Simulation of Corrosion Effects in Conductive Yarns

More than 20 % of failures in microelectronic devices can be attributed to corrosion. Due to the small dimensions in the range of micro- and nanometers they are orders of magnitudes more sensitive against corrosion. Most metal corrosion occurs by electrochemical reactions at the interface between the metal and an electrolyte solution. In an environment where proportions of water surround the metal atoms at the surface of the metal enter the solution as metal ions. Overall corrosion is a very complex multiphysics problem. The reliability of conductive yarns used for wearables as well as smart textiles is affected by mechanical use and strongly by washing and sweating. Especially washing and sweating leads to corrosion of the metal surface of the conductive yarn. By this the conductivity can be deteriorate. Furthermore, the conductivity of the yarn can be interrupted. The aim of this work is to get better understanding of corrosion processes of the yarn. The investigations are done with the finite element program COMSOL using the corrosion module.