In situ SEM fatigue testing technology for metallic materials: a review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Fracture Mechanics

Background:

• Fatigue failure is a prevalent fracture mode in industrial structural materials, necessitating research into mechanisms and life prediction.
• Advancements in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have driven the development of in situ fatigue testing.
• In situ SEM fatigue testing provides critical insights into material deformation under cyclic loading.

Purpose of the Study:

• To comprehensively review the development and application of in situ SEM fatigue testing technology.
• To analyze the progress of this technology in various metal structural materials.
• To present perspectives on evaluating fatigue damage, especially small cracks and plastic accumulation.

Main Methods:

• Overview of the development of in situ SEM fatigue testing devices.
• Detailed analysis of the application and research progress in representative metal alloys (superalloys, steel, aluminum, AM materials).
• Utilizing latest advancements for evaluating fatigue damage, small cracks, and plastic accumulation.

Main Results:

• Demonstrates the crucial role of in situ SEM fatigue testing in understanding deformation behavior.
• Highlights research progress in applying this technology to diverse structural metals.
• Provides insights into evaluating fatigue damage, including micro-scale phenomena.

Conclusions:

• In situ SEM fatigue testing is a vital tool for material fatigue research.
• The technology has advanced significantly and is applicable to a wide range of materials.
• Future work should focus on refining damage evaluation, particularly for small cracks and plastic deformation.