Contaminants, adhesive bonding

Rider and Amott were able to produce notable improvements in bond durability in comparison with simple abrasion pre-treatments. In some cases, the pretreatment improved joint durability to the level observed with the phosphoric acid anodizing process. The development of aluminum platelet structure in the outer film region combined with the hydrolytic stability of adhesive bonds made to the epoxy silane appear to be critical in developing the bond durability observed. XPS was particularly useful in determining the composition of fracture surfaces after failure as a function of boiling-water treatment time. A key feature of the treatment is that the adherend surface prepared in the boiling water be treated by the silane solution directly afterwards. Given the adherend is still wet before immersion in silane solution, the potential for atmospheric contamination is avoided. Rider and Amott have previously shown that such exposure is detrimental to bond durability. 

Weak boundary layer. WBL theory proposes that a cohesively weak region is present at the adhesive-substrate interface, which leads to poor adhesion. This layer can prevent the formation of adhesive bonds, or the adhesive can preferentially form bonds with the boundary layer rather that the surface it was intended for. Typically, the locus of failure is interfacial or in close proximity to the silicone-substrate interface. One of the most common causes of a WBL being formed is the presence of contaminants on the surface of the substrate. The formation of a WBL can also result from migration of additives from the bulk of the substrate, to the silicone-substrate interface. Alternatively, molecular... 

The surface must be cleaned of any contamination or loosely bound material that would interfere with the adhesive bond. 

Some of these techniques using electrons and photons as probes of the surface chemistry have been described in this symposium by other authors. In this paper methods of surface analyses using beams of ions will be described. Emphasis is placed on ion scattering spectrometry (ISS) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Examples are shown for adhesive bonding applications including determination of locus of failure, contamination, cleaning and thermal and chemical pretreatments. 

Sources of Contaminants or Species Which Could Affect Adhesive Bonding and Bond Properties... 

Effect of Bacteria Contamination on Permanence of Adhesive Preparations and Adhesive Bonds D1174... 

Effect of Mold Contamination on Permanence of Adhesive Preparation and Adhesive Bonds, Test for D 1286... 

One of the benefits of surface treatment prior to adhesive bonding is that it not only removes weak boundary layers such as contamination, but also provides a more consistent surface to which the adhesive can bond. Common surface treatments used for metal substrates are characterized generally in Table 16.2. 

Surface preparations must be carefully controlled for reliable production of adhesive-bonded parts. If a chemical surface treatment is required, the process must be monitored for proper sequence, bath temperature, solution concentration, and contaminants. If sand or grit blasting is employed, the abrasive must be changed regularly. An adequate supply of clean wiping cloths for solvent cleaning is also mandatory. Checks should be made to determine if cleaning cloths or solvent containers have become contaminated. 

This method is the simplest of all the methods and is capable of detecting surface flaws such as corrosion, contamination, surface finish and surface discontinuities on joints.47 The discontinuities on joints such as welds, seals, solder connections and adhesive bonds can be detected. General corrosion, qualitative pitting corrosion, stress-corrosion cracking, weld-heat-affected zone attack, erosion corrosion and other type of degradation can be observed by visual examination aided by microscopes with sufficient magnification. Degradation of plastics can also be detected by visual examination. Visual examination is also used in conjunction with other techniques, such as powerful microscopes. 

Analytical studies of the PVC profile surface indicated that the reasons for failure of the adhesive bond between the PVC film and PVC profile in decorative film laminated structures, was finely dispersed lubricant and wax particles on the PVC profile. These contaminants prevented the build-up of bond forces at the interface between the adhesive and PVC profile. A biodegradable alkaline cleaning agent was developed to remove the contaminants, which, when combined with flame treatment and a solvent free polyurethane hot melt... 

Provided materials are compatible with solvents, solvent washing is a useful alternative to water, especially where surface residues (oils, greases, lubricants, release agents) may either act as an adhesive bond for particles or give rise to a form of chemical contamination. 

Coatings failure occurs by delamination (separating by layers) or by peeling (separating from the concrete). The latter happens most frequently when the adhesive bond with the concrete is lost. This type of failure occurs when coatings are applied without first removing the surface contaminants and laitance. Laitance, a film which can form on the surface of the concrete, is unreacted cement or cement which has risen to the surface of the concrete surface due to over-working fresh concrete. 

After RGA data are collected and analyzed, the package is delidded to examine the inside components, interconnections, materials, and surfaces. Because removing the lid is a destructive process, it should be done in a lid-down position with special equipment to vacuum off any debris. After delidding, the components, surfaces, and connections are optically examined followed by analytical testing such surface analysis for contaminants, especially chloride and sodium ions. Scanning acoustical microscopy (SAM) is very useful in detecting voids, cracks or delamination within the adhesive or at the adhesive bond line. An excellent overview of SAM and its variations may be found in Ardebili and Pecht. ... 

For many industrial applications of plastics that are dependent on adhesive bonding, cold gas plasma surface treatment has rapidly become the preferred industrial process. Plasma surface treatment, which is conducted in a vacuum environment, affords an opportunity to minimize or eliminate the barriers to adhesion through three distinct effects (1) removal of surface contaminants and weakly bound polymer layers, (2) enhancement of wettability through incorporation of functional or polar groups that facilitate spontaneous spreading of the adhesive or matrix resin, and (3) formation of functional groups on the surface that permit covalent bonding between the substrate and the adhesive or matrix resin. Since plasma treatment is a process of surface modification, the bulk properties of the material are retained. The nature of the process also allows precise control of the process parameters and ensures repeatability of the process in industrial applications. Finally, several studies have demonstrated that these surface modifications can be achieved with minimum impact on the environment. 

The strength of an adhesive joint is influenced by several factors [2-4]. Removal of contaminants and process aids provides a means for the adhesive to interlock with the substrate surface rather than with a boundary layer that is merely resting on the surface. Increasing the surface energy of the substrate above the surface tension of the adhesive makes it possible for the adhesive to wet the entire surface of the polymer substrate. The increase in the apparent surface area of contact serves to increase the strength of the adhesive bond. Figure 2 illustrates this process. 

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