An Elasto-Plastic Investigation of the Peel Test

This work outlines an elasto-plastic investigation of two common peel tests which use high and low yield strength aluminium adherends. An elastic, large-displacement, finite element program has been extended to include elasto-plastic material behaviour. This has been used to analyse both peel tests. The adhesive stresses near the crack tip have been shown to be finite while the corresponding strains remain singular. A failure criterion based on a maximum adhesive strain has been used to predict the relative strengths of the peel test. The amount of energy dissipated in the plastic deformation of the peeling adherends has been assessed by a series of tests and has been shown to be a considerable amount of the total energy supplied to the peeling system. Further, although the two aluminium alloys considered have grossly different yield strengths the energies dissipated in plastic deformation are similar. Material data for the finite element analysis and the plastic work calculations have been obtained from uniaxial tensile tests of both the adherends and the adhesive and actual peel strengths have been measured in a series of peel tests.     

Calorimetric Measurements of The Heat Generated by The Peel Adhesion Test

The peel test is a simple mechanical test commonly used to measure the adhesion of flexible films bonded to rigid substrates. When the film is deformed elastically during peeling, the peel force is a direct measure of the strength of the interface. However, when plastic deformation takes place, the work of detachment is much larger than the thermodynamic work of forming the fracture surfaces. Simultaneous mechanical and calorimetric measurements of the work of detachment and the heat generated during the peeling of polymeric films from metal substrates and metal films from polymeric substrates have been made. An energy balance for peeling has been proposed. Most of the work of peeling was consumed by plastic deformation. The peeled polymer dissipated approximately one half of the work of peeling as heat and most of the remainder was stored in the peeled material. The peeled metal dissipated most of the work of peeling as heat.     

The Use of Large Diameter Monofilament for Improving Peel Resistance of a Brittle High Temperature Adhesive

Peel force measurements as a function of adherend thickness are reported for adhesively bonded specimens based on a cyanate ester resin and aluminium adherends. It has been demonstrated that by incorporating large diameter (0.28mm) PTFE monofilament within the adhesive bond then the peel force and associated fracture energy can be increased significantly over that for specimens based on adhesive alone. Fracture energy measurements are derived for specimens with peeling adherend thickness of up to about 0.6 mm using the 90° peel test. Fracture energies are also derived for peeling of more practically-representative 1.6mm thickness adherends using a single cantilever beam experiment. In-situ photoelasticity and SEM microextensomctry experiments are reported which show the stress fields and displacements associated with the presence of the monofilament. It is believed that the reported increase in measured fracture energy is partly due to the crack pinning effect of the monofilament, and partly due to the monofilament creating a “load shadowed” region between adherend and monofilament which prevents the interfacial crack from propagating between adherend and adhesive.     

Effects of peel angle on peel force of adhesive tape from soft adherend

In the case of the peeling of adhesive tapes from soft adherends, the contributions of the compressive force at the adhered portion as well as the larger deformation of adherend have essential roles in determining the peeling properties. In this paper, the peel force of an adhesive tape from a soft adherend has been measured to understand the peeling mechanism, which is greatly affected by the peel angle. A commercially available pressure-sensitive adhesive was used as the tape, and a cross-linked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used as the soft adherend. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of the peel angle on the peel behavior of this system at room temperature under different material specifications and different experimental conditions. The factors that affect the peel force of the PDMS adherend included the degree of cross-linking in PDMS, the thickness of PDMS, peel angle, and peel velocity. Two characteristic peel patterns were observed, which depended on the material specifications and different experimental conditions. The peel mechanism was discussed in terms of the deformation of the adherend.     

Low-speed bending impact behavior of adhesively bonded single-lap joints

This study addresses the low-speed impact behavior of adhesively bonded single-lap joints. An explicit dynamic finite element analysis was conducted in order to determine the damage initiation and propagation in the adhesive layers of adhesive single-lap joints under a bending impact load. A cohesive zone model was implemented to predict probable failure initiation and propagation along adhesive–adherend interfaces whereas an elasto-plastic material model was used for the adhesive zone between upper and lower adhesive interfaces as well as the adherends. The effect of the plastic deformation ability of adherend material on the damage mechanism of the adhesive layer was also studied for two aluminum materials Al 2024-T3 and Al 5754-0 having different strength and plastic deformation ability. The effects of impact energy (3 and 11 J) and the overlap length (25 and 40 mm) were also investigated. The predicted contact force-time, contact force-central displacement variations, the damage initiation and propagation mechanism were verified with experimental ones. The SEM and macroscope photographs of the adhesive fracture surfaces were similar to those of the explicit dynamic finite element analysis.     

