Laser ultrasonic characterization of adhesive bonds between epoxy coating and aluminum substrate

Nanosecond pulsed laser irradiation through transparent epoxy bonded to aluminum substrate excites wide-band ultrasonic waves at the bonded interface. The normal displacements on the rear surface of aluminum produced by the direct and multi-reflected longitudinal waves in the coating layer are detected by a laser interferometer. The amplitude of the reflected signal depends on the properties of the coating/substrate interface, which is described by terms of the interfacial stiffness using a spring boundary model. The waveforms at the epicenter versus interfacial stiffness are simulated and found to be in good agreement with experimental results. The relation between the interfacial stiffness and the amplitude ratio of the reflected and direct waves is thus established. An image of amplitude ratio of a specimen (null 10 mm) is obtained from the epicenter waveforms recorded by a laser ultrasonic scanning system, which shows the distribution of bond quality on the bonding interface.