The demand for weight reduction in transportation equipment has increased the attention on composite structures combining carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and aluminum alloys. However, due to the anisotropic and brittle nature of CFRP, conventional mechanical fastening methods are often inadequate. In this study, thermal compression bonding was employed to join CFRP and A5052 aluminum alloy, and the effects of bonding temperature and UV ozone surface treatment on joint strength were investigated. A series of experiments were conducted using different surface treatment durations (0, 15, 30, and 45 min) and bonding temperatures (350°C, 360°C, and 370°C). Tensile shear tests and fracture surface observations were performed to evaluate the bonding performance. The results indicate that while bonding temperature alone has limited effect on joint strength in untreated specimens, UV ozone treatment significantly improves bonding strength when applied under optimal conditions. Excessive treatment time or insufficient temperature led to strength degradation due to surface over-modification or lack of interfacial activation. The best bonding condition was achieved at 370°C with a 30 min UV treatment, where maximum resin coverage and shear strength were observed. These findings demonstrate that a well-balanced combination of surface modification and thermal parameters is crucial for achieving strong and stable dissimilar material joints.
SUN et al. (Wed,) studied this question.