Application of fractal geometry measurements to the evaluation of fracture toughness of brittle intermetallics

Determination of the boundary fractal dimension of planar sections through particles produced by fracturing a series of brittle intermetallic V₃Au materials with increasing oxygen content provides a single parameter that describes the surface roughness. This is observed to correlate with the measured fracture toughness, K_1c, as determined with an indentation cracking test. The correlation agrees quantitatively with results obtained on several brittle ceramics by other workers.