Finite element analysis of contact induced adhesion failure in multilayer coatings with weak interfaces

Experimental work reveals that the Ag/ZnO interface in the multilayer solar control coatings is weakest and most likely to fail during contact. In this study, a cohesive zone model embedded in a finite element code was used to model delamination in multilayer stack consisting of ZnO/Ag/ZnO on glass during contact. It shows that delamination occurs at the upper ZnO/Ag interface during loading when penetration exceeds a critical value, while, the double pinned buckling delamination failure occurs at the lower Ag/ZnO interface during the unloading cycle. Furthermore, it reveals the model based on mechanism of lateral crack at interface yields reasonably accurate values of interfacial toughness when tensile stress induced delamination occurs during unloading.