Advances in In-Situ SEM Nanomechanical Characterization and Research

This webinar will highlight recent advances in in-situ SEM nanomechanical characterization using the PI 89 SEM PicoIndenter equipped with the next-generation Performech III controller. Advanced capabilities, including high-speed Accelerated Property Mapping (XPM), precise displacement- and load-controlled testing, mixed-mode testing, and a wide temperature range, enable detailed investigations of material properties and deformation mechanisms.

The second talk will explore advanced metallic and ceramic materials, demonstrating how nanoscale defects including twin boundaries, dislocations, phase boundaries, and nanoprecipitates, influence mechanical strength and plasticity. Examples from CoAl intermetallics, ceramics, medium-entropy oxides, and aluminum alloys will provide insights into designing advanced materials for demanding applications in extreme environments.

Introducing PI 89 SEM PicoIndenter with Performech III Advanced Controller

The PI 89 combines advanced nanomechanical testing capabilities with the next-generation Performech III controller, delivering high-speed data acquisition, powerful processing, and exceptional experimental flexibility for modern materials research. Its Accelerated Property Mapping (XPM) technology enables high-resolution property mapping at speeds exceeding one indent per second, generating large, statistically meaningful datasets across broad sample areas without stitching. Integrated displacement-controlled mapping and Tribo iQ clustering and analysis further enhance data interpretation. The PI 89’s direct-drive piezo flexure actuator, with stiffness exceeding 1 MN/m, enables intrinsically displacement-controlled testing with minimal mechanical compliance and no backlash, providing reliable measurements during sudden deformation events such as fracture, phase transformations, and pillar collapse. With displacement ranges up to 150 μm, high-strain-rate capability, and compatibility with compression, tension, bending, and fatigue experiments, the system supports diverse nanomechanical testing. Environmental stages extend quantitative nanomechanical testing from cryogenic temperatures below -130°C using liquid nitrogen to elevated temperatures up to 1000°C. Additional options, including electrical characterization, NanoTribology, integrated SPM imaging, patented rotation and tilt stage, and patented push-to-pull or direct-pull tensile testing, further expand the PI 89’s versatility for advanced materials characterization.

In-Situ SEM Studies on Micromechanical Behavior of High-Strength, Deformable Alloys and Ceramics

Advanced metallic and ceramic materials have been applied for various applications under extreme environments. It is often necessary to have a combination of high strength, plasticity and thermal stability at elevated temperatures. The design of advanced metallic and ceramic materials with these unique mechanical properties has become a major challenge. Here we will present several examples where nanoscale defects, such as twin boundaries, dislocations and phase boundaries, play pivotal roles in tailoring the mechanical properties of metallic and ceramic materials. In-situ micromechanical testing in SEM shows that CoAl intermetallics and ceramics with nanoscale defects and medium entropy oxides with nanoprecipitates exhibit ultra-high yield strength and prominent plastic deformability at room temperature. Also nanotwins in Al alloys enable high mechanical strength and plastic anisotropy. The implications of these findings on the design of advanced materials will be discussed. 

Date: November 18, 2026
Time: 8AM PST | 11AM EST | 5PM CET
Location: Online
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