Nanoindenter

NanoTest Vantage from Micro Materials

The nanoindenter NanoTest Vantage is a comprehensive nanomechanical testing platform which provides a variety of different techniques such as nanoindentation/nanohardness testing as well as environmental options to simulate true service conditions and contact mechanics.

Features
  • Wide accessible loading range from 10 µN up to 30 N
  • Various testing techniques besides standard nanoindentation to simulate variety of contact mechanics
  • Unrivaled temperature range from -30 °C up to 750 °C
  • Variation of environmental conditions to simulate true service conditions

Further information

The NanoTest Vantage nanoindenter system is a universal platform for different methods to characterize the mechanical properties of surfaces and thin films. The modularity of the system allows both the combination of all the measurement modules and customizing the system to specific applications.

The base frame made of high stiffness granite together with new, high-resolution electronics, provides even more precise measurements with highest load and displacement resolutions at lowest drift rates. High precision measurements can now be performed even faster than before.

Two loading heads (alternatively or in combination) allow nano- and microhardness testing. The special pendulum design provides full modularity and excellent performance, both fully ISO 14577 and ASTM 2546 compliant. The nanoindenter NanoTest has the lowest drift rate of all instruments in the market, both at room and elevated temperature. This allows the application of a wide range of loading rates during the measurements. Besides the well known nanoindentation-technique, also other tests such as nano scratch and wear tests, nano-impact and fatigue for high strain rate testing as well as nano-fretting tests are available options and expand the accessible experiment window to simulate the contact mechanics in the final application.

In addition, the variation of the environmental conditions is a key feature of this nanoindenter, which allows to perform tests under true service conditions. Micro Materials has been a leading manufacturer of high temperature nanoindenters and currently offers a temperature range from -100 °C up to 950 °C. Besides the temperature range, also tests in liquids, under controlled humidity and atmosphere as well as in vacuum are possible.

Among the many environmental options, the high temperature capability is one of the most outstanding features of the nanoindenter NanoTest. Ranging from cold temperatures down to -100 °C up to high temperatures up to 950 °C, materials actually can be tested at their true service temperatures. This is especially crucial for the performance of coatings used in unlubricated cutting applications due to the frictional heat. The horizontal system configuration in combination with the independent sample and tip heating offers a drift-free design, which results in drift-levels and data quality at elevated temperatures that are not achievable by any other competitive nanoindenter on the market. A purge chamber allows to measure in a controlled argon/nitrogen atmosphere to minimize oxidation. However when temperatures above 750 °C are needed, the NanoTest Xtreme offers vacuum-compatible solution, which allows to push the borders of high temperatures to higher levels.

Specifications

Loading range

  • 10 µN – 500 mN Nano-Loadinghead
  • 300 mN – 30 N Micro-Loadinghead

Measurement Options

  • Nanoindentation / Nanohardness testing
  • Microindentation / Microhardness testing
  • Nano- und Microscratch tests with simultaneous friction measurement
  • Nano- und Micro-Impact measurements
  • Nano-Fretting with simultaneous friction measurement

Environmental Options

  • High Temperature to 750°C
  • Cold Temperature to -30°C
  • Purge chamber for measurements in inert atmosphere
  • Liquid cell
  • Tribocorrosion cell  (incl. Potentiostat)
  • Humidity Cell

Temperature options include independent tip and sample heating to ensure isothermal contact.
Most of the measurement options are compatible with the environmental options.

Imaging Options:

  • Multiple Objective microscope (5x, 10x, 20x and 40x)
  • High temperature optics
  • AFM – single and dual mode
  • SPM – Imaging (compatible with Temperature options)

Applications

Nanoindentation / Nanohardness testing The nanoindenter NanoTest Vantage allows for fast, highly accurate nanoindentation experiments to obtain material properties such as nanohardness, modulus, creep and more. Typical applications which were reason for the invention of the systems 30 years ago is the measurement of mechanical properties of thin coatings. The new technology and the highly precise system design also allows for the analysis of multiphase-materials as well as probing the microstructure of materials.
  • Obtaining nanohardness & modulus with Nanoindentation according to ISO Standards by using the Oliver-Pharr method
  • 3D mapping of mechanical properties to display various phases/sample homogeneity
  • Load-Partial-Unload Nanoindention for depth profiling of hardness and modulus
Nano-scratch and wear Nano-scratch and wear tests provide you with the capability to perform both adhesion and friction tests over the full loading range. This option is also compatible with the elevated temperature capability. Due to the high lateral stiffness of both loading heads compared to other nanoindenters, the NanoTest allows for highly accurate scratch tests and reliable determination of coefficient of friction, even on very rough samples.
Nano-impact and fatigue The nano-impact is a patented method by Micro Materials and allows for high strain rate testing, expanding the capability window that is accessible with standard nanoindentation tests. This method allows for analysis of "dynamic nanohardness" and gives access to the energies absorbed by the material due to the impact. Repetitive impact testing showed great correlations and use for cutting tool coatings. This option is also compatible with the elevated temperature capability.
Nano-fretting The nano-fretting offers an additional tool to investigate for high cycle reciprocating sliding wear and fatigue. Using sliding amplitudes from the sub-micron to 20 µm at frequencies ranging up to 20 Hz (higher on request), both fretting as well as high-cycle sliding wear tests can be performed. Simultaneous friction measurement, various indenter-tip geometries and materials are available.
High temperature testing Among the many environmental options, the high temperature capability is one of the most outstanding features of the nanoindenter NanoTest. Ranging from cold temperatures down to -100°C up to high temperatures up  to 950 °C, materials actually can be tested at their true service temperatures. The horizontal system configuration in combination with the indenpendent sample and tip heating offers a drift-free design, which results in drift-levels and data quality at elevated temperatures that are not achievable by any other competitive nanoindenter on the market. A purge chamber allows to measure in a controlled argon/nitrogen atmosphere to minimize oxidation. However when temperatures above 750°C are needed, the NanoTest Xtreme offers a vacuum-compatible solution, which allows to push the borders of high temperatures to higher levels.

Downloads

NaoTest Vantage
Micro-scale impact testing
HS acoustic emission module
Multi-scale meachical property mapping
Integrated modelling modules
NanoTriboTest
Nanomechanical testing to 1000 °C
High temeperature module
Nano fretting module
Nano impact and fatique module
Nano scratch and wear module
High-temperature micro scratch and impact testing

Videos

The NanoTest Vantage - more than just a nanoindenter!

Reference customers

"Different cast materials are investigated in the Nanotest Vantage equipment. We are doing mechanical investigation on Aluminium, Magnesium, Steel and Cast iron. The first publication was made on self-lubricating on flake graphite under wear conditions. The range of possibilities the equipment is offering was a factor when we bought the equipment. The different modules is a chance to upgrade the system in the future. The support and knowledge at Quantum Design is good."

- Toni Bogdanoff, Laboratory Engineer, School of Engineering, Jönköping University, Sweden

"We are using the NanoTest Vantage for the nano- and micromechanical characterization of graphite and other carbon based materials. The wide loading range as well as the variety of environmental options and testing techniques was the main factor for choosing the NanoTest Vantage. Looking back we very much appreciate the reliability of the system and the very fast response from Quantum Design with solutions in case of questions."

- Christian Hubert, GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt, Germany

Contact

Dr. Stefano Pergolini
Dr. Stefano Pergolini

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Contact

Quantum Design s.r.l.

Via Francesco Sapori, 27
00143 Roma
Italy

Phone:+39 06 5004204
Fax:+39 06 5010389
E-mail:italy@qd-europe.com
Dr. Stefano PergoliniProduct Manager
+39 06 5004204
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