Experimental Design of the Adhesion between a PEI/Glass Fiber Composite and the AA1100 Aluminum Alloy with Oxide Coating Produced via Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO)

In this study, the AA1100 aluminum alloy underwent the plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process to enhance its adhesion to a thermoplastic composite of polyetherimide (PEI) reinforced with glass fiber, following ASTM D1002:10 standards. A 23 factorial design was employed, varying three parameters in the oxidation process: immersion time, applied electric potential, and electrolyte concentration (Na2B4O7). The joining of aluminum and thermoplastic composite samples was achieved through oxy-fuel welding (OFW), using oxygen and acetylene gases. For the characterization of the joined samples, a universal tensile testing machine was utilized with a displacement speed of 1.5 mm/min. The analysis of the oxide coating involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Through variance analysis, it was determined that the statistical model encompasses approximately 80% of the variability in the adhesion process between materials. An improvement of up to 104% in adhesion between the materials was observed with the process, indicating an effective bond due to the presence of the thermoplastic matrix in the treated aluminum sample. This improvement is attributed to the morphology of the oxide coating, resembling corals, with micro-pores and recesses that facilitated mechanical anchoring.