This book highlights methods of characterizing material properties at nano, micro, and macro levels. Chapter 1 addresses nanaoindentation techniques comprehensively. Chapter 2 concerns polymer surface properties using nanoindentation techniques. Chapter 3 deals with the wear properties of dental composites. Chapter 4 compares global and local properties of a lead free solder. Chapter 5 discusses methods of determining plastic zones at the crack tip. Fatigue resistance of a synthetic polymer under different loading conditions is dealt with in Chapter 6. Chapter 7 is a review of methods of measuring fatigue crack growth resistance. Chapter 8 treats bulk and surface properties of coated materials. Chapter 9 presents a method for determining elastic constants using a resonance technique.

This book gives a comprehensive state-of-the-art treatment to nanoindentation techniques and applications (four chapters cover metals, polymers, and rubber?novel applications such as creep and impact tests results at micro/nano level are considered). In fact Chapter 1 is a thorough analysis of this technique, its possibilities, and future developments. There are two chapters regarding corrosion and abrasion resistance of metals and dental composites and three chapters treating fatigue?one on rubber that highlights a hitherto unknown mechanism in a chloroprene rubber. There is one chapter on a very precise technique for modulus measurements up to 1200 °C.