Multiple cracking events in metal bi-layers on polymer substrates

Metal films on polymer substrates are used in a variety of applications such as flexible electronics, sensors, medical devices and aerospace including multilayer insulators and surface mirrors on satellites. A common way to assess the mechanical behavior of metal-polymer systems is with fragmentation testing, which strains the system under uniaxial tension. During straining cracks or localized deformation (necks) develop perpendicular to the loading direction and buckle delaminations occur parallel to the loading. From the crack spacing the fracture behavior can be determined and the interface adhesion energy can be measured from the buckles. Fragmentation testing has been used on single and multilayer films and has shown that brittle adhesion layers next to the substrate, can cause brittle cracking of normally ductile overlying films. A similar fracture behavior was observed here for the Inconel-Ag-Teflon system, but in this system, the top 30 nm Inconel film is the brittle layer inducing brittle cracking of the underlying 150 nm Ag film. Inconel acts as a corrosion protection for the Ag layer in surface mirrors on satellites in low earth orbit, where the material should not develop cracks upon mechanical loading. Observation of the Inconel surface during in-situ tensile straining revealed crack formation in the Inconel layer at less than 1% strain, which continues with increasing strain (primary cracks). At approximately 3% strain, the primary cracks in the Inconel overcoat act as stress concentrators and generate through thickness cracks in the Ag film (secondary cracks). The primary Inconel cracks had a saturation spacing of 1.5 µm, while the secondary Inconel-Ag saturation crack spacing was much larger at 12 µm. In-situ fragmentation experiments performed through the transparent Teflon substrate revealed only the secondary through thickness cracks and cross-sectional focused ion beam characterization provides further evidence for the two-stage cracking behavior. Using the shear lag model the interfacial shear stresses of the Inconel and Inconel-Ag layers were determined from the saturation crack spacings and observed fracture strains. These results further illustrate that brittle layers at any position are detrimental to the functionality of multi-layered metal-polymer systems and should be carefully considered for any application. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Two stage cracking of metallic bi layers on polymer substrates under tension

Cu Nb nanoscale metallic multilayers have been extensively investigated to understand how their mechanical behavior is influenced by the individual layer thickness. The general observed trend is that the yield stress of the multilayer increases with decreasing layer thickness. Important mechanical behaviors that have not been studied in depth are the fracture of these multilayers and adhesion energy between the multilayer films and their substrate. Here, the influences of the layer thickness, layer order, and initial residual stresses of Cu Nb multilayers on polyimide were examined using in situ x ray diffraction and confocal laser scanning microscopy under tensile loading. With these techniques, it was possible to calculate the stresses developing in the individual materials and measure buckles that could be used to evaluate the interfacial adhesion. Layer thickness, deposition order, and the initial residual stresses were not shown to influence the initial fracture strains of the Cu Nb multilayer systems under tensile loading conditions. However, the adhesion energy between the multilayer and substrate was affected by the layer deposition order and by the initial residual stresse

Degradation mechanism of silicone glues under UV irradiation and options for designing materials with increased stability

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Interfacial mutations in the Al-polyimide system

Understanding the thermal stability of metal-polymer interfaces is essential for the reliability of innovative high-tech devices, including flexible electronics or satellite insulation. In this study, the interfacial stability of aluminum-polyimide (Al-PI) is investigated as a function of thermal cycling (±150°C) and thermal annealing treatments (150°C-300°C) with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements performed after peeling and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy analysis. Small mutations in the interface chemistry and structure were detected and identified after annealing at 225°C for 140 hours, including the thickness increase of an amorphous interlayer between Al and PI of about 2 nm and a change in the failure mechanism during the peeling. Being able to trace subcritical mutations before they become fatal is essential to predict the reliability and lifetime of metal-polymer composites. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley Sons, Ltd

LEO resistant PI-B-PDMS block copolymer films for solar array applications

Due to their low atomic oxygen erosion yields PI-b-PDMS block copolymer films have considerable potential for application onto space exposed surfaces of satellites in low earth orbit. On solar arrays these materials might be used as electrical electrical insulation film, flexprint outer layer, electrical wire wrapping, adhesive tape and/or metallised thermal control film. In this study PI-b-PDMS block copolymers with 8 and 15% PDMS were synthesized and films were cast and successfully used for the production of front side skin, solar panel and flexprint sheet samples using standard production methods. Surface analysis studies showed the presence of a siloxane-enriched surface layer. After a 1000esh UV exposure test most samples showed only minor changes of properties. Copyright © 2013 European Space Agency