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What is the critical load in scratch test?
2023/08/24
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The critical load in the scratch test is the load at which visible scratches begin to appear on the surface of the material. In a scratch test, the surface of the material may initially be undamaged as the load is gradually increased, but as the load increases, when a critical load is reached, obvious scratches or breakages appear.
Critical load is often used to evaluate a material's scratch resistance and surface hardness. A material's scratch resistance depends on its structure, strength, distortion, toughness, and other properties. Different materials or different kinds of tests show that there may be significant differences in the critical load.
The measurement of critical load usually involves the use of a scratch test instrument and is determined based on the size, depth or width of the scratch. These test results can be used to compare scratch resistance between different materials, evaluate the abrasion resistance of coatings or gauge how a material will perform in a specific application.
It is important to note that critical load is only one parameter in scratch testing, and a complete material evaluation may need to consider other factors such as scratch morphology, formation mechanism, and material behavior after scratching.
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