A Comparison of Numerous Lap Joint Theories for Adhesively Bonded Joints

Numerous authors have investigated the state of stress in the adhesive of adhesively bonded joints. They have made various assumptions concerning the behavior of the adhesive and adherends to yield tractable differential equations which remove the stress singularities which occur at the edges of the bi-material interfaces. By examining several test problems, this paper investigates the effect of these assumptions on predicted adhesive stress. It was found that predicted maximum adhesive shear stress is insensitive to underlying assumptions and that maximum adhesive peel stress is relatively unaffected by most assumptions except that neglecting shear deformation of the adherends can affect results by as much as 30%. Peel stresses from the well known theory of Goland and Reissner which neglects shear deformation of the adherends and makes several inconsistent assumptions vary as much as 30% from stresses from a consistent lap joint theory which considers shear deformation of the adherends. However, in most cases the effects of the inconsistencies cancel the effects of neglecting the shear deformation of the adherends and the variation is less than 15%. This paper points out that finite element analyses of bonded joints where one layer of 4 node isoparametric elements are used to model the adhesive give results very close to those from consistent lap joint theories.     

Experimental determination of the peel adhesion strength for metallic foils

This work addresses the problem of experimental measurement of peel adhesion in cases where a non-recoverable (plastic) deformation energy of the peeled foil, plus frictional losses, constitutes a significant portion of the total peel energy. In standard tests, when the true adhesion strength is desired, the plastic energy has to be calculated and deducted from the total energy. Several studies have been dedicated to the modelling and calculation of the energy dissipated through plastic deformation so that the net adhesion energy could be deduced. These calculations are cumbersome and impractical for general use. A simple experimental technique for the determination of the net adhesion strength is proposed. Experimental results with ～ 0.1 mm thick foils of stainless steel, nickel, and titanium confirm the theoretical predictions regarding the energy balance during peeling. Using the proposed methodology, there is no need to calculate or otherwise determine the deformation energy losses of the peeled foil or the frictional dissipation. The method is not limited to a particular material and can be used successfully for strain hardening plastic as well as metallic foils. Peel tests on adhesively bonded specimens of stainless steel and nickel and of a thermal spray-coated Ti alloy foil were carried out to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.     

Peel mechanics for an elastic-plastic adherend

The force required to propagate a 180° bend in an elastic-plastic strip has been calculated from elementary bending theory. Measured forces for Mylar strips of various thicknesses, bent to various degrees, were in good agreement with these calculated values. The corresponding additional stripping force in a peeling experiment will depend upon the thickness of the elastic-plastic adherend, becoming zero both for infinitesimally thin adherends and for those exceeding a critical thickness t_c and passing through a maximum value at intermediate thicknesses. Published data are in good agreement with these conclusions. For a strongly adhering strip, higher peel strengths are found for a peel angle of 180°, compared to 90°, and the effect is greater than can be accounted for solely by plastic yielding of the adherend. It is attributed in part to greater energy dissipation within the adhesive layer.     

Strength of adhesive joints with adherend yielding: I. Analytical model

A sandwich element can be isolated in all two-dimensional adhesive joints, thereby simplifying the analysis of strain and stress. An adhesive sandwich model has been developed that accommodates arbitrary loading, a bilinear adherend stress-strain response, and any form of nonlinear adhesive behavior. The model accounts for both the bending deformation and the shear deformation of the adherends. Stress and strain distributions in the adhesive were obtained by solving a system of six differential equations using a finite-difference method. For a sample adhesive sandwich, the adhesive strains and stresses from the new model were compared with those of other models. Finally, the model was coupled with an analytical solution for the detached section of an adhesive joint in peel. The stress and strain distributions in the adhesive and the root curvature of the peel adherend were then compared with finite element results. An accompanying article in this issue uses the model with experimental peel data to investigate the suitability of various adhesive failure criteria.     

STRENGTH OF ADHESIVE JOINTS WITH ADHEREND YIELDING: I. ANALYTICAL MODEL

A sandwich element can be isolated in all two-dimensional adhesive joints, thereby simplifying the analysis of strain and stress. An adhesive sandwich model has been developed that accommodates arbitrary loading, a bilinear adherend stress-strain response, and any form of nonlinear adhesive behavior. The model accounts for both the bending deformation and the shear deformation of the adherends. Stress and strain distributions in the adhesive were obtained by solving a system of six differential equations using a finite-difference method. For a sample adhesive sandwich, the adhesive strains and stresses from the new model were compared with those of other models. Finally, the model was coupled with an analytical solution for the detached section of an adhesive joint in peel. The stress and strain distributions in the adhesive and the root curvature of the peel adherend were then compared with finite element results. An accompanying article in this issue uses the model with experimental peel data to investigate the suitability of various adhesive failure criteria.     

