Adhesion and cohesion in structures containing suspended microscopic polymeric films

This paper presents a novel technique for the characterization of adhesion and cohesion in suspended micro-scale polymeric films. The technique involves push-out testing with probes that are fabricated using focused ion beam techniques. The underlying stresses associated with different probe tip sizes were computed using a finite element model. The critical force for failure of the film substrate interface is used to evaluate adhesion, while the critical force for penetration of the film determines cohesion. When testing a standard material, polycarbonate, a shear strength of approximately 70 MPa was calculated using the Mohr–Coulomb theory. This value was shown to be in agreement with the results in the literature. The technique was also applied to the measurement of adhesion and cohesion in a model drug-eluting stent (the Nevo™ Sirolimus Eluting Coronary Stent) containing suspended microscopic polymeric films in metallic Co–Cr alloy reservoirs. The cohesive strength of the formulation was found to be comparable with that of plastics such as those produced by reaction injection molding and high-density polyethylene.