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Failure Mechanisms

· With local plastic deformation the critical crack length is increased and given by: c = (4E{S + P}/2π{1 - ν2}σF2 ~ (2EP/π{1 - ν2}σF2).
· For this case, taking: 100 < P < 300 J/m2, 0.2 < S < 100 J/m2, gives:
c ~ 9 x 10-6 m = 9,000 nm.
· The critical crack length increases linearly as the plastic deformation work in the region of the crack surface increases.
· Reactive atmospheres such as OH or hydrogen can decrease the surface energy of the crack and reduce the critical crack length for brittle fracture.
· When brittle impurities such as oxides exist on the grain boundaries of a ductile polycrystalline material (such as steel), the brittle fracture may be inter-granular.