| Abstract Scope |
The presence of a notch in a material under mode-I loading conditions acts as a stress concentrator and increases the likelihood of crack initiation and propagation, resulting in premature fracture. However, this work demonstrates that the effect of a notch in an atomically layered ternary carbide with a hexagonal crystal structure, characterized by strong intralayer and weak interlayer atomic bonds, is not always intuitive. To this end, we conducted mechanical tests using notched microcantilever beams, with the basal planes oriented parallel, perpendicular, or at an angle close to 45 degrees relative to the notch. Our results reveal that despite the imposed loading promoting mode-I notch opening in all tests, the initiation and propagation of cracks depend on the crystallographic orientation. We will present the results of these tests and crystal plasticity finite element simulations, focusing on correlating the effects of crystallographic orientation and crack growth response of these materials. |