Electron microscopy of shock deformation in alumina

Shock recovered samples of a coarse grain (10 μm), high density (>99.9% theoretical) alumina from asymmetric impact tests conducted at 6.5 GPa (e.g. 3.2 times its Hugoniot Elastic Limit) in a single stage gas gun and characterized by X-ray diffractometry, scanning and field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy showed prolific presence of reduced crystallite size, higher average microstrain, grain localized micro/nano-scale deformations, micro-cleavages, grain-boundary microcracks, micro-wing crack formation, extensive shear induced deformations and fractures localized at grains, grain boundaries and triple grain junctions, grain localized entanglement of dislocations and their pile up impeded at grain boundaries. A new qualitative model based on micro-shear and micro-twist induced deformation and fracture in single and/or multiple planes in suitably oriented grain and/or grain assembly was developed to explain the experimentally observed damage evolution process.