https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap:2003019
Damaging of a soft substrate by cracks propagation through its hard coating: AFM observations and finite element simulation
Laboratoire de Métallurgie Physique, Université de Poitiers, UMR 6630 CNRS,
SP2MI, boulevard Marie et Pierre Curie, BP 30179,
86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil Cedex, France
Corresponding author: matthieu.george@etu.univ-poitiers.fr
Received:
3
June
2002
Revised:
28
November
2002
Accepted:
20
December
2002
Published online:
3
April
2003
Atomic force microscopy observations of the fine structure of cracks have been carried out for nickel thin films on polyimide substrates under tensile test. For strains of the order of 10%, the cracking of the metallic thin film induces notable damaging of the polymeric substrate. Post-mortem observations of the substrate and finite element simulations of the stress field at the cracks head have been performed to characterize this unexpected damaging: the crack propagation at the film/substrate interface and inside the substrate.
PACS: 68.60.Bs – Mechanical and acoustical properties / 68.37.Ps – Atomic force microscopy (AFM) / 62.20.Mk – Fatigue, brittleness, fracture, and cracks
© EDP Sciences, 2003
