Topic: Decoupling the Effects of Residual Stresses on the Mechanical Behavior of Glass-Ceramics

Lecturer: Prof. Francisco Carlos Serbena

Time: December 4th, 2025, 15:30-16:30, UTC+8

Venue: Room 502, Xiuji Building, West Campus

Biography: Prof. Francisco Carlos Serbena is an Associate Professor at the State University of Ponta Grossa (UEPG) whose research focuses on the mechanical behavior of glass and glass-ceramics, particularly on toughening mechanisms, microstructure-property relationships, and fracture of brittle materials. He holds a D.Phil. in Materials from the University of Oxford, where he studied the brittle-ductile transition in intermetallic crystals. Over the past three decades, he has led and collaborated on numerous projects addressing crystallization, strength, and residual stresses in vitreous and glass-ceramic systems. He has authored more than 90 papers and two book chapters, with an h-index of 22 and over 1,700 citations. Prof. Serbena has been an invited speaker at several international conferences and workshops on glass and glass-ceramics. He has also taught invited short courses on the mechanical properties of glass-ceramics at national and international scientific schools. His research aims to bridge fundamental understanding and applied performance of glassy materials, contributing to the development of tougher, more reliable glass-ceramics for technological and biomedical applications.

Abstract: Glass-ceramics play a central role in modern technologies, with applications in restorative dentistry, electronic packaging, renewable energy, and nuclear waste immobilization. Their superior mechanical behavior compared to the parent glass is due to several microstructural toughening mechanisms, such as crack deflection, crack bridging, and crack trapping, generated by controlled crystallization. Residual stresses are always present in glass-ceramics because of the different thermal expansion coefficients of the crystalline phases and the glassy matrix. Understanding and quantifying these stresses is critical because they can impact strength, fracture toughness, and subcritical crack growth resistance. In this talk, we will discuss how residual stresses arise in glass-ceramics, their origins, and their effects on the mechanical properties of different glass-ceramic systems. This work provides a framework for the rational design of advanced glass-ceramics with superior mechanical performance.

Rewritten by: Li Huihui

Edited by: Li Tiantian

Source: State Key Laboratory of Silicate Materials for Architectures