Determining mechanical properties of ZrO₂ composite ceramics by Weibull statistical analysis

The Vickers test can be used for all types of materials, and it has one of the widest scales among hardness tests. The hardness may be considered as a probability variable when evaluating the mechanical properties of materials. In this study, we investigate the statistical properties of the bending strength and Vickers hardness in ZrO₂ monolithic and ZrO₂/SiC composites depending on the amount of TiO₂ additives. The bending strength and Vickers hardness were found to agree well with the Weibull probability distribution. We evaluate the scale parameter and shape parameter in as-received ZrO₂ and ZrO₂/SiC/TiO₂ ceramics, as well as their heat treated ceramics. We also evaluate the parameters in accordance with the increase in in the indentation load.