Fracture behaviour of a rubber nano-modified structural epoxy adhesive: Bond gap effects and fracture damage zone

This paper critically examined the fracture behaviour of a rubber-modified, structural epoxy adhesive with various bond gap thicknesses ranging from 0.05 mm to 6 mm. The main and very novel contribution is direct measurement of the fracture process zone, plastic deformation zone and intrinsic fracture energy dissipated in the fracture process zone. The shape and size of the fracture process zone and plastic deformation zone were identified using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope and transmission optical microscope. As the bond gap thickness increased, the fracture energy increased steadily from 2365 J/m2 for 0.05 mm bond gap thickness to 6289 J/m2 of 1.6 mm bond gap thickness, and then plateaued. The thickness and failure strain of the fracture process zone remained essentially constant, being approximately 0.052 mm and 0.55 respectively, for different bond gap thicknesses. The intrinsic fracture energy (dissipated in the fracture process zone) appeared to be a material property, which remained approximately 2738 J/m2. The plastic deformation zone extended through the entire bond gap in thickness and occupied a significant length for all bond gap thicknesses. The effect of bond gap thickness on the fracture energy of the adhesive joints is hence directly attributed to the variation of the plastic deformation energy (dissipated in the plastic deformation zone) with bond gap thickness.