Estimate of theoretical shear strength of C60 single crystal by nanoindentation

The onset of plasticity in a single crystal C60 fullerite was investigated by nanoindentation on the (111) crystallographic plane. The transition from elastic to plastic deformation in a contact was observed as pop-in events on loading curves. The respective resolved shear stresses were computed for the octahedral slip systems $$\langle{01}\overline{1}\rangle\left\{ {{111}} \right\}$$ ⟨ 01 1 ¯ ⟩ 111 , supposing that their activation resulted in the onset of plasticity. A finite element analysis was applied, which reproduced the elastic loading until the first pop-in, using a realistic geometry of the Berkovich indenter blunt tip. The obtained estimate of the C60 theoretical shear strength was about $${1}/{11}$$ 1 / 11 of the shear modulus on {111} planes. Graphical abstract

Effect of Strain Rate on the Deformation Characteristic of AlN Ceramics under Scratching

To clarify the influence mechanism of strain rate effect on deformation characteristics of aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics, some varied-velocity nanoscratching tests were carried out using a Berkovich indenter in this paper. The deformation characteristics of the scratched grooves were observed using the scanning electron microscope. The experimental results showed higher scratch speed would lead to shallower penetration depth, fewer cracks, and indenter fewer slipping, which was more conducive to the plastic deformation of AlN ceramics. Considering the strain rate effect and the elastic recovery of material, a model for predicting the Berkovich indenter penetration depth under edge-forward mode was established. The prediction results were consistent with the experimental data, and the error was less than 5%, indicating that the model is effective. Based on the Boussinesq field, the Cerruti field, and the Sliding bubble field, a strain rate dependent scratch stress field model was established. The stress field revealed higher scratch speed may significantly reduce the maximum principal stress in the stress field under the indenter, which is the fundamental reason for reducing the crack damage and promoting the plastic deformation. The above study can provide theoretical guidance for reducing the processing damage of AlN ceramics.

INFLUENCING THE INDENTATION CURVES BY THE BLUNTNESS OF THE BERKOVICH INDENTER AT THE FEM MODELLING

The influence of the Berkovich indenter bluntness on the indentation curves at nanoindentation test of fused silica is determined by the FEM (finite element method) in this paper. The Berkovich indenter, which is mostly used for the nanoindentation test, was assumed for calculations. The indenter is always blunted in real tests. The bluntness of the indenter has an influence on the results of the nanoindentation test. The combination of the nanoindentation test and the FE modelling can be used for the calculation of the parameters of fused silica plasticity and estimation of the bluntness of the indenter. In this paper, the FEM was used for calculating of the indentation curves. Two cases of bluntness were assumed. The curves for ideally sharp or blunted indenter were determined. The results of these calculations showed that the indentation curves are dependent on the bluntness of the Berkovich indenter. The greatest relative influence of the nanoindentation curves by the bluntness is in the area of small values of the indenter displacement. The impact of assuming blunted indenter to calculated parameters of plasticity was assessed. It is often difficult to measure the bluntness of the indenter but it has an influence on the results of the nanoindentation test and should be included into calculations to make it more precise.

Glass Fracture during Micro-Scratching

The regularity of glass surface fracture and resistance to destruction were investigated by the methods of progressive and static microscratching with the Berkovich indenter. The research hardware was the original nanoindentation/microscratching devices and a non-contact interference profilometer for studying the morphology of the formed microscratches. The regularities of the fracture stages and the cracks growth along the microscratch were established depending on the indenter applied load. Based on analysis of the microcracks profile formed at various loads on the indenter immediately after the process of applying these scratches and after several hours of rest, it was found that the process of crack propagation along the scratch continues for a long time. Taking into account this established fact, a discrete-statistical method of the cracks formation for a long time is proposed. In accordance with this method, scratching is carried out with a constant load on short and separated tracks. The load on the indenter in each track increases discretely with a certain step. The influence of the medium on the scratching process is analyzed. The breaking mechanism in the glasses scratching process is formulated as the load on the indenter increases, and a model of the glass fracture stages is proposed.

Чувствительность дислокационных розеток к форме индентора Берковича на кристаллах LiF и MgO

A peculiar effect, namely, the sensitivity of the shape of dislocation rosettes to the indenter type under indentation of the (001) face of LiF and MgO single crystals has been revealed. It was shown that the dislocation rosettes forming around the Vickers indenter are symmetrical, while the rosettes around the Berkovich one are asymmetric, the edge beams of the dislocation rosettes vary in length, and the screw ones do not show such asymmetry. An orientation effect was found during the penetration of the Berkovich indenter: the shape of the dislocation rosettes and the length of the edge beams change with a change in the orientation of the indenter relative to the crystallographic directions of the sample. It was also shown that the asymmetry of dislocation rosettes is more visible on harder crystals and increases with load growth on the indenter. The factors responsible for the anomaly in the development of dislocation rosettes under indentation in nano and micro scale by the Berkovich indenter of the (001) plane of cubic crystals are established

Modeling and Experiment of the Critical Depth of Cut at the Ductile–Brittle Transition for a 4H-SiC Single Crystal

In this paper, a theoretical model of the critical depth of cut of nanoscratching on a 4H-SiC single crystal with a Berkovich indenter is proposed, and a series of scratch tests in a nanomechanical test system was performed. Through nanoindentation experimentation on fused quartz, the Berkovich indenter nose radius was indirectly confirmed using least squares. The range of critical depths of cut at the ductile–brittle transition was obtained by SEM observation, and the size of cracks was amplified with increasing scratching depth. The theoretical result of the critical depth of cut at the ductile–brittle transition for a 4H-SiC single crystal is 91.7 nm, which is close to the first obvious pop-in point of the relation curve between tangential force and lateral displacement. Repeated experimental results show good consistency and good agreement with other references.