Effect of Thermal Aging on Dynamic Mechanical Performance of a Novel Structural Adhesive

Abstract

This study mainly evaluates the thermal aging properties of a new room temperature cured structural adhesive. Multiple adhesive specimens were thermal aged at 80℃, 100℃, 120℃ and 140℃, respectively, and subjected to the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) at different temperatures and frequencies. According to the results of DMA and thermodynamic analysis, the performance of the adhesive changes little after aging at 80℃, 100℃ and 120℃ for 30 days. However, the adhesive performance became unstable at 140℃, and deteriorated rapidly with the extension of aging time. Hence, this structural adhesive is suitable for the environment below 120℃. In addition, the generalized curve of the structural adhesive aging for 20 days at 100℃ was obtained, following the principles of time-temperature equivalence superposition and time-aging time equivalence superposition. The test time was shortened significantly. This research provides an accelerated characterization strategy for the long-term mechanical properties of other polymers, making it possible to obtain the generalized curve of polymers aging for a specific time at a specific temperature.