Mechanical characterization of sintered nanoparticles for advanced electrical and thermal joints: σ-ε-transformation in micro bending tests

This paper covers a detailed preliminary study to micro bending tests used to obtain the mechanical properties of nanoparticles as used in advanced electrical or thermal joints. A method for direct, easy, fast and highly accurate transformation of an experimental force-displacement-curve into the corresponding σ-ε-curve is presented. That gives access to the elastic and plastic properties of the material. No additional profiling measurements are necessary. The authors focus on the theoretical background of both, the bending test itself as well as the transformation. Both is discussed in detail by utilizing the results of a finite elements model which simulates a micro bending test.