Cyclic contact fatigue behavior of baria-silicate glass-ceramics as a function of crystal aspect ratio

Ceramic materials are potentially useful for dental applications because of their esthetic potential and biocompatibility. However, evidence of contact fatigue damage in ceramics raises considerable concern regarding its effect on the survival probability predicted for dental prostheses. To simulate intraoral conditions, Hertzian indentation loading with steel indenters was applied in this study to characterize the fatigue failure mechanisms of ceramic materials. Baria silicate glasses and glass-ceramics with different aspect ratios of crystals were selected because the glass and crystal phases have similar density, elastic modulus, and thermal expansion coefficients. Therefore, this system is a model ceramic for studying the effect of crystal geometry on contact cyclic fatigue failure. The subsequent flexural strength results show that the failure of materials with a low fracture toughness such as baria-silicate glass (0.7 MPa m^1/2) and glass-ceramic with an aspect ratio of 3.6/1 (1.3 MPa m^1/2) initiated from cone cracks developed during cyclic loading for 10³ to 10⁵ cycles. The mean strengths of baria-silicate glass and glass-ceramics with an aspect ratio of 3.6/1 decreased significantly as a result of the presence of a cone crack. Failures of baria-silicate glass-ceramics with an aspect ratio of 8.1/1 (K_c = 2.1 MPa m^1/2) were initiated from surface flaws caused by either grinding or cyclic loading. The gradual decrease of fracture stress was observed in specimens with an aspect ratio of 8.1/1 after loading in air for 10³ to 10⁵ cycles. A reduction of approximately 50 % in fracture stress levels was found for specimens with an aspect ratio of 8.1/1 after loading for 10⁵ cycles in deionized water. Thus, even though this glass-ceramic with an 8.1/1 crystal aspect ratio material is tougher than that with a 3.6/1 crystal aspect ratio, the fatigue damage induced by a large number of cycles is comparable. The mechanisms for cyclic fatigue crack propagation in baria-silicate glass-ceramics are similar to those observed under quasi-static loading conditions. An intergranular fracture path was observed in glass-ceramics with an aspect ratio of 3.6/1. For an aspect ratio of 8.1/1, a transgranular fracture mode was dominant.