Composite surface pre-treatments: Improvement on adhesion mechanisms and mechanical performance of metal–composite friction spot joints with additional film interlayer

Friction spot joints of aluminum alloy 2024-T3 and carbon-fiber-reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (CF-PPS) were produced with the PPS film interlayer. Mechanical grinding, sandblasting, and sandblasting combined with plasma activation were performed on the composite part to enhance the interface adhesion. The surface features – roughness, wettability, and chemical activation – were correlated with the ultimate lap shear force of the joints. The...