Elastic properties of nanolaminar Cr₂AlC films and beams determined by in-situ scanning electron microscope bending tests

The mechanical properties of Cr₂AlC MAX phase structures were investigated by in-situ bending tests. Freestanding structures such as cantilevers and doubly clamped beams of Cr₂AlC were produced. The structures exhibit a Young's modulus of 184 GPa which is close to the value obtained by vibrational measurements. The in-situ bending test allows the determination of the mechanical properties with a lower variance of the measurement results compared to the vibrational measurement. The results are a good starting point for the development of microelectromechanical structures based on MAX phases. - Highlights: • Cr₂AlC were produced by deposition multilayers and subsequent rapid annealing. • Freestanding doubly clamped beams and cantilevers of Cr₂AlC were prepared. • A finite elements model was implemented showing the displacement of the structure. • In-situ bending test at doubly clamped beams and cantilevers were performed. • An in-situ bending test is a valid approach to determine mechanical properties.