Laboratory for the Study of Nanostructures
The laboratory carries out the characterisation of new materials and thin coatings using a numerical–experimental approach based on numerical simulation of the nanoindentation process and identification of the material model parameters from nanoindentation data. A modern non-destructive approach is used, based on nanoindentation measurements and numerical methods for solving the non-linear boundary value problem that describes the nanoindentation process.
Description of Activities
Equipment
G200 NANOINDENTER, UPGRADED WITH A DYNAMIC NANOINDENTATION MODULE (THE SO-CALLED DYNAMIC CONTACT MODULE-II INDENTER HEAD), OPERATING AT ULTRA-LOW LOADS.
Model: G200
Serial number: US09360104
The Dynamic Contact Module-II (DCM II) is designed for studying the mechanical properties (indentation modulus and indentation hardness) of ultra-thin coatings (less than 2 µm thick) and soft materials (such as biological materials, polymers, etc.).
The main technical parameters of the DCM II module are as follows:
- Berkovich diamond tip
- Maximum load of 30 mN and load resolution ≤ 3nN
- Resonant frequency 120Hz
- Maximum penetration depth ≥ 15 µm
- Total indenter travel 70 µm
- Displacement resolution ≤0.0002 nm (0.2 picometres)
ANSYS – finite element analysis software package; modern engineering software for simulating the behaviour of products during their manufacture and operation.
ANSYS is used to solve linear and non-linear equations in solid mechanics, fluid mechanics, acoustics and thermodynamics, problems related to the electromagnetic and piezoelectric properties of substances, as well as problems of a complex nature (“multiphysics”). The ANSYS engineering simulation software is designed to enable users to analyse the behaviour of the objects under study when they are subjected to various physical factors simultaneously.
COMSOL – Universal simulation software based on advanced numerical methods.
Designed for the numerical modelling of real objects, devices and coupled multiphysics processes
ABAQUS is a leading software product for solving complex non-linear structural analyses by FEA (finite element analysis). Users of all sizes across every industry use the powerful features of Abaqus to produce better products faster.
Abaqus is used in the automotive, aerospace, construction, mechanical engineering and defence industries. The product is popular with non-academic and research institutions in engineering owing to its wide material modelling capabilities and the possibility of customising the program; for example, users can define their own material models so that new materials can be simulated in Abaqus. Abaqus also provides a good collection of multiphysics capabilities, such as coupled acoustic–structural, piezoelectric and structural–pore capabilities, which makes it attractive for production-level simulations where multiple fields need to be coupled.
Contact
Institute of Mechanics – BAS
Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Block 4, 1113 Sofia.
Prof. Roumen Iankov, e-mail: iankovr@yahoo.com, tel.: 0895-00-63-40
Assoc. Prof. Sabina Cherneva, e-mail: sabina_cherneva@yahoo.com
Access to the Laboratory for the Study of Nanostructures
The Laboratory for the Study of Nanostructures is part of the research infrastructure of the National Centre of Excellence “Mechatronics and Clean Technologies” and is located on the Geo Milev campus. Requests for access and for joint research are therefore handled centrally — see Contact. In addition, a full overview of the Centre’s other laboratories is available on the Infrastructure and Laboratories page.
The equipment for the study of nanostructures was established under project BG16RFPR002-1.014-0006, funded by the Research, Innovation and Digitalisation for Smart Transformation Programme 2021–2027 and co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.