Vacuum metallization is the process of coating a substrate with a thin metal layer under high-vacuum conditions. This process is often simply referred to as ''metallizing''. The coating of web materials is referred to as vacuum web coating.For more than 25 years, vacuum metallization of polymer webs with aluminum has been carried out on an industrial scale. Initially used to coat PVC for decorative purposes, the metallization of synthetic materials is today first and foremost used to produce functional coatings [1]. In the course of the past few years, metals other than aluminum have gained increasing importance in the metallization of polymer webs. The development of the metallization process was, and still is, subject to two requirements, namely higher quality and lower cost. Higher quality means:Higher conductivity (higher thickness and/or greater density of the metal film) Smoother surfaces (essentially because of the surface of the film substrate) Better homogeneity of metal film thickness Fewer defects in the metal layer (holes because of spitting during metallization) Fewer defects in the reel-winding process (creases) Improved barrier properties Costs can be reduced by means of:Greater reel length/diameter Greater web width Higher web speed Shorter downtime This chapter addresses, in particular, the process of vacuum metallization of flexible substrates with aluminum and copper and the respective machine requirements. Importance will also be attached to the properties of the layers produced and their applications, especially for organic electronics and packaging.
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