Enhanced abrasion resistance of ultrathin reflective coatings on polymeric substrates: An improvement upon glass substrates

Multilayer thin film systems on polymeric substrates are investigated as abrasion resistant reflective coatings for the development of light weight optical devices. In this investigation, the influence of the coating's material properties on its abrasion resistance is determined with a step increase in abrasion resistance demonstrated upon application of an ultrathin capping layer, ca. 5-15 nm. These ultrathin capping layers reduce the surface roughness and coefficient of friction of the coating system, resulting in a greater resistance to wear. Despite the soft nature of the underlying polymeric substrate, the engineered coating system allows such devices to outperform their conventional glass-based counterparts in the design of light weight products for a range of optical applications. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.