Fracture of Cr2O3 single crystals on the microscale

Abstract Studying cleavage properties of protective oxide scales is imperative to understand their fracture behaviour, since transgranular observed in many cases. The small thickness and polycrystalline structure such makes it difficult identify active planes directly from mechanical testing. To resolve this issue for Cr2O3, we present an approach experimentally through micro-cantilever bending. Single crystal wafers are used prepare micro-cantilevers pentagonal cross-section different orientations, targeting possible planes. Fracture surface imaging showed rhombohedral pyramidal fracture, though energy studies predict as the dominant plane. There does exist a preference over pyramidal, which also revealed experiments.