Using a low cost indentation apparatus for the study of mechanical properties of thermoinsulating materials and its utilization in the laboratory practice of students

Abstract

In the present work we describe an experimental apparatus of very low cost, aiming at the experimental study of the mechanical properties of solid materials, using the method of indentation. The measurements allow, through a simple analysis, the quantitative determination of the materials' hardness and bulk modulus. A very important class of commonly used materials, namely thermoinsulating materials, is proposed for a case study. The method can furthermore be used to demonstrate the elastic and the plastic behavior of materials. The educational exploitation of the specific apparatus at a technical high school class in Larissa (Greece) and at a university physics students' laboratory practice on the subject of mechanical properties of materials are also described. The responses of the students on the whole process, and specifically on observations related to the pedagogical-educational aspects (active participation, challenge of interest, easiness of measurements, easiness of processing experimental data), as well as related to metrological aspects (uncertainty of measurements), were very positive and are also presented and discussed. © 2010 Materials Research Society.