Abstract

In the last years, Nanoindentation or Instrumented Indentation Technique has become a powerful tool to study the mechanical properties at micro/nanometric scale (commonly known as hardness, elastic modulus and the stress-strain curve). In this review, the different contact mechanisms (elastic and elasto-plastic) are discussed, the recent patents for each mechanism (elastic and elasto-plastic) are summarized in detail, and the basic equations employed to know the mechanical behaviour for brittle and ductile materials are described.

Keywords: Brittle materials, contact mechanisms, ductile materials, mechanical properties, nanoindentation technique, nanoindentation, Microindentation, Hardness testing, Macroindentation, Spherical indenters, micro/nanopillars, Picoindentation, Elastic Regimen, solid oxide fuel cells, nanometer scale