Tensile strength of two-part epoxy paste adhesives: Influence of mixing technique and micro-void formation

Two-part epoxy paste adhesives are frequently used to bond metals and composite materials in many structural applications. After mixing two reactive parts (by weight or volume ratio), adhesive paste is applied to the substrate surfaces and cured at elevated temperatures. Air-entrapment during mixing and/or application process often produces micro-voids in the adhesive bondlines and influences the strength of the bonded joints. In this work, void...