Fabrication and mechanical properties of Al2O3 solid solution with low addition of Cr2O3

Al2O3-Cr2O3 solid solution with low addition of 0.1 to 1.0 mol% Cr2O3 were fabricated by a conventional hot-pressing method, and their mechanical properties such as fracture toughness, strength and deformation behavior at room temperature were investigated as a function of the Cr2O3 content using the conventional and nano-indentation methods. The maximum fracture strength of Al2O3-Cr2O3 solid solutions was observed at 0.4 mol% Cr2O3 addition, and the hardness decreased with increasing Cr2O3 content up to 0.6 mol%, while the increasing hardness at above this content. Investigation of the indentation impression by means of atomic force microscope showed a completely plastic deformation under indentation load of 300 mN.