Material Science Characterization and Modeling of the Mechanical Properties of DLC Films and Coatings Through Nanoindentation and Scratch Testing.
Coatings represent an important area in surface modification technologies.
However, the performance and service life of coatings are determined by the strength of adhesive bonding with the substrate and the interfacial fracture toughness. A large array of measurement techniques of these properties of coatings has been developed over the years, but all of these techniques have some limitations and are mostly qualitative. In recent years considerable interest has developed in using nanoindentation and scratch testing for quantitative measurement of the adhesion strength of coatings. The focus of the present research is to further develop the measurement techniques using nanoindentation and nano-scratch tests and also to measure the adhesion strength of various polymer and silicate coatings which are currently being used on space components. A part of the research formed the basis of a Masters Thesis by Ding Xie, a graduate student in the Mechanical Engineering Department.