Adhesion Promotors for Polymer Surfaces

There are many good books written about the topic of adhesion and adhesion to polymers/plastics. This chapter is an attempt to review and provide context into variables that affect adhesion obtained to polymer surfaces, including those of both thermoplastics and thermosets. Polymer surfaces pose special challenges regarding adhesion. Polymers, for instance, have a variety of structures and vary extensively in their surface energy, which has implications for both wetting by a layer adhering to the polymer and theoretical adhesion energy available to the layer. The need for adhesion promotion to a polymer surface is predicated on the need for surface protection or for improving aesthetic appearance and on the surface energy and the type of coating desired to be applied onto said polymer surface. Techniques to enhance surface energy and adhesion are reviewed along with relative performance of applications.