Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
This study deals with the long-term reliability of a high precision pressure sensor using bellows mainly made of electroplated Ni. Thermomechanical properties of this deposit are obtained by several experiments and compared to theoretical models, computations and other authors' results. Bellows are expected to stay in service for many decades, thus their high cycle fatigue behavior has to be known. Stress-life fatigue curve for crack initiation and fatigue crack growth in the electroplated Ni are measured and identified using numerical computations. Results are compared with other results obtained on similar Ni electrodeposits. Normalized stress-life fatigue curve shows no specific nanosize effects.