| AVS 54th International Symposium | |
| Tribology | Thursday Sessions |
| Session TR3+NS-ThA |
| Session: | Nanotribology and Nanomechanics |
| Presenter: | O.L. Warren, Hysitron, Inc. |
| Authors: | O.L. Warren, Hysitron, Inc. Z. Shan, Hysitron, Inc. S.A.S. Asif, Hysitron, Inc. E.A. Stach, Purdue University A.M. Minor, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Correspondent: | Click to Email |
The increasingly strong interest in measuring and understanding the sometimes extraordinary mechanical properties of nanomaterials and individual nanostructures has encouraged us to develop the first depth-sensing indenter compatible with quantitative nanomechanical testing in the transmission electron microscope (TEM). This ambitious undertaking has encountered a number of significant technological hurdles to overcome; nevertheless, we have achieved a versatile in-situ TEM instrument that compares favorably to leading conventional nanoindenters in terms of control modes and performance specifications. Scientifically, we have exploited the unique capabilities of this novel instrument to perform direct-observation nanoindentation into thin films and monolithic materials using sharp indenters, direct-observation nanocompression onto hollow and solid nanospheres as well as onto crystalline and amorphous nanopillars using miniature flat punches fashioned with a focused ion beam (FIB), and direct-observation bending of nanowires using the aforementioned flat punches. This presentation will share the powerful nature of time correlating the often discrete features of force-displacement curves to the accompanying morphological and microstructural changes that are directly observed in the corresponding TEM movies. Our research results range from some validating current mechanistic thinking to others that are counterintuitive and therefore a challenge to conventional wisdom.