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Abstract: In the present study, the effect of plasma treatment on the bonding strength of CFRP/aluminum foam composites was investigated. CFRP and aluminum foam were surface-treated in a plasma cleaner using oxygen gas. To determine the optimal plasma treatment time, contact angles were measured as a function of treatment time. Treatment effects were determined by comparing the bending and shear strength of three cases: untreated CFRP/aluminum foam (case 1), untreated CFRP/plasma-treated aluminum foam (case 2), plasma-treated CFRP/untreated aluminum foam (case 3). Fracture surfaces of specimens from the three cases were investigated after bending and shear tests. Our results showed when the CFRP was plasma-treated using oxygen gas, and that the bending and shear strength was improved by 7.5% and 650%, respectively, compared to the case without plasma treatment. The improved bonding strength of the plasma-treated CFRP/aluminum foam composites was attributed to the increased surface roughness of the CFRP and the newly formed functionalities on the CFRP. The surface roughness of the CFRP was increased by more than 20% and two functional groups, namely, Ce:glyph name="sbnd" />Cewly formed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study, aluminum foam and aluminum plates were plasma-treated using nitrogen gas to improve the bonding strength of adhesively bonded aluminum foam/aluminum composites. Three types of test specimens were fabricated: (1) regular aluminum foam/aluminum, (2) regular aluminum foam/plasma-treated aluminum and (3) plasma-treated aluminum foam/regular aluminum. The treatment effect was determined by comparing the bending and shear strength of these three samples. Fractured surfaces of these specimens were investigated after bending and shear tests. The results showed that when the aluminum was plasma-treated, its bending strength and shear strength improved by 13 and 30%, respectively, compared to no plasma treatment. However, plasma treatment of aluminum foam produced a similar result to the case with no plasma treatment on aluminum. The plasma treatment did not induce a noticeable physical change in the surface, but it produced functional groups. It was judged that the improved bonding strength was caused by the aluminum''s increased interfacial adhesion to the adhesive because the plasma treatment increased the surface''s hydrophilicity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]