A century ago, A.A. Griffith published his groundbreaking work on the fracture behavior of brittle materials and thus laid the foundation for a new scientific discipline that we know today as fracture mechanics.
The fracture mechanics evaluation of materials and components has always played a very important role in material development and regularly poses new challenges to experts. For example, the highly ductile steels used in the reactor vessels of nuclear power plants have required the development of a new fracture mechanics concept. Nowadays, great experimental challenges also arise in the tiny world of microelectronics, where miniaturized components and thinnest layers have to be investigated with regard to their crack behavior. And recently, the question has also arisen as to whether 2D materials as thin as one atom, such as graphene, can be described using a Griffith-derived concept.
Current state of the art and modern advancements
In a series of invited guest contributions by renowned researchers from around the world, the August issue of the MRS Bulletin addresses this and many other questions. Starting with highly localized structural, chemical and mechanical characterization techniques, the authors show how the breadth of modern materials can be investigated and improved in terms of their fracture properties. The spectrum ranges from intermetallic structural materials to metallic glasses and functional 2D materials.
You can find a detailed overview in this freely accessible article:
100 years after Griffith: From brittle bulk fracture to failure in 2D materials
D. Kiener / S.M. Han, MRS Bulletin 47 (8), 792 (2022)
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1557/s43577-022-00379-2
The other review articles included in this collection of topics span from the most advanced methods of fundamental failure analysis to the understanding of fracture mechanics in modern materials:
https://link.springer.com/journal/43577/volumes-and-issues/47-8
In addition, the MRS webinar on 24 August 2022 offers exciting presentations and information on this topic:
https://mrs.digitellinc.com/mrs/sessions/32688/view
Further information
Assoz.Prof. Dr. Daniel Kiener
Chair of material physics, Erich-Schmid Institute for Materials Sciences
E-Mail: daniel.kiener(at)unileoben.ac.at
Phone: +43 3840 804 412
