| Abstract: | A dynamic mechanical analyzer equipped with a diamond indenter tip was used to measure the elastic modulus of polymeric coatings as well as various bulk materials. A fabricated indenter probe was used to indent bulk samples of aluminum and fused quartz, as well as gelatin and polystyrene films in order to compare the micron-level indentation measurements with sub-micron (nanoindentation) techniques. The measured moduli were in agreement for ductile materials and thick films (>20 μm), but limited displacement resolution, material cracking, and hydrostatic pressure effects led to diverging values for thinner coatings and more brittle materials. |
