Surface Energy of Polymer Substrates for Flexible Electronics: A Comparative Study of Polyimide, PET, and Ceramic-coated PET

Abstract

Surface energy plays a crucial role in determining the adhesion, wettability, and overall performance of polymer films in various applications. In this study, we investigate and compare the surface energy properties of three widely used polymer films: Kapton polyimide, Tekra PET, and Novele (Ceramic coated PET). The surface energy of each polymer is characterized using contact angle measurements with different test liquids. Additionally, we explore the effects of various surface treatments on the surface energy of these polymer films. The results showed that Surface energy initially increases with plasma treatment but then stabilizes, a phenomenon analyzed in this study. This behavior is attributed to the interplay between functionalization and potential surface degradation.