Sub‐Critical Crack Growth Behavior of a Low‐Temperature Co‐Fired Ceramic

Abstract

The strength of sintered low‐temperature co‐fired ceramic (LTCC) disks was measured under dry (<2% relative humidity [RH]) and wet (98% RH) conditions, using ring‐on‐ring, biaxial‐flexure testing in the stressing rate range of 0.002–2 MPa/s. The empirical sub‐critical crack growth parameters, n and A , were calculated. The values of the parameters in the wet environment were higher than in the dry environment. It is argued that the high RH n value is more representative of material behavior. Results of fractographic examination are reported and expected lifetime and safe design stresses for LTCC are calculated.