1. Nanoindentation

2. Introduction to nanoindentation
It is an indentation hardness test applied to small volumes.
Nanoindentation refers to depth-sensing indentation testing
in the submicrometer range.
• Force > N
• Displacement nm
• It is used to obtain:
I. Hardness
II. Elastic Modulus
III. Strain rate sensitivity
IV. Other mechanical properties.
Procedure of operation is similar to other indentation tests.

3. HYSITRON NANOINDENTER

4. Capacitive transducer , probe and high
resolution camera

5. Nanoindenter Tip
Testing probes typically
fit into one of the
following three
categories:
• Three-sided
pyramidal probes
• Cono-spherical
probes
• Specialty probes
Cono- spherical probe

6. Diamond Berkovich tip
• It is a three sided
pyramid
• It has a very flat profile,
with a total included
angle of 142.3 degrees
and a half angle of 65.35
degrees.
• The Berkovich tip has
the same projected area
to depth ratio as
a Vickers indenter.

7. nanoindent

8. Motion of Indenter
• Force is applied
and displacement
is measured.
• Force is applied by
1. piezoelectric
actuation
2. electromagnetic
actuation.
3. Other methods

9. Displacement measurement
Capacitive displacement
gage
In this case, the capacitance
measuring circuit is set up to
measure the difference between
the two capacitances C1 and
C2 due to the displacement ∆.
Differential capacitor

10. 3 PLATE CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER

11. Nanoindentation data analysis
methods
Hardness:
The hardness is given by the
equation below, relating the
maximum load to the
indentation area.
H=Pmax/Ap
Where
Pmax = maximum load
Ap = projected
indentation area
Area of indentation can be
calculated from displacement.

12. Nanoindentation data analysis
methods
Young's modulus
• When the indenter is unloaded, the material recovers by a process that is primarily
elastic.
• The slope of the curve, dP/dh, upon unloading is indicative of the stiffness S of
the contact. This value generally includes a contribution from both the material
being tested and the response of the test device itself. The stiffness of the contact
can be used to calculate the reduced Young's modulus Er:
where A = F(hc) is the area of contact of the indentation at the contact depth hc.
For a perfect Berkovich indenter,
A(hc) = 24.5hc2

13. Applications
To measure
hardness
• of thin
films
• Composite
materials
• Grain
boundaries
• Phases
Image showing a residual high-load indent impression with
low-load indentation tests placed along the pile-up.