Single and dual adhesive bond strength analysis of single lap joint between dissimilar adherends

The emerging trends for joining of aircraft structural parts made up of different materials are essential for structural optimization. Adhesively bonded joints are widely used in the aircraft structural constructions for joining of the similar and dissimilar materials. The bond strength mainly depends on the type of adhesive and its properties. Dual adhesive bonded single lap joint concept is preferred where there is large difference in properties of the two dissimilar adherends and demanding environmental conditions. In this work, Araldite-2015 ductile and AV138 brittle adhesives have been used separately between the dissimilar adherends such as, CFRP and aluminium adherends. In the dual adhesive case, the ductile adhesive Araldite-2015 has been used at the ends of the overlap because of high shear and peel strength, whereas in the middle of the bonded region the brittle adhesive AV138 has been used at different dimensions. The bond strength and corresponding failure patterns have been evaluated. The Digital Image Correlation (DIC) method has been used to monitor the relative displacements between the dissimilar adherends. Finite element analysis (FEA) has been carried-out using ABAQUS software. The variation of peel and shear stresses along the single and dual adhesive bond length have been captured. Comparison of experimental and numerical studies have been carried-out and the results of numerical values are closely matching with the experimental values. From the studies it is found that, the use of dual adhesive helps in increasing the bond strength.     

Energy and force distributions during mandrel peeling of a flexible tape with a pressure-sensitive adhesive

Peel tests are commonly used to investigate the strength of adhesive joints. In the mandrel peel test the curvature of the flexible tape within the zone of detachment is controlled by the radius of the mandrel and this, coupled with an energy balance approach, allows separate determinations of the energy terms associated with any plastic or inelastic deformation of the tape and the de-adhesion or peel energy. If, in addition, the force on the mandrel is monitored then the position of the force vector within the separation or de-adhesion zone can be established. This, in turn, permits a closer comparison with predictions from a peel model which allows non-linear behaviour of both the tape and the adhesive layer. The model has been validated by peel tests on cellulose, PVC, aluminium and Teflon tapes carried out at sufficiently low speeds for rate effects within the adhesive to be small. Both the measured values of the de-adhesion energy, which varied from 60 to 160 J/m², and the positions of the force vector within the de-adhesion zone correlated well with those predicted from load-extension tests on samples of the tapes and bulk samples of similar polymeric adhesives carried out at similar rates of deformation.     

Cohesive zone models and the plastically deforming peel test

The peel test is a popular test method for measuring the peeling energy between flexible laminates. However, when plastic deformation occurs in the peel arm(s) the determination of the true adhesive fracture energy, G c , from the measured peel load is far from straightforward. Two different methods of approaching this problem have been reported in recently published papers, namely: (a) a simple linear-elastic stiffness approach, and (b) a critical, limiting maximum stress, σ max , approach. In the present article, these approaches will be explored and contrasted. Our aims include trying to identify the physical meaning, if any, of the parameter σ max and deciding which is the better approach for defining fracture when suitable definitive experiments are undertaken. Cohesive zone models Fracture mechanics Laminates Peel tests Plastic deformation     

COHESIVE ZONE MODELS AND THE PLASTICALLY DEFORMING PEEL TEST

The peel test is a popular test method for measuring the peeling energy between flexible laminates. However, when plastic deformation occurs in the peel arm(s) the determination of the true adhesive fracture energy, G c , from the measured peel load is far from straightforward. Two different methods of approaching this problem have been reported in recently published papers, namely: (a) a simple linear-elastic stiffness approach, and (b) a critical, limiting maximum stress, σmax , approach. In the present article, these approaches will be explored and contrasted. Our aims include trying to identify the physical meaning, if any, of the parameter σmax and deciding which is the better approach for defining fracture when suitable definitive experiments are undertaken.

Cohesive zone models Fracture mechanics Laminates Peel tests Plastic deformation     

Failure mechanisms in peeling of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape

Studies on the peel behavior of pressure-sensitive tape comprising a polyester backing and polyacrylate adhesive have shown that, in peeling from a plane glass surface, three fundamentally different modes of peeling may be distinguished, depending upon the rate of pulling. At low rates, deformation by flow of the adhesive appears to determine the peel behavior and the peel force is strongly rate dependent. At high rates, little or no viscous deformation of the adhesive occurs and the peel force is independent of rate. At intermediate pulling rates, cyclical instability of made of failure involving alternate storage and dissipation of elastic energy in the backing, results in the phenomenon of “slip-stick” peeling, in which failure is jerky and regular. Results have been obtained which show how the pulling rates at which transitions from one mode of peel to another occur, and the peel force values for a given type of failure, depend upon such factors as molecular weight of adhesive, thickness of backing film, and angle of peeling.     

