Two-step penetration: a reliable method for the measurement of mechanical properties of hard coatings

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology Vol. 176; no. 3; pp. 267 - 271
• Main Authors: Tian, Jiawan, Han, Zenghu, Lai, Qianxi, Yu, Xiaojiang, Li, Geyang, Gu, Mingyuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Elsevier B.V 15.01.2004; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Elastic modulus; Exact sciences and technology; Hard coatings; Hardness; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Two-step penetration method; Elastic modulus; Two-step penetration method; Hard coatings; Hardness; Atomic force microscopy; Measuring methods; Mechanical properties; Experimental study; Layer thickness; Indentation; Microhardness; Titanium nitrides; Hardness testing; High speed tool steel; Hard coating
• ISSN: 0257-8972; 1879-3347
• DOI: 10.1016/S0257-8972(03)00772-2

A two-step penetration method using the microindentation technique is presented to investigate the mechanical properties of hard coatings in this article. This method employs a large-load indentation step, first to exhibit the influences of substrate deformation and coating thickness on the measured hardness values, and then selects a small load, based on the results of the first step to perform the measurement. Since with this small load, the measurement will not be affected by the substrate, the hardness and elastic modulus of the coatings can be obtained precisely. Experiments with TiN coatings deposited on high-speed steel substrate shows that by using this two-step penetration method, the mechanical properties of hard coatings can be measured accurately and reliably.