Bonding and Failure Mechanisms in Aluminium Alloy Adhesive Joints

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Abstract
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy have been used to investigate the surface chemistry of an aluminium-alloy which has been pretreated by various industrial methods commonly employed prior to adhesive bonding. The fracture surfaces of butt joints, consisting of the pretreated alloy bonded with an epoxy adhesive, have also been studied. The analyses have been conducted before and after exposure of the specimens to water, the main hostile environment that structural adhesive joints usually encounter. It is suggested that the concentration of magnesium, in the form of magnesium oxide, on the pretreated aluminium-alloy surface may be an important factor in influencing the durability of adhesive joints.