Calorimetric Measurements of The Heat Generated by The Peel Adhesion Test

Abstract The peel test is a simple mechanical test commonly used to measure the adhesion of flexible films bonded to rigid substrates. When the film is deformed elastically during peeling, the peel force is a direct measure of the strength of the interface. However, when plastic deformation takes place, the work of detachment is much larger than the thermodynamic work of forming the fracture surfaces. Simultaneous mechanical and calorimetric measurements of the work of detachment and the heat generated during the peeling of polymeric films from metal substrates and metal films from polymeric substrates have been made. An energy balance for peeling has been proposed. Most of the work of peeling was consumed by plastic deformation. The peeled polymer dissipated approximately one half of the work of peeling as heat and most of the remainder was stored in the peeled material. The peeled metal dissipated most of the work of peeling as heat. Key Words: Adhesionpeel energycalorimetric measurementsthermal dissipationinelastic deformationenergy balance