates of Unlike Modulus

Published

August 1, 2000

Author(s)

K -. Lee, Y W. Rhee, Douglas H. Blackburn, Brian R. Lawn, H Chai

Abstract

The role of elastic mismatch in determining critical conditions for indentation fracture in brittle coatings on substrates of unlike modulus is investigated. A model transparent trilayer system, consisting of a glass coating layer bonded to a thick substrate of different glass or polymer underlayer by a thin layer of epoxy adhesive, facilitates in situ observations of crack initiation and propagation. A tungsten carbide sphere is used to load the layer system. Abrasion flaws are introduced into the top and bottom glass coating surfaces to control the flaw populations and to predetermine the origins of fracture cone cracks occur at abraded top surfaces, radial cracks at abraded bottom surfaces. Analytical relations for the critical loads are presented for each crack system in terms of elastic modulus mismatch, indenter and coating dimensions, and material fracture parameters. Implications concerning materials selection for resistance to crack initiation are considered.

Citation

Journal of Materials Research

Volume

15

Issue

No. 8

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

adhesives, brittle layers, conecracks, indentation, laminate structures, modulus mismatch radial cracks

Citation

Lee, K. , Rhee, Y. , Blackburn, D. , Lawn, B. and Chai, H. (2000), Cracking of Brittle Coatings Adhesively Bonded to Substrates of Unlike Modulus, Journal of Materials Research (Accessed December 23, 2025)