Nanoindentation measurements on nanostructured silver grown within a gel derived silica glass by electrodeposition

Abstract

Mechanical Properties of silver nanoparticles were investigated. Sliver nanophase with particle diameters in the range 11.1 to 36 nm was grown in silica based gel derived glasses by an electrodeposition technique. Nanoindentation measurements were carried out on the silver particles. Hardness as well as modulus values decreased with a lowering of the silver particle diameter. This inverse Hall Petch Effect was analysed on the basis of Conrad-Narayan model of grain boundary sliding which involved silver diffusion along the grain surface. The activation energy extracted was in excellent agreement with the activation energy of grain boundary diffusion in bulk silver as reported earlier.