Crack-Configuration Analysis of Metal Conductive Track Embedded in Stretchable Elastomer
Department of Applied Mechanics, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
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Micromachines 2018, 9(3), 130; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9030130
Received: 28 February 2018
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Revised: 9 March 2018
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Accepted: 9 March 2018
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Published: 15 March 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 8th Symposium on Micro-Nano Science and Technology on Micromachines)
This paper reports the analysis of the crack configuration of a stretched metal conductive track that is embedded in a stretchable elastomer. The factor determining the crack configurations is analyzed by modeling as well as experiments. The modeling analysis indicates that the crack configuration is determined by the ratio of the elongation stiffness of the track and elastomer, and is classified into two types: multiple-crack growth and single-crack growth. When the track stiffness is considerably lower than the elastomer stiffness, multiple-crack growth type occurs; in the opposite case, single-crack growth type occurs. Hence, to verify the modeling analysis, metal conductive tracks with different thicknesses are fabricated, and the cracks are studied with respect to the crack width, number of cracks, and crack propagation speed. In this study, two conventional metal-track shapes are studied: straight-shaped tracks with track thickness of 0.04–1.17 µm, and wave-shaped tracks with track thickness of 2–10 µm. For straight-shaped tracks, multiple-crack growth type occurred, when the track thickness was 0.04 µm, and the crack configuration gradually changed to a single crack, with the increase in the track thickness. For wave-shaped tracks with track thickness of 2–10 µm, only single-crack growth type occurred; however, the crack propagation speed decreased and the maximum stretchability of the track increased, with the increase in the track thickness.
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Keywords:
crack configuration; metal conductive track; stretchable elastomer; flexible electronic device; stretchable electronic device
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MDPI and ACS Style
Koshi, T.; Iwase, E. Crack-Configuration Analysis of Metal Conductive Track Embedded in Stretchable Elastomer. Micromachines 2018, 9, 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9030130
AMA Style
Koshi T, Iwase E. Crack-Configuration Analysis of Metal Conductive Track Embedded in Stretchable Elastomer. Micromachines. 2018; 9(3):130. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9030130
Chicago/Turabian StyleKoshi, Tomoya, and Eiji Iwase. 2018. "Crack-Configuration Analysis of Metal Conductive Track Embedded in Stretchable Elastomer" Micromachines 9, no. 3: 130. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi9030130
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