Mechanical properties and interface toughness of metal filled nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide coatings on aluminum

The mechanical properties and coating/substrate interface toughness of nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide thin films, both unfilled and metal-filled, are investigated in the current study. A two-step anodization process is used to grow the porous oxide, which is subsequently filled with Ni. The mechanical properties of the coating are probed using nanoindentation and the micro-cantilever deflection technique is used to study the interface toughness. The results are discussed and suggestions for improving the interface toughness are made.