Issue Eur. Phys. J. AP Volume 22, Number 1, April 2003 Page(s) 15 - 19 Section Physics of Energy Conversion\ and Coupled Phenomena DOI 10.1051/epjap:2003019 Published online 03 April 2003

Eur. Phys. J. AP 22, 15-19 (2003)
DOI: 10.1051/epjap:2003019

Damaging of a soft substrate by cracks propagation through its hard coating: AFM observations and finite element simulation

M. George, J. Colin, C. Coupeau and J. Grilhé

Laboratoire de Métallurgie Physique, Université de Poitiers, UMR 6630 CNRS, SP2MI, boulevard Marie et Pierre Curie, BP 30179, 86962 Futuroscope Chasseneuil Cedex, France

matthieu.george@etu.univ-poitiers.fr

(Received: 3 June 2002 / Received in final form: 28 November 2002 / Accepted: 20 December 2002 Published online: 3 April 2003 )

Abstract
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

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