Ti-6Al-4V is widely used in aerospace, aeronautical and military applications due to its excellent mechanical properties, especially its high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistance. Nevertheless, poor wear and oxidation resistance has limited the utilization of this material in broader applications. This is why hard ceramic coatings are typically applied to the surface of Ti alloy with the purpose to improve its tribological properties. Characterizing the fracture strength of the coatings layers becomes critical as it determines the lifetime and structural integrity of the protective coating in service. In this project, fracture strength characterization of two typical TiO2 coatings on Ti-6Al-4V alloy produced by laser cladding process was carried out. This was achieved by using a combination of focused ion beam (FIB) milling, nanoindentation and finite element analysis (FEA) techniques. Firstly, the Ti-6Al-4V substrates were coated with a layer of titanium oxide, using laser scanning speed of 300mm/s, and laser power of 100W and 150W. The metallurgical cross-sections of the coatings were then examined using an optical microscope to characterize the microstructure of the solidified oxide coating. A FEI SCIOS FIB Dual Beam system was then used to manufacture the micro-scale cantilevers on the coatings and nanoindentation tests were performed to bend the microcantilever beams to failure. The critical load and deflection were recorded. At last, FEA models were created to simulate the bending behaviour of the microcantilevers during the bending test. And the maximum tensile stresses generated as the cantilevers failed were then used as the fracture strength. This methodology allowed us to conclude that all the cantilevers failed in a brittle fashion. Also, both SEM images and FEA simulations agree that fracture was initiated close to the base given that the highest stresses were identified in this area. The mean fracture strengths of the coating materials were 7.79 and 7.68 GPa, respectively. A through error analysis was conducted. It was concluded that the accuracy of this methodology was affected by the following factors: • Manufactured cantilevers had some curvature and the cross-sections were not completely symmetric. However, the microcantilevers were modelled flat and symmetric in order to simplify the model. • Measuring the actual dimensions of the cantilever beams was challenging due to its rounded edges. IV | P a g e Henry RAMIREZ MECH4501-Engineering Thesis ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis project would have been impossible without the aid and support of my supervisor, Dr. Mingyuan Lu. For always having willingness to help me during the execution of this project, for her patience, enthusiasm, motivation and vast knowledge. I cannot imagine having a better mentor and supervisor than her. Besides my advisor, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the lecturers from all the subjects I took during my studies at UQ. In special to Prof. Hal Gurgenci, Prof. Ross McAree, Dr. Jeff Gates and Prof. Kaz...