Surface Modification Using MAPLE Technique for Improving the Mechanical Performance of Adhesive Joints

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Engineering
• Adhesion Science

Background:

• Adhesive bonding of metals requires optimized surface properties for mechanical integrity.
• Surface modification techniques are crucial for enhancing substrate-adhesive interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) as a novel surface pretreatment for aluminum (Al) in adhesive bonding.
• To evaluate the impact of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and triethanolamine (TEA) coatings on Al surface properties and adhesive performance.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification of Al using MAPLE with PVA and TEA from frozen aqueous solutions.
• Characterization of deposited layers using FT-IR, SEM, and AFM.
• Evaluation of surface wettability and surface free energy via contact angle measurements.
• Assessment of adhesive performance using tensile strength tests on a commercial silyl-based polymer adhesive.

Main Results:

• Successful deposition of PVA and TEA layers on Al surfaces, confirmed by spectroscopic and microscopic analyses.
• MAPLE treatment significantly altered surface hydrophilicity and surface free energy.
• Tensile strength of adhesive joints increased by 54.22% for Al-TEA and 36.34% for Al-PVA compared to untreated controls.

Conclusions:

• MAPLE is a viable and effective method for surface modification of Al for adhesive bonding applications.
• PVA and TEA coatings applied via MAPLE enhance the mechanical performance of adhesive joints.
• This study presents the first application of MAPLE as a pretreatment for reinforcing adhesive bonding on aluminum plates.