A comprehensive understanding of the relation between structure and properties in nano-materials calls for an extensive knowledge of the adhesion between nanoparticles. Electron diffraction contrast from the stress field caused by adhesion between contacting particles yields a detailed information on surface energy, grain boundary energy, dislocation and interphase formation mechanisms. However, the image interpretation is hindered by the scarcity of defined image condition data to fit the theoretical simulations due to the non-trivial TEM experimental situation on such a nanometric scale.In our contribution, we challenge the above characterization complications by initiating CBED, HREM, and EELS on contacting nanoparticles with a CM200 FEG TEM. The main objective of our investigation is a quantitative simulation of the contacting stress field images from contacting nanoparticles and a quantitative characterization of the adhesion properties. In our approach, we started with cobalt particles which were coherently precipitated in a Cu-Co0.2wt% alloy, and then extracted using the carbon evaporation replica technique.
Quantitative Characterization of Mechanical Stress Field and Fracture Strength in Isotropic Brittle Materials During Crack Tip Propagation