Origin of Water‐Induced Toughening in MgO Crystals

Abstract
The toughening effect of water on MgO, as measured by the increase in apparent surface energy of a double cantilever beam specimen, is shown to derive directly from the increased roughness of the fracture surfaces when a crack propagates in water. Dimethyl formamide, a medium reported to produce a larger Rebinder effect (surface softening) in MgO than water, has no effect on the fracture surface or fracture toughness of MgO.

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