Laser Joining of Metal and Plastic Using Insert Materials

Laser joining for dissimilar materials between metals plate and polypropylene plate using a newly developed insert sheet was investigated. It was not possible to join the plate of various metals to the nonpolar plastic plate such as the polypropylene directly under the various laser-irradiation conditions. However, the use of insert sheet held between the metal plate and the polypropylene plate made it possible to join each metal plate to polyethylene plate by laser-irradiation. The joining strength increased with the increase in the input energy by laser-irradiation, and the joining strength cloud be improved since the reactivity between each metal and the insert material allows improvement by giving the insert material polarity with such as a-NH 2 group, -COOH group.