Analytical Characterization of CFRP Laser Treated by Excimer Laser Radiation

Due to the increasing interest in lightweight structures, carbon-fiber reinforced plastics are increasingly applied, especially in the transportation industry. An interesting technology for joining these materials is adhesive bonding due to numerous advantages compared to conventional techniques like riveting. However, to achieve a strong and durable bond, surface pre-treatment is necessary to remove residues of release agents that are transferred to the surface during manufacturing. This paper describes analytical experiments, namely SEM and XPS, performed on CFRP surfaces pre-treated with 308 nm excimer laser radiation.