Multilayered architectured ceramic panels with weak interfaces: energy absorption and multi-hit capabilities

Combining high strength and high toughness still remains a challenge in engineered materials. With the aim of improving the toughness of high-strength ceramics, multilayered architectured ceramic panels were developed inspired by natural materials such as nacre and conch shell. These panels were manufactured by stacking laser-engraved architectured ceramic tiles and commercial monomer Surlyn or Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) resins. The mechanics of the multilayered architectured ceramics was investigated both numerically and experimentally by subjecting them to out-of-plane quasi-static and impact loads. Digital image correlation (DIC), computed radiography technique, micro-CT scanning and 3D laser scanning microscopy were used for multiscale damage assessment during and after loading. The finite element analysis was performed using ANSYS LS-DYNA to model the quasi-static and impact responses and to investigate the effects of architectural parameters on the energy absorption and multi-hit capabilities of architectured ceramic panels. It was found that the multilayered ceramic panels with optimized architectures showed up to 20% and 48% improvements in energy absorption performance in quasi-static testing and impact loading, respectively, with only a 5–10% stiffness reduction compared to plain ceramics. The deformation analysis showed localized failure in the architectured ceramics (opposed to the plain ones) and improved impact resistance of architectured ceramics originating mostly from the energy dissipation due to the plastic deformation in adhesives (up to 35%) as well as the frictional energy dissipation (up to 55%) upon sliding of the tiles, mechanisms that are absent in plain ceramics.