Hardness
The measurement of hardness is a first step in understanding the mechanical properties for metals, ceramics and thin films.
Hardness is a material property that readily gives an idea of other properties of the materials such as strength and ductility. Surface indentation with a hard material tip of a specific shape under a specified load and measuring the dimension of the indent is a routine way of testing hardness. The measurement is relatively easy with inexpensive sample preparation.
Generally, for metals, ceramics and thin films, the measurement of hardness is a first step in understanding the mechanical property. Micro and nano-indentation testing can be performed with various load ranges for calculating the hardness of the material. In our laboratory we provide support for both these methods of measurements.