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Materials composed of a polymer matrix reinforced with carbon/glass fibres providing lightweight and superior mechanical properties are widely used as structural components for automotive and aerospace applications. However, such parts need to be joined with various metal alloys to obtain better mechanical performance in many structural elements. Many studies have reported enhancements in polymer-metal bonding using adhesives, adhesive/rivet combined joints, and different surface treatments. This study investigated the influences of various surface treatments on the adhesion between glass-reinforced poly(phenylene) sulphide (PPS) and aluminium alloy during the injection over-moulding process. Adhesion strength was evaluated via the shear test. Correlations for the shear strength of the polymer-metal with different metal-substrate treatments were studied. Since the strongest bonding was attained in the treatment with the highest roughness, this value, as it determines the level of micromechanical interlocking of connected materials, seems to be a critical factor affecting the adhesion strength. Three-dimensional (3D) topographic images characterized with a 3D optical microscope indicated that there was a meaningful influence exerted by the interface topologies of the aluminium substrates used for the over-moulding process. The results further indicated that increases in a substrate's surface energy in connection with atmospheric plasma treatments negatively influence the final level of the bonding mechanism.

Mesoporous silica nanofibers and Ag-doped composite nanoribbons were synthesized by a facile combination of an electrospinning technique and the sol-gel method. Tetraethyl orthosilicate, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), triblock poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), copolymer Pluronic P123, and silver nitrate (AgNO(3)) were the components of sol for the production of Ag-doped hybrid silica ribbons. Heat removal of structure-directing agent P123 in the hybrid fibers at high temperatures resulted in a mesoporous morphology, and the degradation of PVP caused AgNO(3) to convert into silver in the form of nanoparticles. The size and content of the particles in the hybrid ribbons could be controlled by the concentration of AgNO(3) and thermal treatment conditions. Scanning electron microscopy, N(2) adsorption-desorption isotherm, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to characterize the composite ribbons. The catalytic activity of the ribbons was evaluated by reduction of methylene blue dye and found to be better than in previous studies.