Effect of nanofillers on adhesion strength of steel joints bonded with acrylic adhesives

This paper reports a study on the effect of Al₂O₃, SiO₂ and TiO₂ nanoparticles on the adhesion strength of steel joints bonded with two-part structural acrylic adhesives. Introduction of the nanoparticles in the two-part acrylic adhesive led to a remarkable enhancement in both the shear and the tensile strength of the steel joints. Addition of the nanoparticles caused an increase in the shear and the tensile strength of the joints; however, a reduction was observed in the peel strength of the joints. Differential scanning calorimeter analysis revealed that glass transition temperature values of the adhesives rose with the addition of the nanofillers. The water contact angle was decreased for adhesives containing nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscope images revealed that the addition of the nanoparticles altered the fracture morphology from smooth to rough fracture surfaces.