Comparison of Peel Tests for Metal–Polymer Laminates for Aerospace Applications

Standard peel tests for aerospace laminates based on metal–polymer systems, namely floating-roller and climbing-drum peel methods, have been accommodated in a unified theory of peeling. This theory also accommodates more basic peel tests such as T-peel and fixed-arm peel and also newer methods such as mandrel peel. These five methods have been applied to two aerospace laminate systems to critically examine their use in the determination of adhesive strength. The theory has been used to unify the outputs from the tests in terms of adhesive fracture toughness. In this way, the comparative merits of the methods can be commented on.

The validity of the standard methods has been put in doubt because of the absence of a correction for plastic bending energy and also because of the poor conformance of the peel arm to the roller system used in these methods. The unified theory and some measurements of peel-arm curvature help but not completely overcome some of these difficulties.

A further complication that arises in peel is a change in the plane of fracture. This reflects a transition from cohesive fracture in the adhesive to an adhesive fracture at the interfaces among adhesive, primer, and substrate. It is likely that such plane-of-fracture phenomena are intrinsic to evaluation of the laminate and that contemplation of cohesive fracture toughness for the adhesive cannot accommodate such events.     

Comparison of Peel Tests for Metal-Polymer Laminates for Aerospace Applications

Standard peel tests for aerospace laminates based on metal-polymer systems, namely floating-roller and climbing-drum peel methods, have been accommodated in a unified theory of peeling. This theory also accommodates more basic peel tests such as T-peel and fixed-arm peel and also newer methods such as mandrel peel. These five methods have been applied to two aerospace laminate systems to critically examine their use in the determination of adhesive strength. The theory has been used to unify the outputs from the tests in terms of adhesive fracture toughness. In this way, the comparative merits of the methods can be commented on.

The validity of the standard methods has been put in doubt because of the absence of a correction for plastic bending energy and also because of the poor conformance of the peel arm to the roller system used in these methods. The unified theory and some measurements of peel-arm curvature help but not completely overcome some of these difficulties.

A further complication that arises in peel is a change in the plane of fracture. This reflects a transition from cohesive fracture in the adhesive to an adhesive fracture at the interfaces among adhesive, primer, and substrate. It is likely that such plane-of-fracture phenomena are intrinsic to evaluation of the laminate and that contemplation of cohesive fracture toughness for the adhesive cannot accommodate such events.     

Relationship between the fracture energy and the mechanical behaviour of pressure-sensitive adhesives

Mechanical behaviours of two pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) families, composed of elastomer copolymers or polyacrylate/acrylic copolymers, are characterised by peel tests. Fracture energy varies linearly according to the applied contact force between two levels, which depends on tackiness and cohesion of the PSA. Local fracture energies are measured by an original peeling system and they are related with the adhesive deformation. Mechanical behaviours of PSAs depend on their composition but majority of fracture energy is dissipated on the first millimetre near the bending zone where fibrils elongation is maximum. Observations of interfaces between PSAs and glass substrate underline that fracture energy varies linearly according to the contact area.     

Studies on tack of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes: On the surface contamination by adhesive mass after peeling

The presence of adhesive residue on the surface of various adherends after peeling has been confirmed using a tracer technique. Adhesive bonding is found to break by a cohesive mechanism, although the unbonding process seems apparently to be due to intersurface failure. This result supports the concept for adhesive bond breaking proposed in the preceding paper: The unbonding proceeds from the viscoelastic deformation of the adhesive mass around the wetted spots on the surface. As the number of spots in a unit area is controlled by surface energy, the tack value is dependent on the critical surface tension of the adherends.     

A two-dimensional stress analysis of single-lap adhesive joints subjected to external bending moments

The stress distributions in single-lap adhesive joints of similar adherends subjected to external bending moments have been analyzed as a three-body contact problem using a two-dimensional theory of elasticity (plain strain state). In the analysis, both adherends and the adhesive were replaced by finite strips. In the numerical calculations, the effects of the ratio of Young's moduli of the adherends to that of the adhesive and the adhesive thickness on the stress distribution at the interfaces were examined. It was found that the stress singularity occurs at the edges of the interfaces and that the peel stress at the edges of the interfaces increases with decreasing Young's modulus of the adherends. It was noticed that the singular stress decreases at the edges of the interfaces as the adherend thickness increases. In addition, photoelastic experiments and FEM (finite element method) calculations were carried out and fairly good agreement was found between the analytical and the experimental results.