MEASUREMENT OF THE APPARENT INTERFACE TOU GHNESS BY INTERFACIAL INDENTATION TESTS

The operating performance of a substrate/coating couple relies, for a large part, on the resistance to cracking of its interface. Looking fo r an intrinsic property representative of this behaviour is the goal o f many recent studies. Here, an apparent interface toughness is deduce d from a model based on the results of interfacial indentation tests, the elastic properties as well as the relative plastic deformations un dergone by the coating and the substrate during indentation.