Strain rate effects on localized necking in substrate-supported metal layers

Due to their good mechanical and technological performances, thin substrate-supported metal layers are increasingly used as functional components in flexible electronic devices. Consequently, the prediction of necking, and the associated limit strains, for such components is of major academic and industrial importance. The current contribution aims to numerically investigate the respective and combined effects of strain rate sensitivity of the metal layer and the addition of an elastomer layer on localized necking in substrate-supported metal layers. To this end, strain ratedependent forms for the flow theory of plasticity and the deformation theory counterpart are used to describe the mechanical behavior of the metal layer. As to the substrate layer, it is made of elastomer material whose mechanical response is described by a neo-Hookean hyperelastic model. The two layers are assumed to be perfectly adhered. Necking limit strains are predicted by the Marciniak–Kuczynski (M–K) imperfection approach. Various numerical results, corresponding to freestanding metal layers as well as substrate-supported metal layers, are presented and extensively discussed in this paper. The significant effect of strain rate sensitivity on the retardation of localized necking is first emphasized. Then, the combined and positive influence of strain rate sensitivity of the metal layer and characteristics of the elastomer layer (thickness and stiffness) on the enhancement of the ductility of the whole bilayer is analyzed and discussed