An overview of nanoindentation as it applies to battery manufacturing and battery materials research. Topics include battery cell manufacturing, cathode load response, nanomechanical mapping of composite electrodes, in situ particle compression, viscoelastic response of binder materials, and alternative battery materials testing environments.

This work investigates the nanomechanical and elastic properties of a lithium/polymer composite battery cathode, measured by nanoindentation mapping to correlate the life cycle, charge/discharge cycles to the nanomechanical properties of the battery electrode.

The Nano Indenter^® G200 is used with a customizable NanoSuite test method to analyze the integrity of a MEMS-fabricated IC wafer probe; specifically, to determine the magnitude of shear force that the probe can withstand with breaking off its support structure.

Guidelines on geometries and recommended applications for different nanoindentation tips, including Berkovich, Vickers, Cube-Corner, Cone, and Sphere.

The NanoFlip indentation system was used to compress glass microspheres within an SEM chamber. At an elastic strain of 0.2%, the measured Young’s modulus fits exactly within the expected range for soda-lime glass. The results are enhanced by in situ SEM images which reveal both plastic yield and fracture.

The KLA Instruments T150 UTM tensile tester is used to quantify nanomechanical properties of silks from three different species of spider. The Continuous Dynamic Analysis (CDA) option allowed direct measurement of the silk stiffness at each point in the experiment in order to determine storage and loss modulus, as well as to measure complex moduli over a range of frequencies.

The KLA T150 UTM nanotensile tester is used to characterize the failure mechanisms in flexible electronic structures under bending. A thin film of brittle ceramic Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) sputter coated on a Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) substrate is analyzed to generate nanoindentation hardness, Young's modulus, flexural stress/strain curves and dynamic stiffness/strain curves.

The KLA T150 UTM nanotensile tester is used for dynamic characterization of Young’s modulus as a continuous function of strain. The T150 UTM is used as a tensile tester for material characterization of basalt glass fibers, tungsten fibers and polypropylene fibers, with the fibers extended to the point of failure.

The Continuous Dynamic Analysis (CDA) option on the T150 UTM nanomechanical tester provides a simple means of determining dynamic mechanical properties as a function of strain by superimposing a high frequency oscillatory force onto the nominal loading force. This option sheet discusses features and benefits of the technique, as well as material characterization applications.