Graphite Laminated Materials Strength Properties and Energy Characteristics of Polymer Binders

The approach for graphite laminated materials strength properties prediction using contact angle measurements was proposed. The tensile strength of laminated materials made of graphite foil and stainless steel with acrylic and silicone adhesives was measured. It was shown that tensile strength depends on energy characteristics of polymer binders, which can be determined by simple and express wetting method. It was found that the highest values of tensile strength, strength of adhesion and the work adhesion to graphite and stainless steel were provided by acrylic adhesive MBM-5C. The delamination occurred when graphite and stainless steel sheets were connected with low surface energy silicone resin, γ = 23 mJ/m2, what was not able to maintain sufficient adhesion level to the both types of attached surfaces: polar steel and non-polar graphite. It was demonstrated that the calculation of the work of adhesion to polar and non-polar model liquids (water and octane respectively) can be applied to optimize the choice of polymer binder and design of laminated materials. It’s quite important that the proposed technique doesn’t require to determine free surface energy for each type of sheet material which is especially difficult and complex task if laminate consists of several different layers.