Depth-sensing indentation of nanomaterials and nanostructures

Due to its capacity for applying ultralow loads and detecting nanometer-scale deflections, nanoindentation has been used to investigate the mechanical behavior of various material configurations at the micro- and nano-scales. The emphasis of the article is on the nanoscale deformation of nanoparticles, micro/nanopillars, microbeams, micro/nanofibers, nanocomposites, membranes and monolayer films, which are all ubiquitous structures in nanotechnology. The small volumes of these structures have led to the elucidation of material deformation mechanisms that are not the same as their bulk counterparts. Advances in instrumentation have enabled nanoindentation experiments to be conducted in situ in conjunction with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electrical contact resistance (ECR) measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), among others, and examples of these studies will be discussed.