Triboindenter Hysitron TI 950

The TI 950 TriboIndenter from Hysitron enables the mechanical and tribological characterisation of materials at a nanoscale. As a result of the feedback control, the transducer-based system allows diamond specimens of defined geometries to be pressed into a material, to be examined with a maximum load of 10 mN, in either a load-controlled or a displacement-controlled way. The diamond tip can be positioned on the sample surface with a lateral accuracy of approx. 10 nm. Complete loading and unloading cycles (force-penetration curves) are recorded, which can then be used to draw conclusions about the mechanical properties of the sample using corresponding models. The system can be fully automated and can process several samples in succession based on a script. At the IFUM, this system is used for the mechanical as well as tribological characterisation of a wide range of materials. In addition, it is possible to combine the TI 950 TriboIndenter with the x-Sol 800 heating unit at the institute. This allows nanomechanical characterisation experiments to be carried out in a temperature range of up to 800 °C.