At the 2014 MRS Fall Meeting and Exhibit, Bruker today introduced the NanoForce Nanoindenting and Nanomechanical Testing System to enable new discoveries in nanoscience.
Nanomaterials are now found not only in research but increasingly in the product design cycle, and are playing a prominent role in industry. Determining their suitability for use in specific applications requires robust analysis of their unique capabilities.
The new NanoForce system supports complete investigations of nanomechanical properties, enabling both academic research and product development to go beyond nanoindentation into full-scale studies of nanoscale material behavior on a wide range of specimen geometries, including thin films, nanostructures, MEMS and various device components.
“Nanoindentation is an experimental technique that has contributed substantially to the understanding of material behavior at the nanoscale, and many recent developments in material science would not have been possible without it,” said Bharat Bhushan, Ohio Eminent Scholar and Howard D. Winbigler Professor of Materials Science, at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. “Bruker has made a significant investment in developing the NanoForce system and, when a company with the reputation and technical capabilities of Bruker makes such an investment, it represents a major step forward in the science of nanoindenting.”
“NanoForce represents a significant breakthrough in nanomechanical testing because it simplifies the process of making accurate measurements at the nanoscale, while supporting even the most complex applications,” added James Earle, General Manager of Bruker’s Tribology and Mechanical Testing Business. “The design of this platform marks Bruker’s entry into nanoindenting and complete nanomechanical characterization, giving our customers the means to uncover the true potential of nanomaterials.”
About the NanoForce Nanomechanical Testing System
Leveraging the accuracy afforded by electromagnetic actuation technology, the NanoForce system is based on decades of research in nanomechanics, resulting in a system that extends beyond nanoindentation into true nanomechanical testing. NanoForce features NanoScript measurement and control software, which enables real-time experimental control based on recorded or calculated data.
Based on Bruker’s ubiquitous Dimension Icon® AFM product family, the innovative gantry design and enclosure cabinet provide excellent positional accuracy as well as acoustic and vibration isolation to establish an optimal testing environment for challenging applications in nanomaterials science. A vacuum sample tray offers convenience for the mounting of samples, and built-in safety features protect the head assembly during translation of the X-Y stages.
About Bruker Corporation
Bruker Corporation is a leading provider of high-performance scientific instruments and solutions for molecular, cellular and materials research, as well as for industrial, diagnostics, clinical research and applied analysis. For more information about Bruker Corporation, please visit www.bruker.com.