Mechanical characterization of aluminium nanofilms
The mechanical properties (Youngs modulus, hardness, wear resistance) of aluminium nanofilms on silicon substrate are studied. Size effect on these mechanical properties are exhibited. Youngs modulus, hardness and wear resistance increases when the thickness is reduced. Experimental investigations have been led by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanoindentation. Compared to the bulk values, hardness and wear resistance of one aluminium nanofilm (thickness=100nm) have increased by a factor ?7 whereas the Youngs modulus only increased by a term ?15%. By comparing mechanical properties between high and low melting point materials, we conclude that high melting point materials have a decreasing behaviour of the Youngs modulus with size whereas low melting point materials have an increasing one.
mechanics aluminium nanofilm nanoindentation hallpetch