Author(s)

M.O. Adeoye, O.O. Adewoye

Department of Materials Science and Engineering,Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. Nigeria..
National Agency for Science & Engineering Infrastructure, Abuja. Nigeria..

Nanoindentation tests were performed on the basal (0001) and prismatic (10ī0) surfaces of tourmaline crystals. These results were used along with Vickers microhardness tests to investigate the hardness of the material on these surfaces at different load regimes. It was found that the (0001) surface indicated a higher hardness at ultra-low loads while (10ī0) becomes the harder plane at higher loads. Evidence of plastic deformation at room temperature in the otherwise very brittle (ceramic) material was also established, and the elastic modulus was determined.

Tourmaline; Minerals; Mechanical properties; Hardness testing;Nanoindentation

M. Adeoye and O. Adewoye, "Nanoindentation Study on Tourmaline," Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, Vol. 5 No. 1, 2006, pp. 63-72. doi: 10.4236/jmmce.2006.51004.