Related Experiment Videos
Characterization of polymer-adhesive interfaces on a nanometre scale by elemental mapping and image EELS using EFTEM
Shin Horiuchi1, Tadashi Hamanaka, Takashi Aoki
1Research Center of Macromolecular Technology, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo Water Front, 2-41-6 Aomi, Kohtoh-ku, Tokyo, Japan. s.horiuchi@aist.go.jp
Journal of Electron Microscopy
|August 2, 2003
Summary
Heat aging of polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) weakens its adhesion to epoxy. Energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) revealed a nanoscale boundary layer responsible for this reduced adhesion strength.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Surface Science
Background:
- Adhesion strength is critical for laminated materials.
- Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) and epoxy adhesives are widely used.
- Heat aging can negatively impact material interfaces.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of heat aging on PBT-epoxy adhesion.
- To elucidate the nanoscale mechanisms behind adhesion degradation.
- To correlate interfacial structure with adhesion strength.
Main Methods:
- Energy-filtering transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM).
- Elemental mapping.
- Electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS).
Main Results:
- Heat aging of PBT at 180°C for >9 hours significantly decreased adhesion strength.
- A distinct boundary layer (<50 nm) formed at the PBT-epoxy interface after heat aging.
- EFTEM and EELS identified the origin of this weak boundary layer.
Conclusions:
- Heat aging induces nanoscale structural changes at the PBT-epoxy interface.
- These interfacial changes are directly responsible for reduced adhesion.
- EFTEM is a powerful tool for characterizing such nanoscale interfacial phenomena.