A comparative study on dimensional stability of PET and BOPP substrates for fabrication of flexible electric/electronic devices through roll-to-roll printing

Dimensional stability of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and biaxial-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) substrates was investigated for high-resolution roll-to-roll gravure printing. Differential scanning calorimetry and short-term tensile test results showed that the thermal resistance of the printable PET substrate was superior to those of the BOPP substrate and a commercial amorphous PET. The creep of the BOPP film was always faster than that of the PET film under various temperatures and loads, and could be correlated with the Maxwell element. In addition, in regular modes of applying heat and spraying solvent, deformational patterns of polymeric substrates were observed and described.