Fusion bonding is one of the three methods available for joining composite and dissimilar materials. While the other two, mechanical fastening and adhesion bonding, have been the subject of wide coverage both in textbooks and monographs, fusion bonding is covered here substantially for the first time. Fusion bonding offers a number of advantages over traditional joining techniques and it is anticipated that its use will increase dramatically in the future because of the rise in the use of thermoplastic matrix composites and the growing necessity for recyclability of engineering assemblies. Fusion Bonding of Polymer Composites provides an in-depth understanding of the physical mechanisms involved in the fusion bonding process, covering such topics as:
- heat transfer in fusion bonding;
- modelling thermal degradation;
- consolidation mechanisms;
- crystallisation kinetics;
- processing-microstructure-property relationship;
- full-scale fusion bonding;
- fusion bonding of thermosetting composite/thermoplastic composite and metal/thermoplastic joints.
The book focuses on one practical case study using the resistance welding process. This example exposes the reader to the development of processing windows for a novel manufacturing process including the use of experimental test programmes and modelling strategies.

From the reviews:

"This book is the first volume in the Engineering Materials and Processes series . the book would be an ideal reference for anyone wishing to fusion bond advanced polymer composites." (John Summerscales, Materials World, Vol. 11 (9), 2003)

Inhalt

1. Introduction.- 1.1 Advanced Thermoplastic Matrix Composites (TMPCs).- 1.2 Joining Technology for Composite Materials.- 1.3 References.- 2. The State of the Art in Fusion Bonding of Polymer Composites.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Traditional Technologies.- 2.3 Fusion Bonding Technology.- 2.4 Joining of Dissimilar Materials.- 2.5 Comparative Assessment.- 2.6 Concluding Remarks.- 2.7 References.- 3. Heat Transfer in Fusion Bonding.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Heat Generation.- 3.3 Heat Transfer.- 3.4 Modelling Thermal Degradation.- 3.5 Aspects Influencing Heat Transfer in Resistance Welding.- 3.6 Simulations of Resistance Welding.- 3.7 Concluding Remarks.- 3.8 References.- 4. Consolidation Mechanisms.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Basic Mechanisms for Fusion Bonding.- 4.3 Simulations of Consolidation for Resistance Welding.- 4.4 De-consolidation Phenomenon.- 4.5 Concluding Remarks.- 4.6 References.- 5. Crystallisation Kinetics.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Description of Crystallisation Kinetics and Crystal Melting Kinetics Models.- 5.3 A Transient Crystallinity Model for Resistance Welding.- 5.4 Simulations of the Crystallinity Level.- 5.5 Concluding Remarks.- 5.6 References.- 6. Processing-Microstructure-Property Relationship.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Experimental Techniques.- 6.3 Assessing Parent Materials Properties.- 6.4 Heat Generation and Heat Transfer.- 6.5 Determination of Processing Windows.- 6.6 Concluding Remarks.- 6.7 References.- 7. Full-scale Fusion Bonding.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Strategies for Transition to Large-scale Fusion Bonding.- 7.3 Large-scale Resistance Welding.- 7.4 Concluding Remarks.- 7.5 References.- 8. Fusion Bonding of TSMC/TPMC Joints.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 Experimental.- 8.3 TP Hybrid Interlayer.- 8.4 Modelling.- 8.5 Characterisation of CF-Epoxy/CF-PEIJoints.- 8.6 Concluding Remarks.- 8.7 References.- 9. Fusion Bonding of Metal/TPMC Joints.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Experimental.- 9.3 Simulation of Resistance Welding of Aluminium/CF-PEI LS Joints.- 9.4 Characterisation of Aluminium/CF-PEI LS Joints.- 9.5 Concluding Remarks.- 9.6 References.- Appendix A. Material Properties for Simulations.- Appendix B. Parameters for Crystallisation and Crystal Melting Kinetics Models.- Appendix C. Thermal Degradation Kinetic Model.- C.I Thermal Degradation Model for CF-epoxy Composite.- C.2 Thermal Degradation Model for PEI.- C.3 Thermal Degradation Model for PEEK.- C.4 References.