Characterization of processing pores and their relevance to the strength in alumina ceramics

Characterization of bulk defects was successfully accomplished in alumina with a transmission optical microscope. The characterization technique used is based on the fact that many ceramics are essentially transparent. Most defects in this particular ceramic were found to be pore. Their size distribution was found to follow a simple power function. With these characteristics of defects, the strength distribution of the ceramics was calculated with Baratta's model and compared to the measured strength of the ceramics. A good agreement was found between them when the pore was assumed to be accompanied with cracks 4 times the length of the grain size.