Abstract
The nanoindentation technique has been applied to thermal-sprayed metal, cermet and ceramic deposits. The hardness and elastic modulus were determined from the load-displacement curves. Each test was implemented by varying the penetration depth (100, 200, 300 and 400 nm) in the same test location and at least 20 tests were performed. The results were compared to those from microindentation tests. The nanoindentation test, essentially, measured the submicrometer scale properties of thermal spray deposits, which can be considered as "near-intrinsic" properties of the coatings. Thus, these measurements exclude most of the microstructural factors that influence the "macroscale" properties. The nanoindentation test exhibits significantly greater hardness and elastic modulus values than the microindentation test.
