Nano-impact

Nano-Impact & Fatigue

Figure 1: Nanoimpact damage

Repetitive contact through impact allows investigation of fatigue and fracture processes. As an “in situ” wear test it is possible to detect the onset of damage and obtain mechanistic information that can be much more beneficial in intelligent coatings design than merely reporting an average wear rate or hardness.

Nano-Impact was developed and has been patented by Micro Materials (EU Patent 1095254) and is fast becoming a vital research tool in the very best worldwide research institutions. Operating at high strain rates, nano-impact provides valuable additional information to nanoindentation.

How it works

Probe acceleration impact for low cycle fatigue:

• Using solenoid activation the impact probe is accelerated rapidly over a precisely chosen distance (e.g. 10 µm above the sample) to impact the surface at very high strain rate. Single and repetitive impacts are possible.
• Popular testing approach for investigating low cycling fatigue, work hardening, yield stress and dynamic hardness.
• Applied load, impact angle, acceleration distance, indenter geometry are user-definable.

The enhanced damping of PTFE is clear.

Figure 2 shows single impacts on a range of polymeric materials. The enhanced damping of PTFE is clear.

Figure 3 shows repetitive nano-impact tests on a 7-8% Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (thermal barrier coating) that was previously aged for 24 hr at 1500ºC.

Sample Oscillation impact for high cycle fatigue:

• Piezoelectric oscillation system, signal generator, amplifier and software for control and data analysis.
• High cycle fatigue tests with oscillation frequencies up to 500 Hz and amplitudes up to 5 µm
• Enables both impact and contact fatigue tests to be performed depending on the magnitude of the static load.

The rapid nano-impact test shows the decreased resistance to multiple impacts after thermal ageing of the TBC consistent with results from erosion tests.

Each point shown represents one impact.

Support Literature

Technical Notes

Our support literature for Nanoindentation testing will provide a great introduction to the NanoTest Vantage, learn how you could be taking advantage.

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