STRUCTURAL ADHESIVE WITH COMBINED HIGH STRENGTH AND DUCTILITY FOR MULTIMATERIAL JOINING AND GALVANIC ISOLATION

A newly developed structural adhesive demonstrates a unique combination of high strength (43 ± 2 MPa) and displacement (4.7 ± 1.2 mm) in aluminum lap joint testing. Bulk material characterization of the prototype adhesive reveals its extreme ductility, with nearly 80% shear strain before failure and a 2.5-fold increase in strain energy density as compared to commercial structural adhesives. The prototype adhesive is found to maintain 67 to 82% of its initial strength under extreme environmental conditions, including at high temperatures (71°C), after high humidity (63°C hot water soak, 2 weeks), and after corrosive conditions (B117 salt spray, 1000 hours). The prototype structural adhesive is shown to also generate high strength bonds with multiple substrates, including steel, carbon fiber, and mixed material joints, while also providing galvanic isolation.