Journal. Matrix‐Grain‐Bridging Contributions to the Toughness of Whisker‐Reinforced Ceramics

The fracture toughness of whisker‐reinforced, noncubic ceramic matrices increases with increases in matrix grain size, d, as well as with increases in whisker content. An analytical description for the grain‐bridging toughening contribution is combined with the whisker‐bridging contribution to describe the toughness of such composites. Results for SiC‐whisker‐reinforced alumina composites confirm both the predicted grain‐size effect and the coupled toughening response in the presence of these two toughening mechanisms.