ISO 21760-1:2019

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 21760-1
First edition
2019-05
Adhesives for organic electronic
devices — Determination of water
vapour transmission rate —
Part 1:
Adhesive film preparation methods
Adhésifs pour dispositifs électroniques organiques — Détermination
du taux de transmission de vapeur d'eau —
Partie 1: Méthodes de préparation du film adhésif
Reference number
©
ISO 2019
© ISO 2019
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Principle . 1
5 Test specimens. 2
5.1 Substrate for non-self-supporting adhesives . 2
5.2 Preparation of test specimens . 2
5.2.1 Preparation of non-self-supporting adhesives on a substrate . 2
5.2.2 Test specimen . 3
5.2.3 Number of specimens . 3
6 Conditioning . 3
7 Determination of the thickness of the adhesive . 3
7.1 General . 3
7.2 Determination of the thickness of the adhesives by calculation . 3
7.3 Determination of the thickness of the adhesive by optical, mechanical or other
suitable methods . 3
8 Test methods . 4
9 Procedure. 4
9.1 General . 4
9.2 Water vapour transmission rate, W , of the substrate plus adhesive film . 4
AS
9.3 Water vapour transmission rate, W , of the substrate . 4
S
10 Calculation . 5
10.1 General . 5
10.2 Water vapour transmission rate, W , of non-self-supporting adhesive films . 5
A
11 Test condition . 5
12 Test result . 5
13 Precision . 6
14 Test report . 6
Annex A (informative) Spin coating application methods . 7
Annex B (informative) Blade coating application methods . 8
Annex C (informative) Spray coating application methods . 9
Bibliography .10
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
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ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
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The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 61, Plastics, Subcommittee SC 11, Products.
A list of all parts in the ISO 21760 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
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iv © ISO 2019 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 21760-1:2019(E)
Adhesives for organic electronic devices — Determination
of water vapour transmission rate —
Part 1:
Adhesive film preparation methods
1 Scope
This document specifies six methods for determining the water vapour transmission rate of adhesive
films coated on a plastic substrate.
The adhesive is used in organic electronic devices such as organic light-emitting diodes.
The methods provide rapid measurement over a wide range of water vapour transmission rates.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 2808, Paints and varnishes — Determination of film thickness
ISO 4593, Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of thickness by mechanical scanning
ISO 15106 (all parts), Plastics — Film and sheeting — Determination of water vapour transmission rate
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https: //www .iso .org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http: //www .electropedia .org/
3.1
water vapour transmission rate
amount of water vapour transmitted per unit area of test specimen (3.2) per unit time under specified
conditions
Note 1 to entry: It is expressed in grams per square metre per 24 h [g/(m × 24 h)].
3.2
test specimen
supporting substrate with coating of adhesives applied to it
4 Principle
A test specimen consists of a non-self-supporting adhesive film on a plastic substrate. The test specimen
is mounted in a transmission cell forming a sealed barrier between two chambers.
The upstream chamber is usually the wet side and the downstream chamber is usually the dry side.
The amount of water vapour transmitted through the specimen is detected by a sensor capable of
providing an electrical output signal.
Since the water vapour transmission rate of a non-self-supporting adhesive cannot be measured
directly, it is necessary to measure the water vapour transmission rate of the adhesive plus substrate
and the substrate alone.
When calculating the water vapour transmission rate of a non-self-supporting adhesive, the water
vapour transmission rate of the substrate shall be taken into account. The reciprocal number of the
water vapour transmission rate of the adhesive is obtained by subtracting that of the substrate alone
from that of the substrate plus adhesive.
Materials such as a light-emitting layer in the flexible organic electronic device are degraded by the
penetration of a very small amount of water vapour. Both the plastic substrate and adhesive film (seal
material) are required to have high barrier properties. The method for determining the water vapour
transmission rate of plastic substrates is specified in accordance with one of ISO 15106-1, ISO 15106-2,
ISO 15106-3, ISO 15106-4, ISO 15106-5, or ISO 15106-6.
The water vapour transmission rate of self-supporting adhesive film shall be determined in accordance
with ISO 15106 (all parts).
5 Test specimens
5.1 Substrate for non-self-supporting adhesives
Any homogeneous material which has a water-vapour transmission rate larger than 1 g/(m · 24 h)
is suitable for use as the substrate for non-self-supporting adhesives
...