Joining Process and Interface Toughening Mechanism of Hot No‐Rivet Connection of Al/ CFRTP Laminates

ABSTRACT To enhance the riveting performance between aluminum alloy (Al) and continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP), a new hot no‐rivet connection method, based on primary and secondary connection areas, was developed. This method draws from traditional metal riveting and stamping techniques. Specimens were prepared using a custom mold at a connection temperature of 255°C and a stroke of 3.3 mm. The connection areas were treated with grinding, phosphoric acid anodizing, aluminum powder, and the KH560 silane coupling agent to improve mechanical properties. The experimental results showed that joints created with this new method had better static mechanical performance. Specifically, the joint strength of polished aluminum laminate and thermoplastic CFRTP laminate improved by 301% compared to the untreated method. After multiple interface treatments, joint strength improved by 834%, with fracture failure occurring in the aluminum laminate. These findings demonstrate that the proposed hot no‐rivet connection method significantly improves joint reliability compared to traditional no‐rivet processes. The combination of mechanical locking and chemical bonding further enhances the mechanical properties of the Al/CFRTP joints.