抄録
In this study, we observed micro-deformation and its behaviors at the contact region between spherical-tipped diamond indenter and brittle materials by means of a displacementtype (dynamic) micro-hardness tester. The purpose of this study aims finally to establish an assessment way for mechanical properties (elastic modulus, yield stress, hardness, fracture toughness, etc.) of brittle materials by the dynamic micro-hardness tester. In this paper, we investigated and discussed some characteristics of micro-deformation at the contact region with a spherical-tipped diamond indenter for glass materials. As a result, we experimentally found out such tendency that a loading curve would consist of two components; a leaner line and a Herzian curve. This tendency could not be observed in indentation tests using a Vickers indenter. Therefore we concluded that the existence of the linear component should be a particularity only for spherical-tipped indenter. These characteristics of indentation curves would be useful for the micro-deformation analysis of brittle materials in indentation tests with spherical-tipped indenters and the tests enable us to assess mechanical characteristics of the brittle materials.
