Fracture mechanisms and fracture toughness of ceramics

A small review of notions about fracture mechanisms and fracture toughness of ceramics is presented. Using widely the scanning electron microscopy and related techniques, the combined influence of fracture mechanisms and a number of microstructural parameters on fracture toughness are considered. The essential role of the internal interfaces, such as boundaries of grains, powders, their chemical state on the fracture toughness as well as the role of modern analytical methods in understanding of influence of the structure of materials on their properties are shown.