Hardness is a measure of the resistance of a material to a localised plastic or
permanent deformation.
Mohs scale of hardness
1. Scratch hardness
2. Indentation hardness
3. Rebound
1. Scratch hardness - ranked/rated based on the
ability to scratch one another
Metals
3. Rebound/dynamic hardness - measurements in terms of the height of
rebound of the indenter
Scleroscope hardness tester
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Brinell hardness J. A. Brinell, 1900 Brinell Hardness Test - YouTube
Hardness =
Load/Surface area of indentation
mm
P = 500 - 3000 kg, 500 kg
10 - 30 s
Geometric similitude : 2φ constant
𝑑 = 𝐷 sin 𝜑
φ and BHN remain constant if
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• Specimen thickness should be at least ten times the indentation depth,
whereas allowance should be made for at least three indentation diameters
between the center of one indentation and the specimen edge, or to the
center of a second indentation.
• A single load can not cover the entire hardness range of metals.
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Materials Testing - Rockwell
Rockwell hardness Hardness Test - YouTube
A hardness number is determined by the difference in depth of penetration resulting
from the application of an initial minor load followed by a larger major load;
utilization of a minor load enhances test accuracy.
The dial has 100 divisions. Each division represents a penetration of 0.002 mm. The
dial is reversed. Rockwell hardness numbers are purely arbitrary.
Brale
the minor load is 10 kg
the minor load is 3 kg
Sample – hardened steel – Brale Indenter– C scale – 150 kg major load
C scale - 20 HRC – 70 HRC
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50 HRC 60 HR30W
• Specimen thickness should be at least ten times the indentation depth, whereas
allowance should be made for at least three indentation diameters between the
center of one indentation and the specimen edge, or to the center of a second
indentation.
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Vickers hardness Indenter : Square-base diamond pyramid
P = 1- 120 kg
DPH/VHN : 5-1500
Microhardness : P = 1 - 1000 g
Well suited for measuring the hardness of small, selected
specimen regions. Careful surface preparation is required.
In most Brinell tests, d/D = 0.25 -0.50
Diamond-pyramid indentor, d = 0.375 D – cone angle of 136°
DPH and BHN are nearly identical.
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• thin materials like electroplated layer
Knoop hardness • brittle materials such as ceramics
Indenter :
Diamond pyramid
Long diagonal/short diagonal,
Microhardness : P = 1 - 1000 g
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Comparison of several hardness
scales : Hardness Conversion
Correlation between Hardness and Tensile Strength
For steels, conversion of Brinell hardness
to tensile strength
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Nanoindentation
• depth of penetration to nm resolution
• forces in the μN range in high accuracy and precision
• Small loads and tip sizes are used, so the indentation area may only be a few
square micrometres or even nanometres.
• Atomic force microscopy or scanning electron microscopy techniques may be utilized to
image the indentation - Instead, an indenter with a geometry known to high precision like
a Berkovich tip, which has a three-sided pyramid geometry can be used
• The diamond probe with a tip as small as 100 nm is used to indent the surface of a
sample. The load applied to the tip and the depth of penetration is subsequently
measured during the process. The indentation depth is used to calculate the area of the
tip that was in contact during the indentation. This area is used to measure the hardness
of the material.
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Indenter tip of known geometry is projected into the specific location in the sample to be
tested, increasing load is applied and when it reaches the designated maximum value, a
holding segment is introduced which allows the material to relax before unloading.
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a = 65.35°
H = Pmax/Acontact
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500 - 3000 kg, 500 kg
10 - 30 s
1 - 1000 g
Brale
the minor load is 10 kg
the minor load is 3 kg
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