Abstract
A gliding arc is a plasma that can be operated at atmospheric pressure and applied for plasma surface treatment for adhesion improvement. In the present work, glass-fibre-reinforced polyester plates were treated using an atmospheric pressure gliding arc discharge with an air flow to improve adhesion with a vinylester adhesive. The treatment improved wettability and increased the polar component of the surface energy and the density of oxygen-containing polar functional groups at the surfaces. Double cantilever beam specimens were prepared for fracture mechanics characterisation (fracture resistance as a function of nominal mode mixity) of the laminate adhesive interface. It was found that gliding arc treatment significantly increases the interfacial fracture energy and fracture resistance in comparison with a standard peel ply treatment, although the mixed mode fracture energy of the gliding arc treated specimen was not as high as that of the laminate itself.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal of Adhesion |
Volume | 89 |
Pages (from-to) | 433-459 |
ISSN | 0021-8464 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2013 |
Keywords
- Adhesion
- Fibre-reinforced polyester
- Fracture energy
- Gliding arc
- Plasma treatment
- Vinylester