Enhanced Interfacial Adhesion of Nylon 66 to Epoxy Resin EPON 825 by Non-thermal Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasmas

Poly(hexamethylene adipamide), nylon 66, is a popular plastic that requires high surface wettability and strong adhesive bonds for many applications. However, pristine difficult to bond due its hydrophobic nature poor wettability. The objective of this work was modify the physio-chemical properties 66 via novel atmospheric plasma treatment approach using oxygen (O2) or water vapor (H2O) glow. hydrophilicity plasma-treated substantially enhanced immediately after either helium (He)/H2O He/O2 treatment. average contact angle reduced from 65 degrees ~30 He/H2O ~40 treatments. improved also evidenced by increased intensities hydroxyl in X-ray photoelectron spectra. interfacial adhesion strength surfaces before further evaluated uniaxial tensile tests single-joint lap shears bonded with three adhesives, i.e., thermoset epoxy resins EPON 825/ JEFFAMINE D-230 EPON825/JEFFAMINE D-2000, thermoelastic polyurethane Sikaflex 252. most significant improvements strengths were found 825/JEFFAMINE resin; their shear maximum loads more than doubled—from 299–451 693–1594 N—after factor four 895–1857 N subsequent silane In contrast, D-2000 not significantly because different a, re-affirming importance bulk This presents preliminary success effective functionalization leading development scalable