Mechanism of ultrasonic vibration effects on adhesively bonded ceramic matrix composites joints

Abstract Ultrasonic vibration treatment is being utilized to improve adhesive bonding performance, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Moreover, few studies have been carried out on improvement of adhesive bonding of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) by ultrasonic vibration. In this work, a mathematical model based on fluid mechanics and capillary rise theory is developed to determine the adhesive penetration ability. The effect of ultrasonic vibration on adhesive bonding performance of CMCs is studied. Based on the experimental results, a good agreement is found with respect to measurements of hydraulic force and pressure. Ultrasonic vibration-assisted processing can improve interfacial adhesion strength due to adhesive has high wettability and penetration ability. Furthermore, it is found that delamination and ply-delamination are the main failure modes for all conditions, but porous areas are reduced by ultrasonic treatment.