Evaluation of grit-blasting as a pre-treatment for carbon-fibre thermoplastic composite to aluminium bonded joints tested at static and dynamic loading rates

Karthik Ramaswamy, Ronan M. O'Higgins, Ajay Kumar Kadiyala, Michael A. McCarthy, Conor T. McCarthy

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Light-weighting of transportation structures necessitates multi-material design employing composites and aluminium, with thermoplastic composites being of increasing interest to the industry. Adhesive bonding is a viable solution for joining dissimilar materials, but joint performance can be considerably affected by surface preparation. In this paper, alumina grit-blasting is investigated as a surface preparation technique for thermoplastic-matrix composites to be bonded to aluminium alloys. Grit-blasting is performed on composite adherends for varying durations, and the resulting chemical and morphological modifications are analysed using goniometry, profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Adhesively-bonded single-lap joints are tested at quasi-static and dynamic (0.5 m/s) loading rates, and fractography analysis is performed at macro and micro scales. It is found that high lap shear strength and work-to-failure can be achieved through optimisation of the grit-blasting parameters. The optimised process produces a composite surface with plasticised matrix, minimal fibre exposure, and favourable surface chemistry for adhesive bonding. Grit-blasting can thus be a simple, yet effective surface preparation technique for composites to be bonded to aluminium.

Original languageEnglish
Article number107765
JournalComposites Part B: Engineering
Volume185
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Mar 2020

Keywords

  • Adhesion
  • Joints/joining
  • Metal to thermoplastic composite bonding
  • Surface treatment

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Evaluation of grit-blasting as a pre-treatment for carbon-fibre thermoplastic composite to aluminium bonded joints tested at static and dynamic loading rates'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this