A study of microwave reaction rate enhancement effect in adhesive bonding of polymers and composites

Microwaves have been investigated as an efficient alternative energy source for polymers and composites processing. In this paper, microwaves are applied in bonding two polymer composites with an epoxy-based adhesive. Results were compared with thermal process. Microwaves reduced the bonding time dramatically, which resulted from faster curing of the adhesives. The literature disagreed on whether localized superheating of functional groups or specific non-thermal effects are the main reason of microwave enhancement of reaction rate. In this study, the mechanism of microwave fast curing was investigated and the experimental results supported localized superheating of the functional groups as the main mechanism of reaction rate enhancement of microwave energy.