Tekniker acquires high precision equipment to measure the hardness of coatings

Current technological advances are increasingly using thin layers and functional surfaces. Whenever thin films of this kind are developed, it becomes necessary to characterise their mechanical properties (hardness or elasticity) at a nano level.

It in this context that Tekniker has acquired the universal Zwick Roell ZHN nanomechanical testing system that allows you determine the hardness and elasticity modules of materials and coatings with a high degree of accuracy. It is a very robust piece of equipment that applies an extensive range of loads (0.05 mN- 2N) and runs static and dynamic tests. It also allows scratch tests to performed to evaluate the degree of coating adherence.

Consequently, the ZHN nanoindentator allows you to characterise very diverse coatings nanomechanically, ranging from polymeric or biological coatings to hard surface finishes (ceramic and diamond or Diamond Like Carbon -DLC-).

Such are the coatings that Tekniker is developing for a large number of sectors and applications such as hard coatings for tools, low friction coatings for automotive and aerospace components, protective coatings for glass, sensoric coatings, MEMS, catalysis, etc.

Dr Thomas Chudoba, one of the developers on the team, has provided on site assistance and training for Tekniker researchers on how to commission and operate the equipment.

Dr Chudoba is an international reference in the area of indentation and characterisation of the mechanical properties of surfaces and coatings. In 2003, Dr Chudoba founded ASMEC (Advanced Surface Mechanics GmbH), a company that develops advanced instruments and mechanical characterisation methods as well as software to optimise surfaces and coatings.

This equipment has been bought thanks to funding provided the project Centros Tecnológicos de Excelencia Cervera, within the framework of the Surfera Network of Excellence (advanced materials).