Fatigue Properties of Methacrylic Adhesive Plexus MA300

This study investigates the fatigue durability of Plexus MA300 methacrylic adhesive, which is employed in structural joints of metals, plastics, and composites. Cast adhesive specimens were subjected to cyclic tensile loads at a frequency of 5 Hz with a stress ratio R = 0.1. Six load levels were tested. Hysteresis loops were recorded during testing and analyzed in detail. Significant differences in fatigue fracture characteristics were observed depending on load level. Specimens subjected to high loads exhibited a characteristic radial structure with a distinct crack initiation point, whereas specimens tested at lower loads showed more uniform, matte fracture surfaces. Hysteresis loop analysis revealed phenomena typical for polymers: creep and damping causing energy dissipation. Various fatigue approaches were compared: stress-based, strain-based, energy-based, and stiffness-based. The highest coefficient of determination (R²) was obtained for the model based on strain energy density, indicating its superior utility in predicting the fatigue life of the tested adhesive. The obtained results contribute to the understanding of the fatigue behavior of methacrylic adhesives and provide practical data for structural joint design involving this material class.