Scope |
This symposium will highlight recent advances in nanoindentation and related small-scale mechanical testing methods that have enhanced our fundamental understanding of the deformation mechanisms that underpin the mechanical behavior of macro-, micro-, and nanoscale materials. Presentations will include studies of new testing systems and methods and their application in the study of fundamental processes that control mechanical behavior at the nano- and micro- scales. Efforts to characterize, understand, and predict the mechanical behavior across length scales will be emphasized.
This award symposium was established to honor Professor William D. Nix and the tremendous legacy that he has developed and shared with the minerals, metals, and materials community and to highlight and promote continued progress and innovation relevant to research into the underlying mechanisms and mechanical behavior of macro-, micro-, and nanoscale materials. Professor Nix's seminal paper with M.F. Doerner in 1986 set the stage for the development of nanoindentation as a primary enabling tool in this important area of research.
Professor Nix’s research and seminal contributions to structural materials, thin films, and nanoscale plasticity have had significant impact on critical U.S. industries, spawned new fields of study, and motivated generations of researchers working in fields that span from aerospace to microelectronics. Breakthroughs in technologies for these critical industries depend heavily on the availability of advanced materials that can be engineered and optimized at the nanoscale. Professor Nix’s groundbreaking contributions have allowed us to characterize, understand, and predict the mechanical behavior and reliability of such materials and have been critical enablers of these key technologies. |