[KSCI] Korea Science Citation Index Service

Electrochemical Corrosion Failure of ITO-Coated PET Film for Display Application

Farooq, Hina (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)
Kim, Hye-young (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)
Byeon, Jai-Won (Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University of Science and Technology)

Publication Information

Journal of Applied Reliability / v.17, no.1, 2017 , pp. 72-77 More about this Journal

Abstract

Purpose: The electrochemical corrosion behavior of tin oxide film coated on PET substrates has been studied under varying concentrations of acrylic acid to investigate possible corrosion in contact with the acidic environment. Method: Potentiodynamic test was performed for a commercial ITO/PET film in 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 M of acrylic acid. The surface morphology was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Results: Potentiodynamic test results showed an increase in Icorr and decrease in Ecorr value with increasing concentration of acid. Microscopic evaluation suggested the presence of certain deep cracks on the surface of the film in addition with a severe acidic attack. Conclusion: Exposure of ITO to acrylic acid resulted in the stress corrosion cracking of ITO film due to the mechanical mismatch between brittle inorganic ITO fim and a compliant organic PET substrate leading to the subsequent failure of the film.

Keywords

Indium tin Oxide; Flexible Displays; Corrosion; Stress Corrosion Cracking;

Citations & Related Records

Reference

1	Kyle, B. (2012). "The effect of acrylic acid on the electromechanical behavior of ITO coated polymer substrates for flexible display applications". The University of Birmingham, MASTER OF RESEARCH.
2	Gardonio, S. et al. (2008). "Characterization of indium tin oxide surfaces after KOH and HCl treatments". Organic Electronics, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp. 253-261. DOI
3	Bejtual, T. S., Compton, D., Sierros, K. A., Cairnsa, D. R., and Kukureka, S. N. (2013). "Electromechanical reliability of flexible transparent electrodes during and after exposure to acrylic acid". Thin Solid Films, Vol. 528, No. 15, pp. 229-236. DOI
4	Geo, W., Cao, S., Yang, Y., Wang, H., Li, J., and Jiang, Y. (2012). "Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy investigation on indium tin oxide films under cathodic polarization in NaOH solution". Thin Solid Films, Vol. 520, No. 23, pp. 6916-6921. DOI
5	Bejitual, T. S., Ramji, K., Kassmen, A. J., Sierros, K. A. and Caorns, D. R. (2012). "Corrosion of an amorphous indium tin oxide film on polyethylene terephthalate at low concentrations of acrylic acid". Metals Chemistry and Physics, Vol. 132, No. 2-3, pp. 395-401. DOI
6	Sierross, K. A., Morris, N. J., Ramji, K., and Cairns, D. R. (2009). "Stress-corrosion cracking of indium tin oxide coated polyethylene terephthalate for flexible optoelectronic devices". Thin Solid Films, Vol. 517, No. 8, pp. 2590-2595. DOI