Concomitant Channel Cracking and Interfacial Delamination in Polymer/Oxide Nano Hybrid Permeation Barriers in Flexible Electronics

Abstract

Polymer/oxide nano hybrid multilayer permeation barriers are emerging as a promising solution to the stringent barrier requirement of flexible electronics. Yet the mechanical failure of the multilayer permeation barriers could be fatal to their barrier performance. We study two coevolving failure mechanisms of the multilayer permeation barriers under tension, namely, the cracking of the inorganic oxide layer and the delamination along the oxide-organic interface, using computational modeling. An effective driving force for the oxide layer cracking is determined, which decreases as the oxide-organic interfacial adhesion increases.