EVERGREEN

Joint Journal of Novel Carbon Resource Sciences and Green Asia Strategy

ISSN:2189-0420 (Print until Mar 2020)
ISSN:2432-5953 (Online)

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Experimental Study of Adhesively Bonded Single Lap Joint Behaviour in CFRP-to-CFRP, Al-to-Al, and CFRP-to-Al Configurations

Kosim Abdurohman1,*, Taufiq Satrio Nurtiasto1, Rezky Agung Pratomo2, Nur Mufidatul Ula1, Afid Nugroho1, Awang Rahmadi Nuranto1, Riki Ardiansyah1, Ryan Hidayat3, Rian Suari Aritonang1, Fajar Ari Wandono1
1Research Center for Aeronautics Technology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Indonesia
2Department of Metallurgy and Material Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
3Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia, Indonesia
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
E-mail: kosi001@brin.go.id (KA)
Evergreen, Vol. 12, Iss. 03, pp. 1531–1544, 2025
DOI: 10.5109/7388847
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Received: December 24, 2024 | Revised: September 12, 2025 | Accepted: September 27, 2025 | Published: September 2025
Abstract
This study evaluates the tensile performance of single-lap joints with three configurations: CFRP-to-CFRP, Al-to-Al, and CFRP-to-Al. The effect of CFRP and aluminum adherends on joint strength was analyzed based on surface characteristics and mechanical properties. CFRP substrates were fabricated using vacuum-assisted resin infusion with vinyl ester resin and unidirectional carbon fibers, while aluminum plates were cut to ASTM D5868 standards. Epoxy adhesive was employed, and surface preparation included 800-grit sanding to enhance bond quality. Surface roughness, wettability, and morphology were characterized using a surface roughness tester, contact angle, and atomic force microscopy measurements. Sanding significantly reduced surface roughness (Ra) for CFRP from 6.48 ± 0.24 µm to 1.49 ± 0.19 µm, improving surface wettability. Aluminum exhibited lower contact angles than CFRP, reflecting its distinct surface properties. Tensile tests of the epoxy adhesive revealed an ultimate tensile strength of 54.30 ± 2.20 MPa and a tensile modulus of 2.21 ± 0.08 GPa, confirming its suitability for SLJs. Lap shear tests demonstrated that CFRP-to-CFRP joints achieved the highest average shear strength (5.05 ± 0.64 MPa), followed by Al-to-Al (3.03 ± 0.57 MPa) and CFRP-to-Al (3.52 ± 0.75 MPa). The CFRP-to-Al configuration exhibited the highest variability due to material incompatibilities. Failure analysis indicated mixed adhesive and cohesive failure modes across all configurations, with CFRP-to-CFRP joints showing superior bond consistency. These findings highlight the critical role of material compatibility and surface treatment in optimizing SLJ performance for composite and dissimilar material joints.
Keywords
epoxy adhesive ; CFRP ; single lap bonded joints ; composite-to-composite joints ; metal-to-metal joints ; composite-to-metal joints
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