Thermal characterization of epoxy adhesives modified with nanofillers for hybrid friction stir welding process

This study deals with the development of new epoxy adhesive systems to be used in friction stir welding (FSW) technology and FSW-bonding hybrid technique for joining steel hull elements with aluminum superstructures. The addition of suitable additives, such as inorganic fillers, to the most promising formulations aims at obtaining materials not only leading to a stronger adhesion between the phases, but also characterized by improved thermal properties and good resistance to oxidation and chemical attacks. The polymeric adhesive systems here investigated were characterized by thermal analytical techniques, in particular focusing on kinetics of curing