A FUNDAMENTAL STUDY ON THE INFLUENCE OF PLASMA TREATMENT PARAMETERS ON THE ADHESIVE BONDING OF POLYETHERKETONEKETONE THERMOPLASTIC SUBSTRATES

The adoption of thermoplastic composites in aerospace applications is rapidly increasing, primarily due to their rapid processability, lightweight and recyclability. However, the effective bonding and joining of thermoplastic substrates is critical for the long-term sustainability of such materials within the aviation industry. Bonding thermoplastics using structural adhesives is challenging as they exhibit poor adhesion due to their low surface energy. Plasma treatment techniques have proven to be effective to permit the bonding of thermoplastics, however, repeatable bonding performance remains a concern, and a solution is needed. This paper provides a summary of work undertaken to investigate the influence of atmospheric plasma treatment variables and impact on the bonding of a carbon fiber supported polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) matrix using adhesives.