Scratch testing apparatus and methods of using same

1. An apparatus for performing a frictional sliding test on a sample, the apparatus comprising:

an indentor wherein a tip thereof is configured to engage a sample surface at a contact location forming a slope between the indentor and the sample surface;

a surface-referencing device configured to control the slope of the indentor relative to the sample surface at the contact location as the indentor travels during the frictional sliding test in order to provide tilt correction;

a drive mechanism configured to cause the indentor to move along the sample surface to form a scratch;

a measurement device configured to measure a pile-up height of sample material removed from the scratch, a depth of the scratch, and/or a width of the scratch; and

a support structure configured to support the indentor, the surface-referencing device, and the measurement device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement device is configured to measure the pile-up height of the sample material removed from the scratch, the depth of the scratch and/or the width of the scratch simultaneously with the formation of the scratch.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism is attached to the support structure, such that the drive mechanism is configured to move the support structure along the sample surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support structure is further configured to contact the sample surface and to move over the sample surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a normal load application mechanism configured to apply a normal load to the indentor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a force probe configured to measure a force or load, including a normal force, between the indentor and the sample surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises an attachment mechanism configured to fixedly attach the drive mechanism to the sample surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism comprises an attachment mechanism that comprises at least one electromagnet.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising technology for monitoring the elevation of the sample surface along a trajectory of the indentor, the monitoring technology including contactless sensors based on optics, capacitance, or inductance, and displacement probes, including leaf springs and linear voltage displacement transducers (LVDTs).

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is portable.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a force module and a profile monitoring apparatus, wherein the force module, the surface-referencing device, and the profile monitoring apparatus are integrated in one body.

12. A method for performing a frictional sliding test on a sample surface, the method comprising:

providing the apparatus of claim 1 ;

engaging the indenter with the sample surface;

establishing a position of the indenter relative to the sample surface as the indenter travels;

moving the indentor along the sample surface to form a scratch; and

measuring a pile-up height of sample material removed from the scratch, a depth of the scratch, and/or a scratch width,

wherein the forming and measuring are carried out simultaneously or sequentially.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising measuring a normal load on the indentor.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising measuring a position of the indentor relative to the sample surface.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising maintaining a constant normal load on the indentor.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising maintaining a constant displacement of the indentor relative to the sample surface in a normal direction.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising calculating scratch hardness, indentation hardness, yield strength, ultimate testing strength, strain hardening behavior and/or elongation at break of the material forming the sample surface based on the measured pile-up height, depth of the scratch, and/or scratch width.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising applying a normal load to the indentor.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises an electromagnet.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the support structure includes at least one float that is configured to contact the sample surface and to allow the support structure to move over the sample surface.

21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising preparing the sample surface before forming the scratch.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein preparing the sample surface comprises removing at least a portion of the sample surface.

23. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sample surface includes a curvature introduced by preparing the sample surface, the method further comprising correcting for the curvature of the sample surface during the moving of the indentor to form the scratch and during the measuring.

24. The method of claim 12 , further comprising modifying a condition of the sample surface by using a guided tool set to engage the sample material and generate a pre-determined curvature.

25. The method of claim 12 , further comprising analyzing the scratch to determine physical properties of a material sample being tested.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 , further configured to operate in a monitor mode, in which the surface-referencing device is configured to establish an elevation of the sample surface along a trajectory of the indentor.

27. The apparatus of claim 1 , further configured to operate in a control mode, in which elevations of surface-referencing members of the surface-referencing device are maintained at the same value.