Mechanical Surface Treatment of Adherends for Adhesive Bonding

Surface treatment is the initial stage in creating various adhesively bonded joints as well as to promote adhesion in the printing process or in applying paints, varnishes, sealants, wallpapers, etc.). Proper surface treatment of materials is the basic condition for obtaining adhesive joints with specific properties. During the surface treatment process, it is necessary to ensure the occurrence of various types of adhesion forces. The choice of surface treatment method implies obtaining specific surface free energy and the geometric structure of the prepared surface, and it depends, among others, on the type of material whose surface is being processed. The surface treatment process may include one or more steps, depending on the requirements, type of material, surface condition, etc. In this chapter, focus is on mechanical treatment, especially abrasive blasting of the surface of materials intended for adhesive bonding. Selected aspects of the use of mechanical methods for surface treatment and their impact on the geometric structure of the treated surfaces and the strength of adhesive joints of materials whose surfaces have been mechanically treated are discussed.