Abstract
A "C-sphere" flexure strength specimen geometry was conceived and developed to measure the hoop tensile strength of bearing-grade silicon nitride (Si3N4) balls. Because such a strength can be measured, the important study of surface-located strength-limiting flaws in ceramic sphere is also enabled with this specimen. A slot is machined into the balls to a set depth to produce the C-sphere geometry. A simple, monotonically increasing uniaxial compressive force
produces a hoop tensile stress at the C-sphere's outer surface that ultimately initiates fracture. The strength is determined using the combination of failure load, C-sphere geometry, and finite element analysis. Additionally, the stress field was used to determine C-sphere effective areas and effective volumes as a function of Weibull modulus. To demonstrate this new specimen,
C-sphere flexure strength distributions were determined for three commercially available bearing-grade Si3N4 materials (NBD200, SN101C, and TSN-03NH), and differences among their characteristic strengths and Weibull moduli were found.
