Abstract
The need to obtain and study the properties of metallized polymeric materials is associated with their wide application in space exploration, electronics, and the production of consumer goods. The main directions in the search for new materials are aimed at obtaining composite films with different distributions of the metal phase over the thickness while maintaining the mechanical characteristics. The most promising metallized polymer materials are polyimides with high thermal stability, good dielectric properties, and low expansion coefficient. Therefore, the study of viscosity, strength, and other mechanical characteristics of metallized polymeric materials, the determination of the effect of the coating structure on their mechanical behavior, and the development of methods for predicting their behavior are currently relevant and important tasks. Methods for improving the mechanical properties of polyimide films by silver plating have been studied. The thickness of the metal layer of the polyimide base, which is part of the structure, ranged from 1 to 5 μm. Surface coatings were 80–97% of comparable silver mirrors in the visible and infrared regions. The deformation of the samples was carried out at room temperature on an Instron 5982 universal testing machine in the uniaxial tension mode. As a result of the metallization of the films, a significant increase in mechanical characteristics was observed compared to a pure polyimide film. An increase in ultimate strength by ∆σ = 105 MPa and plasticity by ∆ε = 75% was obtained, which is associated with a change in the structure of metallized films and the conditions of their chemical treatment.