Ultra-strong bonding of 30-wt% GF/PET-A2024 aluminium alloy via collaborative promotion of ultrasonic-assisted FeCl3+N2H4 corrosion and the coordination bonds by Zr4+

Abstract

Enhancing the bonding strength between metals and polymers is advantageous for hybrid structures used in aerospace and power electronics applications. This study, conducted for the first time, involves the preparation of multi-scale “honeycomb-meteorite crater” morphologies on the surface of A2024 aluminium alloy through a multi-step ultrasonic-assisted corrosion treatment. The ultrasonic-assisted FeCl3/N2H4 corrosion process increased the interfacial tensile shear strength of a 30-wt% glass fibre reinforced PET-A2024 aluminium alloy joint (expressed as 30-wt% GF/PET-A2024) to 32.0 MPa. Coating Zr4+ substantially enhances the hydrophilicity of the A2024 surface; however, the coordination bonding effect of Zr4+ can only be activated after prolonged heat treatment (100 °C, 3 h). With the combined effects of multi-scale mechanical interlocking and coordination bonding of Zr4+, the tensile shear strength of the 30-wt% GF/PET-A2024 joint can reach 56.5 MPa, surpassing existing works by a significant margin. Experimental results and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the optimal concentration for Zr4+ treatment is 1.5 wt%. Excessive Zr4+ would lead to ion-dipole interactions, which diminish the interface bonding strength; when the concentration of Zr4+ is 2 wt%, The joint strength dropped sharply to 39.1 MPa. This study provides a comprehensive discussion on ultrasonic-assisted corrosion and the effect of Zr4+, offering valuable insights for future research aimed at enhancing the interfacial bonding strength between polymers and metals.