ELECTROFORMING OF THIN-FILMS OF POLYPROPYLENE

It is shown that on exceeding a threshold applied voltage, thin films of evaporated polypropylene in the form of a sandwich between metal electrodes (aluminum or copper) undergo an electroforming process. There is a resultant augmented current, the development at higher voltages of differential negative resistance, and the samples act as emitters of electrons into a vacuum. The results are consistent with a theory based on the generation of conducting filaments during the forming process.