Structuring in the polymer-rigid coating system under deformation in the presence of liquid environments

The fracture of a thin (1-15 nm) rigid coating (gold, platinum, and carbon) under deformation of the polymer support (PET) at temperatures below the g lass transition temperature was studied by electron microscopy. In the zone of the polymer transition to oriented state, the coating was found to brea k down into fine (similar to 0.5 mu m) asymmetric fragments which produce a continuous network on the surface of the necked polymer under deformation of the polymer support in air. At the same time, under the deformation of P ET in the presence of active-liquid environments, the coating breaks down i nto fine (0.2-0.4 mu m ribbons, which are oriented perpendicular to the dra wing axis of the polymer and are parallel to each other. The minimum and ma ximum values of the coating thickness, at which the above phenomenon was ob served, were estimated. It was suggested that the microscopic investigation of polymers with a thin rigid coating may be considered as a new method fo r studying inelastic deformation in solid polymers.