Flexible Electronics Materials Testing

Intertek tests, analyzes, characterizes and formulates advanced flexible products to help clients better understand these electronic components, providing greater confidence when going to market.

Expertise includes R&D capabilities for analysis of contamination, delamination, failure, defects, faults, and other problems. The laboratories quickly identify problems, their sources, and help eliminate them.

Flexible electronic materials analysis

• Chemical Composition and Deformulation
• Substrate and laminate morphology
• Active matrix blend characterisation
• Coating chemistry and continuity
• Delamination and plane of failure
• Contamination and Defect Analysis
• Flexible Electronics Defect Analysis
• Fault investigations and resolution
• Additive and filler (nano) dispersion
• Trace level impurities and residuals
• Surface treatment effects and annealing
• Print quality and surface chemistry
• Raw material quality control
• Metallisation cleanliness and work function
• Layer thickness and laminate structure

Control of Contamination and Defects
A key issue for manufacturers of polymer or flexible electronics components is the control of contamination and defects, and the identification of the sources of these in the production process. Intertek's materials analysis laboratories have vast experience of solving problems associated defect and fault analysis, and in the application of this expertise to the flexible electronics and flat panel display markets.

Flexible electronic material contamination and defect problems identified:

• Contamination identification and characterisation (particulates and chemicals)
• Delamination
• Substrate non uniformity
• Additive migration
• Manufacture residues
• Grain size
• Adhesive failure
• Filler agglomeration
• Cracks/Pinholes
• Coating discontinuity
• Entrapped gas (voids/bubbles)
• Grain boundary
• Damage (scratches etc)