Durability of polyamide bonded joints: influence of surface pre-treatment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of surface pre-treatment on the durability of bonded joints between polyamide pieces. Various surface preparations of the substrates were carried out and a wedge test was performed to evaluate the joint behaviour over time. Joints composed of polyamide 6 and polyamide 66 were made using a two-component acrylic adhesive. Four different surface treatments were compared: only degreasing, degreasing + abrasion, degreasing + plasma and degreasing + abrasion + plasma. The tests carried out highlighted the extreme importance of choosing the right surface preparation if one wishes to guarantee high performance over time. For both substrates, superficial preparations with cold plasma yielded the best results.