Measurement of mechanical properties

We are capable of measurement of mechanical properties using a method of instrumented indentation. The device is able to work in the range of force 10 mN - 10 N, but our main focus are smaller loads. For higher loads it is possible to ask for service the Department of hardness and roughness at CMI. We specialize mainly on soft surfaces, multilayer surfaces and other problematic materials.

For measurement of mechanical properties we use the device UNHT (Ultra nano hardness tester) and MHT (Micro hardness tester) manufactured by CSM Instruments.

Uncertainity of measurement of mechanical quantities at standard conditions is 15%. Besides from hardness measurement we can also perform scratch tests i.e. in lateral direction in the range of several milimeters to make scratch into the sample in order to assess the endurance, adhesion of films etc.

An interesting possibility of the use of nanoindentor is a calibration of flexural rigidity of tip holders (cantilevers) used for raster microscopes. Even such measurements we can offer as a service. The resulting measurement uncertainity is determined by geometry and stiffness of measured cantilevers. In case of interest, please contact us.


(c) CMI 2012

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Contact

Department of primary nanometrology and technical length
Czech Metrology Institute
Okružní 31, 638 00 Brno
petr.klapetek(at)cmi.gov.cz