Characteristics of Silane Bonding to Stainless Steel

Today products need to have high functionality but low manufacturing costs. Integration of different materials together to make a single final product is the demand at present. Hybrid technology is the answer for the queries and interests sighted above. Preparation of metal-plastic hybrids by insert injection moulding offers a manufacturing route for multi-functional components in a few processing steps. Nowadays, bonds between metal and plastic are basically established using mechanical methods. However, bonding by chemical method is needed but it is difficult because metals and plastics exhibit different physical and chemical characteristics. Hence coupling agents are used to improve bonding between metal and plastic. Silanes are the most commonly used coupling agents for metal-plastic bonding. The main objective of this thesis was to study the bonding characteristic between steel substrate and silane layer. Different parameters of the silane treatment process affect the structure, uniformity and thickness of silane layer present on the metal surface. Therefore, variations in parameters for silane treatment like pH and concentrations of the silane solution and rinsing methods for maintaining the thickness of silane layer on the metal substrate were tested. Planar and cross-sectional samples were prepared in order test the bonding characteristics. These samples were observed under optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. Certain samples were observed in x-ray photoelectron spectrometer and the results were computed. In order to aid these kinds of tests in future a simulation program was designed using CASINO simulation software. The results obtained from scanning electron microscope were consistent with the earlier published results. Developing a method to observe cross-sectional samples in a scanning electron microscope was difficult because of instability of the silane layer and previously used sample preparation methods. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the results obtained using scanning electron microscope. Simulation of experimental conditions was helpful to determine the conditions to be used in experiments. /Kir1