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Mechanical assessment of ultrafine-grained nickel by microcompression experiment and finite element simulation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 September 2011

Ruth Schwaiger*
Affiliation:
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Applied Materials (IAM), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
Matthias Weber
Affiliation:
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Applied Materials (IAM), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
Benedikt Moser
Affiliation:
EMPA Thun, Swiss Federal Institute for Materials Testing and Research, Laboratory for Materials Technology, 3602 Thun, Switzerland; and Suisse Technology Partners Ltd., 8212 Neuhausen, Switzerland
Peter Gumbsch
Affiliation:
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Applied Materials (IAM), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany; and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, 79108 Freiburg, Germany
Oliver Kraft
Affiliation:
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Applied Materials (IAM), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: ruth.schwaiger@kit.edu
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Abstract

Over the past two decades, nanoindentation has been the most versatile method for mechanical testing at small length scales. Because of large strain gradients, it does not allow for a straightforward identification of material parameters such as yield and tensile strength, though. This represents a major drawback and has led to the development of alternative microscale testing techniques with microcompression as one of the most popular ones today. In this research, the influence of the realistic sample configuration and unavoidable variations in the experimental conditions is studied systematically by combing in-situ microcompression experiments on ultrafine-grained nickel and finite element simulations. It will be demonstrated that neither qualitative let alone quantitative analyses are as straightforward as they may appear, which diminishes the apparent advantages of microcompression testing.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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