title: Elastomeric Polymer Multilayer Thin Film with Sustainable Gas Barrier at High Strain.
abstract: Most gas barrier thin films suffer from cracking or plastic deformation when stretched, leading to significant loss of barrier. In an effort to make a stretchable gas barrier, which maintains low permeability when exposed to cyclic strain, we prepared layer-by-layer assemblies of tannic acid (TA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). A 40-bilayer (344 nm-thick) TA/PEO assembly maintained its oxygen transmission rate (6X lower than the 1.6 mm-thick rubber substrate) after being stretched 100%. This submicron coating maintains a barrier 4X lower than the thick rubber substrate even after being strained 20X at 100%. These highly elastomeric assemblies are potentially useful for light-weighting inflatable devices.
authors.forename: Fangming
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Tara M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Givens
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Jaime C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Grunlan
keywords: cyclic extension; elastic; layer-by-layer assembly; oxygen barrier; tannic acid