Journal of Adhesion, Vol.50, No.4, 215-233, 1995
Semi-structural hot melt adhesives based on crosslinkable functionalized polyolefins
A structural or semi-structural adhesive is usually applied to the substrates as monomers, oligomers, or melts of polymers with reactive groups and is then polymerized or crosslinked in situ in the joint between the substrates. We have been studying a number of crosslinked functionalized polyolefins blended with tackifier used as semi-structural adhesives for bonding to oily galvanized steel surfaces. The functions of takifier, surface properties of adhesive and substrate, geometry effects of lap joints, adhesive T-beta, chain end defects, network chain length, and cure kinetics of these systems will be discussed. Our experimental results indicate that lap shear strengths of galvanized steel joints depend on adhesive storage modulus to the power of roughly 1/2. A rough estimate of the fracture energy of the adhesive bond, G(a), could be obtained from this relation. Although some estimated G(a) values are too low while the others are too high, they seem to be in rough accord with the degree of interfacial bonding and the locus of failure of the lap shear bonds.