Polymer–Aluminum Lightweight Multi-Material Joints Bonded with Mixed Adhesive

Abstract

Considering the challenges faced when joining multi-materials where welding is not possible, such as with polymers and metal, adhesives can be used to bond them. In this study, two chemically different adhesives, namely epoxy and silicone, were used to bond PVC/Al. Infrared spectra of a mixed adhesive revealed the presence of overlapping peaks with PVC, namely –CH2, –CH3 around 2800–3000 cm−1 and Si–CH3 at 1260 cm−1. Mechanical testing on single-lap shear specimens of PVC/Al prepared using mixed adhesive showed the enhancement in the adhesive strength was ~5 times higher compared to the adhesive strength of PVC/Al joints made with only silicone adhesive.

Keywords

• polymer–aluminum joints
• polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• aluminum (Al)
• mixed adhesive
• single-lap shear strength (SLS)