Abstract
A numerical study was undertaken to study the elastic property of metal-ceramic multilayered composites derived from indentation testing. The model system features alternating thin films of aluminum (Al) and silicon carbide (SiC), free from any effect due to the underlying substrate. The anisotropic composite elastic response was obtained by simulating overall loading of the multilayer structure. Finite element modeling of instrumented indentation was then employed to calculate the indentation-derived modulus using the unloading portion of the load–displacement curve. The results from indenting the homogenized composite (with the built-in multilayer property) and from indenting the real multilayers (with Al and SiC layers explicitly accounted for) were compared. It was found that an indentation depth beyond approximately 8–10 initial layer thicknesses is sufficient to yield a valid composite elastic response. The effective modulus thus obtained is representative of the out-of-plane modulus of the multilayer composite.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alpas, A.T., Embury, J.D., Hardwick, D.A., Springer, R.W.: The mechanical properties of laminated microscale composites of Al/Al2O3. J. Mater. Sci. 25, 1603–1609 (1990)
Bucaille, J.L., Stauss, S., Schwaller, P., Michler, J.: A new technique to determine the elastoplastic properties of thin metallic films using sharp indenters. Thin Solid Films 447, 239–245 (2004)
Chawla, N., Chawla, K.K.: Metal Matrix Composites, 146 pp. Springer, New York (2006)
Cheng, Y.-T., Cheng, C.-M.: Can stress-strain relationship be obtained from indentation curves using conical and pyramidal indenters? J. Mater. Res.14, 3493–3496 (1999)
Chou, T.C., Nieh, T.G., Tsui, T.Y., Pharr, G.M., Oliver, W.C.: Mechanical properties and microstructures of metal ceramic microlaminates. 1. Nb/MoSi2 systems. J. Mater. Res. 7, 2765–2773 (1992)
Chou, T.C., Nieh, T.G., McAdams, S.D., Pharr, G.M., Oliver, W.C.: Mechanical properties and microstructures of metal ceramic microlaminates. 2. A Mo/Al2O3 system. J. Mater. Res. 7, 2774–2784 (1992)
Daia, M.B., Aubert, P., Labdi, S., Sant, C., Sadi, F.A., Houdy, P., Bozet, J.L.: Nanoindentation investigation of Ti/TiN multilayers films. J. Appl. Phys. 87, 7753–7757 (2000)
de los Arcos, T., Oelhafen, P., Aebi, U., Hefti, A., Duggelin, M., Mathys, D., Guggenheim, R.: Preparation and characterization of TiN-Ag nanocomposite films. Vacuum 67, 463–470 (2002)
Deng, X., Chawla, N., Chawla, K.K., Koopman, M., Chu, J.P.: Mechanical behavior of multilayered nanoscale meta-ceramic composites. Adv. Eng. Mater. 7, 1099–1108 (2005)
Fischer-Cripps, A.C.: Nanoindentation. pp. 20–21. Springer, New York (2002)
Gao, H., Chiu, C.-H., Lee, J.: Elastic contact versus indentation modeling of multi-layered materials. Int. J. Solids Struct. 29, 2471–2492 (1992)
Gouldstone, A., Chollacoop, N., Dao, M., Li, J., Minor, A.M., Shen, Y.-L.: Indentation across size scales and disciplines: recent developments in experimentation and modeling. Acta Mater. 55, 4015–4039 (2007)
Jones, R.M.: Mechanics of Composite Materials, pp. 37. Scripta Book Company, Washington, DC (1975)
Lee, J.H., Kim, W.M., Lee, T.S., Chung, M.K., Cheong, B.K., Kim, S.G.: Mechanical and adhesion properties of Al/AlN multilayered thin films. Surf. Coatings Technol. 133, 220–226 (2000)
Lide, D.R.: Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 76th edn. CRC Press (1995)
Liu, C.H., Li, W.-Z., Li, H.-D.: TiC/metal nacrous structures and their fracture toughness increase. J. Mater. Res. 11, 2231–2235 (1996)
Lousa, A., Romero, J., Martinez, E., Esteve, J., Montala, F., Carreras, L.: Multilayered chromium/chromium nitride coatings for use in pressure die-casting. Surf. Coatings Technol. 146, 268–273 (2001)
Mearini, G.T., Hoffman, R.W.: Tensile properties of aluminum alumina multilayered thin films. J. Electron. Mater. 22, 623–629 (1993)
Northwood, D.O., Alpas, A.T.: Mechanical and tribological properties of nanocrystalline and nanolaminated surface coatings. Nanostruct. Mater. 10, 777–793 (1998)
Oliver, W.C., Pharr, G.M.: An improved technique for determining hardness and elastic-modulus using load and displacement sensing indentation experiments. J. Mater. Res. 7, 1564–1583 (1992)
Phillips, M.A., Clemens, B.M., Nix, W.D.: Microstructure and nanoindentation hardness of Al/Al3Sc multilayers. Acta Mater. 51, 3171–3184 (2003)
Romero, J., Lousa, A., Martinez, E., Esteve J.: Nanometric chromium/chromium carbide multilayers for tribological applications. Surf. Coatings Technol. 163, 392–397 (2003)
Shen, Y.-L., Finot, M., Needleman, A., Suresh, S.: Effective elastic response of two-phase composites. Acta Metall. Mater. 42, 77–97 (1994)
Tan, X.H., Shen, Y.-L.: Modeling analysis of the indentation-derived yield properties of metallic multilayered composites. Compos. Sci. Technol. 65, 1639–1646 (2005)
Voevodin, A.A., Zabinski, J.S.: Superhard, functionally gradient, nanolayerd and nanocomposite diamond-like carbon coatings for wear protection. Diamond Relat. Mater. 7, 463–467 (1998)
Wilkins, T., Shen, Y.-L.: Stress enhancement at inclusion particles in aluminum matrix composites: Computational modeling and implications to fatigue damage. Comput. Mater. Sci. 22, 291–299 (2001)
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support for this research from the National Science Foundation under Grant DMR-0504781 (Dr. H. Chopra, Program Manager).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tang, G., Shen, Y.L., Singh, D.R.P. et al. Analysis of indentation-derived effective elastic modulus of metal-ceramic multilayers. Int J Mech Mater Des 4, 391–398 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10999-008-9063-5
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10999-008-9063-5