Development of a standard on hardness and Young's modulus testing of thin coatings by nanoindentation

Abstract This paper outlines the content of a draft standard “Determination of hardness and Young's modulus by instrumented indentation testing” and discusses two important aspects of the instrumented indentation testing method – namely the accuracy requirements and the strategy for measurement of coating-only properties when the indentation response is a composite of substrate and coating responses. This draft shall supplement the future ISO 14577 on the indentation test, addressing the peculiarities of test pieces with thin layers. Reduction in test uncertainty by more reproducible and more accurately calibrated instruments is already opening the way for the application of the nanoindentation test to the characterisation of the mechanical properties of ultra-thin coatings.