Metal

Adhesive

Fibre-reinforced plastic

Curing (chemistry)

Fabrication

Statistics

Metallurgy

Materials science

Layer (electronics)

Adhesive bonding

Polymer

Alternative medicine

Mathematics

Composite material

Medicine

Welding

Flexibility (engineering)

Rivet

Pathology

Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials

Fascinating advantages (e.g., lightweight and superior performances combined with ductility and strength) of metal-FRP (fiber reinforced polymer) hybrid components attract increasing attentions of engineers and scientists from aviation and automotive industries. Forming and joining are currently two main technical approaches to fabricate metal-FRP hybrid components. However, it is challenging to fabricate metal-FRP hybrid components due to the fact that the physicochemical properties of metal and FRP are quite different. This work aims to comprehensively review existing fabrication processes of metal-FRP hybrid components and involved surface treatment methods in literature, where potential applications and key issues of each process are also pointed out. Joining processes, including adhesive bonding, riveting, and welding, are widely used to join pre-formed metal and FRP parts, and are of high precision and consistency. Nevertheless, due to the fact that joining processes are accompanied by high cost, long cycle time and potential damages to FRP in riveting and welding etc., forming processes (classified into forming of metal-FRP hybrid laminates, co-curing forming of metal and FRP prepreg sheets, forming prepreg to metal part followed by co-curing) have been increasingly developed to fabricate metal-FRP hybrid components with high efficiency and flexibility. Metal-FRP interfacial bonding plays a critical role in the mechanical performance of metal-FRP hybrid components fabricated by nearly all processes (except riveting), since interfacial debonding between metal and FRP breaks their stress transferring path and dissolves the reinforcement of FRP to metal. Therefore, surface treatments are generally applied to enhancing interfacial bonding between metal and FRP. In comparison with mechanical and chemical surface treatment methods, energy methods (e.g., laser) are of wider application, higher effectiveness, and more friendly to environment. This review provides a reference for the fabrication of metal-FRP hybrid components. Graphical abstract

Fabrication processes of metal-fiber reinforced polymer hybrid components: a review