Strain-rate dependence of surface/subsurface deformation mechanisms during nanoscratching tests of GGG single crystal

Abstract Constant- and varied-depth nanoscratching tests of GGG single crystal were carried out at different scratching velocities. The morphologies of the scratched grooves and chips were analysed using scanning electron microscope. The experimental results indicated that higher scratching velocity led to shallower penetration depth, shallower residual depth, and larger continuous chips. Increasing the scratching velocity could effectively improve the plasticity and reduce the brittle-to-ductile transition depth of GGG single crystal. Based on the contact stress and contact area between the analysed sample and Berkovich indenter, a model for predicting the penetration depth was developed, which took into account the strain rate effect and elastic recovery of materials. The model was verified using constant- and varied-depth nanoscratching tests, and the predicted and experimental results were in good agreement. Subsurface damage underneath the ductile surface was characterised using transmission electron microscope. The TEM results demonstrated that higher scratching velocity led to the slipping planes appearing in more directions, which prevented the generation of long slipping plane and reduced the depth of the damage layers. The plastic deformation of GGG at the scratching velocity of 100 μm/s was dominated by poly-crystalline nanocrystallites and amorphous phases, and was similar to that at the low scratching velocity. This study provided a fundamental understanding of the strain-rate dependence of surface/subsurface deformation mechanisms of GGG during ultra-precision machining.