Performance and mechanism of laser transmission joining between glass fiber‐reinforced PA66 and PC

On account of the large compatibility difference between glass fiber‐reinforced Polyamide 66 (GFR‐PA66) and Polycarbonate (PC), it is difficult to weld them directly by laser. A new technology is introduced in this article by which the transparent PC is successfully welded with GFR‐PA66 using cold spraying in order to spray a 20 μm‐thick aluminum film on GFR‐PA66 as the absorbed layer. Tensile shear tests show the tensile strength of welded joints is highly enhanced. The influences of bubbles, glass fiber, and aluminum atoms on the performance of the joins are investigated via the optical microscope. X‐ray Photoelectron Spectrometer (XPS) is used to detect the chemical information of fracture sections on PC. In terms of the generation of bubbles, the influence of glass fiber, the distribution of aluminum atoms, and the formation of new chemical bonds, this article analyses the mechanism why the two different materials can be welded successfully. The micro‐anchor influence of glass giber in fiber‐reinforced polymers is important. The generation of new chemical bonding (Al–O–C) between aluminum and upper PC is the main reason why the joining strength is enhanced greatly. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43068.