Effect of moisture on the adhesion of CFRP-to-steel bonded joints using peel tests

In this work, an experimental study has been carried out to evaluate the effect of salt water condition on the long-term adhesion of composite-to-metal bonded joints using peel tests. A new test configuration is tested via fully and partially immersed specimens with 500 mm length. Fracture surfaces of non-aged samples exhibited a cohesive failure within the adhesive layer, which indicates a good adhesion of the joint. Results revealed a significant difference in the interface adhesion between aged and non-aged condition after 150 days of immersion. Partially immersed specimens allow to evaluate the adhesion performance of the joint under dry and wet condition in single specimen using a simple peel test.