Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet

Dept. of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science

Lab Report
On

Determination of adhesive strength of supplied sample

Course title: Polymer characterization sessional
Course code: CEP 374

Lab Group: 01
Submitted to:
Dr. Mohammed Mastabur Rahman
Professor
Dept. of CEP, SUST
Dr. Md. Mostafizur Rahman
Associate Professor
Dept. of CEP, SUST
Submitted by:
Mahazabin Mim
Reg. no: 2016332010
Session: 2016-17

Date of submission: 18-08-2019

Title:
Determination of adhesion strength of supplied sample (super glue).

Abstract:
The objective of this experiment is to determine the adhesion strength of super glue (the supplied
sample) by using pull off adhesion tester. The experiment was conducted by applying super glue
evenly on the dolly surface and then placed it on a polymer surface. Enough time was given the
glue to dry. After drying the pull off adhesion tester was connected to the dolly carefully. Then the
dolly was pulled by exerting a force perpendicular to the surface in an effort to remove the dolly
with the coating from the substrate and this was done until the glue gave away before registering
any force. The force at which this occurs and the type of failure obtained is recorded as a measure
of the adhesion properties of the coating [1].

Introduction:
An adhesive is a material that is applied to the surfaces of articles to join them permanently by an
adhesive bonding process [2]. There are different types of adhesives such as white craft glue,
yellow wood glue, super glue (also known as cyanoacrylate adhesives), hot glue, spray adhesives,
fabric adhesives, epoxy (have highest tensile strength), polyurethane etc. Adhesives are used in
automotive, aerospace, domestic appliance, biomedical, dental, consumer, electronic,
construction, general industrial, industrial machine, marine and sports equipment applications.
Synthetic adhesives have good adhesion to a variety of substrates, can be applied quickly, have
excellent properties, and are cost effective [3]. In this experiment, pull off adhesion tester (ASTM
D4541) is used to measure the adhesion strength. Adhesion is the tendency of dissimilar particles
or surfaces to cling to one another. The intermolecular forces responsible for the function of
various kinds of adhesion. The forces that cause adhesion can be divided into several types such
as-
1. Mechanical adhesion:
In mechanical adhesive materials fill the voids or pores of the surfaces and hold surfaces together
by interlocking.
2. Chemical adhesion:
Chemical adhesion occurs when the surface atoms of two separate surfaces form ionic, covalent,
or hydrogen bonds. The engineering principle behind chemical adhesion in this sense is fairly
straightforward: if surface molecules can bond, then the surfaces will be bonded together by a
network of these bonds. These bonds are fairly brittle, since the surfaces then need to be kept close
together.
3. Dispersive adhesion:
In dispersive adhesion, also known as physisorption, two materials are held together by van der
Waals forces: the attraction between two molecules, each of which has a region of slight positive
and negative charge [4].
There are also three basic types of adhesion. They are-
 Specific Adhesion - the molecular attraction between contacting surfaces.
 Mechanical Adhesion - occurs when an adhesive flow into the microstructure of the
surfaces to be bonded.
 Effective Adhesion - combines specific and mechanical adhesion for optimum joining
strength [5].
Materials and methods:
 Materials:
1) Portable pull off adhesion tester (ASTM D4541)
2) Polymer sheet (also wood and plywood surface)
3) Super glue (as adhesive)
4) Dolly or substrate
 Experimental set-up:

Figure: Pull of tester

  Methods:
1) At first super glue was applied evenly on the dolly surface and then the dolly was placed
on the surface of a polymer sheet.
2) Enough time (1 hour) was then given the glue to dry.
3) After one hour the pull off adhesion tester was connected to the dolly carefully so that the
tester pulled the dolly by exerting a force/ load perpendicular to the coated surface. It was
double checked that the tester was aligned correctly with the dolly.
4) At last the load was applied continuously until failure.
Result and discussion:
Substrate Corresponding adhesion strength
(N/mm2)
Polymer sheet 0.4 – 1.5
wood 0.4 – 0.6
plywood 0.3 – 5.2

The adhesion strength of the super glue was found to be 0.4 – 1.5 N/mm2 on polymer surface.
Adhesive strength on wood and plywood surface was found less and more correspondingly than
the adhesive strength on the polymer surface. Plywood surface was rough than polymer sheet
surface. We got such value of strength for several reasons like the adhesive was less or not enough
to wet the substrate surface completely. The glue didn’t get enough time to dry. The surface was
not finely uniform. There could also be some instrumental error. Though there were such types of
difficulties we were able to determine the adhesive strength of super glue (the supplied sample).
Conclusion:
The pull off test standards or ASTM adhesive standards are helpful in the evaluation and in testing
of adhesives. This test can determine the greatest perpendicular force (in tension) that a surface
area can bear before a plug of material is detached. This method maximizes tensile strength. For
better strength the adhesive should have good chemical and mechanical properties, the
glue/adhesive should get enough time to dry and so on. Otherwise failure will occur along the
weakest plane within the system including the test fixture, adhesive, coating system and substrate,
and will be exposed by the fracture surface.
References:
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/adhesion
2. http://www.oreilly.com
3. http://www.azom.com
4. http://www.sciencedirect.com
5. http://www.adhesives.org