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Nanoidentation Study of the Mechanical Properties of Granular Metal Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

M. R. Scanlon
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Baltimore, MD 21218
M. K. Ferber
Affiliation:
High Temperature Materials Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831-0117
R. C. Cammarata
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Baltimore, MD 21218
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Abstract

Nanoindenter techniques have been used to investigate the mechanical properties of Ag-Al2O3 and Fe-SiO2 granular metal films. A discontinuity in the rate of change of hardness as a function of metal volume fraction p was observed. The discontinuity occurs at the percolation threshold pc of the metal, and appears to result from a change in the deformation mechanism at pc. A large peak in compliance (inverse modulus) as measured during indentation unloading was observed in the Ag-Al2O3 films near pc, but was not observed for the Fe-SiO2 films. The compliance peak displayed by Ag-Al2O3 is believed to result from debonding at the metal-ceramic interface and subsequent interfacial sliding, and is not an intrinsic materials property.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1993

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References

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