CHROMIUM-FREE SURFACE PRETREATMENTS FOR IMPROVED ADHESIVE BONDING

A PROCESS FOR SURFACE TREATING NON-FERROUS STRUCTUAL METALS SUCH AS ALUMINUM AND TITANIUM IS PROPOSED WHICH CAN DRAMATICALLY SIMPLIFY AND IMPROVE THE PROCESS OF ADHESIVE BONDING AND CORROSION PROTECTION. THE PROPOSED RESEARCH EXPLORES THE FEASIBILITY OF USING HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SOLUTIONS MODIFIED WITH POLY (METAL OXIDES) FOR ADHEREND SURFACE ETCHING AND SPECIALLY FORMULATED PRIMERS TO YIELD TIGHT, STABLE OXIDE LAYERS SUITABLE FOR STRONG CHEMICAL BONDING TO COMMERCIAL ADHESIVES AND COATINGS. THE ABILITY TO FORM STRONG, DURABLE ADHESIVE BONDS TO TYPICAL AIRCRAFT ALLOYS WITHOUT THE NEED FOR CORROSIVE, TOXIC CHEMICAL ETCHANTS, SOPHISTICATED EQUIPMENT, OR LONG, HIGH-TEMPERATURE DRYING PROCEDURES WOULD REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT ADVANCEMENT IN ADHESION TECHNOLOGY.