The method we introduced in 1992 for measuring hardness and elastic modulus by instrumented indentation techniques has widely been adopted and used in the characterization of small-scale mechanical behavior. Since its original development, the method has undergone numerous refinements and changes brought about by improvements to testing equipment and techniques as well as from advances in our understanding of the mechanics of elastic–plastic contact. Here, we review our current understanding of the mechanics governing elastic–plastic indentation as they pertain to load and depth-sensing indentation testing of monolithic materials and provide an update of how we now implement the method to make the most accurate mechanical property measurements. The limitations of the method are also discussed.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0884291400085800

Measurement of hardness and elastic modulus by instrumented indentation: Advances in understanding and refinements to methodology

Li-ion battery materials: present and future

The lithium metal battery is strongly considered to be one of the most promising candidates for high-energy-density energy storage devices in our modern and technology-based society. However, uncontrollable lithium dendrite growth induces poor cycling efficiency and severe safety concerns, dragging lithium metal batteries out of practical applications. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the lithium metal anode and its dendritic lithium growth. First, the working principles and technical challenges of a lithium metal anode are underscored. Specific attention is paid to the mechanistic understandings and quantitative models for solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, lithium dendrite nucleation, and growth. On the basis of previous theoretical understanding and analysis, recently proposed strategies to suppress dendrite growth of lithium metal anode and some other metal anodes are reviewed. A section dedicated to the potential of full-cell lithium metal batteries for practical applicatio...

Toward Safe Lithium Metal Anode in Rechargeable Batteries: A Review.

Graphene has attracted tremendous research interest in recent years, owing to its exceptional properties. The scaled-up and reliable production of graphene derivatives, such as graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), offers a wide range of possibilities to synthesize graphene-based functional materials for various applications. This critical review presents and discusses the current development of graphene-based composites. After introduction of the synthesis methods for graphene and its derivatives as well as their properties, we focus on the description of various methods to synthesize graphene-based composites, especially those with functional polymers and inorganic nanostructures. Particular emphasis is placed on strategies for the optimization of composite properties. Lastly, the advantages of graphene-based composites in applications such as the Li-ion batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, photovoltaic devices, photocatalysis, as well as Raman enhancement are described (279 references).

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Graphene-based composites

A review of shape memory alloy research, applications and opportunities

Using dimensional analysis and finite-element calculations we determine the functional form of indentation loading curves for a rigid conical indenter indenting into elastic-perfectly plastic solids. The new results are compared with the existing theories of indentation using conical indenters, including the slip-line theory for rigid-plastic solids, Sneddon's result for elastic solids, and Johnson's model for elastic-perfectly plastic solids. In the limit of small ratio of yield strength (Y) to Young's modulus (E), both the new results and Johnson's model approach that predicted by slip-line theory for rigid-plastic solids. In the limit of large Y/E, the new results agree with that for elastic solids. For a wide range of Y/E, some difference is found between Johnson's model and the present result. This study also demonstrates the possibilities and limitations of using indentation loading curves to extract fundamental mechanical properties of solids.

Analysis of indentation loading curves obtained using conical indenters

Effects of stress on lithium transport in amorphous silicon electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

The intercalation compounds are generally considered as ideal electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries thanks to their minimum volume expansion and fast lithium ion diffusion. However, cracking still occurs in those compounds and has been identified as one of the critical issues responsible for their capacity decay and short cycle life, although the diffusion-induced stress and volume expansion are much smaller than those in alloying-type electrodes. Here, we designed a thin-film model system that enables us to tailor the cation ordering in LiNi(0.5)Mn(1.5)O4 spinels and correlate the stress patterns, phase evolution, and cycle performances. Surprisingly, we found that distinct reaction paths cause negligible difference in the overall stress patterns but significantly different cracking behaviors and cycling performances: 95% capacity retention for disordered LiNi(0.5)Mn(1.5)O4 and 48% capacity retention for ordered LiNi(0.5)Mn(1.5)O4 after 2000 cycles. We were able to pinpoint that the extended solid-solution region with suppressed phase transformation attributed to the superior electrochemical performance of disordered spinel. This work envisions a strategy for rationally designing stable cathodes for lithium-ion batteries through engineering the atomic structure that extends the solid-solution region and suppresses phase transformation.

Unravelling the Impact of Reaction Paths on Mechanical Degradation of Intercalation Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

A nanoindentation study of the viscoplastic behavior of pure lithium

The friction of surfaces moving relative to each other must derive from the atomic interaction at interfaces. However, recent experiments bring into question the fundamental understanding of this phenomenon. The analytic theories predict that most perfect clean incommensurate interfaces would produce no static friction, whereas commensurate aligned surfaces would have very high friction. In contrast recent experiments show that the static friction coefficient between clean but 45° misoriented Ni(001) surfaces is only a factor of 4 smaller than for the aligned surfaces (θ∼0°) and clearly does not vanish (θ is defined as the rotation angle between the relative crystallographic orientations of two parallel surfaces). To understand this friction anisotropy and the difference between analytic theory and experiment, we carried out a series of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations at 300 K for sliding of Ni(001)/Ni(001) interfaces under a constant shear force. Our molecular dynamics calculations on interfaces with the top layer roughed (and rms roughness of 0.8 A) lead to the static frictional coefficients in good agreement with the corresponding experimental data. On the other hand, perfect smooth surfaces (rms roughness of 0 A) lead to a factor of 34–330 decreasing of static friction coefficients for misaligned surfaces, a result more consistent with the analytic theories. This shows that the major source of the discrepancy is that small amounts of roughness dramatically increase the friction on incommensurate surfaces, so that misaligned directions are comparable to aligned directions.

/pdf/friction-anisotropy-at-ni-100-100-interfaces-molecular-1amj93vq80.pdf

Yang-Tse Cheng

Papers

Analysis of indentation loading curves obtained using conical indenters

Effects of stress on lithium transport in amorphous silicon electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

Unravelling the Impact of Reaction Paths on Mechanical Degradation of Intercalation Cathodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries.

A nanoindentation study of the viscoplastic behavior of pure lithium

Friction anisotropy at Ni(100)/(100) interfaces: Molecular dynamics studies