Cryoblasting as a pretreatment to enhance adhesion to aluminium alloys: an initial study

Cryoblasting, which involves bombarding a substrate with carbon dioxide particles, has been shown to have considerable promise as a pretreatment for aluminium. Auger electron spectroscopy and contact angle measurements indicated the removal of organic material from the metal and electron microscopy indicated a roughening effect. Joint strengths obtained with a single-part epoxide were more than double those obtained after degreasing and were similar to those achieved after grit blasting or conversion coating. Cryoblasting could be used either as a "stand alone" alternative to solvent degreasing or as the first stage, to replace organic solvents, in a multi-stage pretreatment. It has also been shown to be effective with substrates other than aluminium. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.