Adhesion between a suspended polymeric film and a metallic substrate: Experiments and models

This paper presents the results of a combined experimental, theoretical, and computational study of the adhesion between suspended polymeric films and a substrate in a model drug-eluting stent. Atomic force microscope is used to measure the pull-off force between the polymer and the substrate. The adhesion energy was then obtained from the measured pull-off forces and adhesion theories. Subsequently, the adhesion energy was incorporated into interfacial fracture mechanics zone model that was used to determine mode mixity dependence of the interfacial fracture toughness. The mode mixity-dependent fracture toughness conditions were then integrated into finite element models that were used to compute the critical push-out force of the suspended polymeric films. The predicted push-out forces were in good agreement with the results obtained from the experiments.