15th Biennial ASCE Conference on Engineering, Science, Construction, and Operations in Challenging Environments
The Effects of UV Aging on the Cracking of Titanium Oxide Layer on Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate) Substrate
Publication: Earth and Space 2016: Engineering for Extreme Environments
ABSTRACT
Thin oxide and metal films deposited on polymer substrates are emerging technologies for advanced reflectors for concentrated solar power applications, due to their unique combination of light weight, flexibility, and inexpensive manufacture. Thus far, there is little knowledge on the mechanical integrity or structural persistence of such multi-layer thin film systems under long-term environmental aging. In this paper, the cracking of a brittle titanium dioxide layer deposited onto elasto-plastic poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate is studied through a combination of experiment and modeling. In situ fragmentation tests have been conducted to monitor the onset and evolution of cracks both on pristine and on samples aged with ultraviolet (UV) light. An analytical model is presented to simulate the cracking behavior and to predict the effects of UV aging. Based on preliminary experimental observation, the effect of aging is divided into three aspects and analyzed independently: mechanical property degradation of the polymer substrate; degradation of the interlayer between substrate and oxide coating; and internal stress-induced cracks on the oxide coating.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, under award number DE-FOA-0000861. We also thank Dr. Eric Benson and Dr. Susanne Ferrere for their assistance on the fragmentation tests.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Earth and Space 2016: Engineering for Extreme Environments
Pages: 881 - 891
Editors: Ramesh B. Malla, Ph.D., University of Connecticut, Juan H. Agui, Ph.D., NASA Glenn Research Center, and Paul J. van Susante, Ph.D, Michigan Technological University
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-7997-1
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published in print: Dec 30, 2016
Published online: Jun 29, 2017
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