Fracture-induced formation of parallel silicone strips

Abstract

This study reports the generation of periodic parallel silicone strips by simply peeling a silicone sheet, oxidized by UV/ozone, from its bonded substrate. This spontaneous formation of strips is initiated by a mixed mode of separation along the peeling direction and subsequent channeling of initiated cracks. The periodicity of the strips is tuned by the bending strain acting on the silicone sheet during peeling, and the regularity and the locus of failure are determined by the extent of oxidization.