Studying the complex influence of external factors on the effectiveness of repairs with polymer composite materials

Abstract

The article discusses the influence of external factors on the effectiveness of repairs with polymer composite materials. In modern heavy industry and mechanical engineering, the use of composites is becoming increasingly popular due to their numerous advantages, such as rapid restoration of equipment performance and the ability to carry out repairs directly at the place of operation. However, performing repairs in difficult conditions, such as low temperatures and high humidity, poses new challenges for engineers. The article analyzes recent studies that show that certain conditions of relative humidity and temperature must be met to ensure the reliability of a metal-polymer joint. It was found that the best adhesion strength results are achieved after processing the samples with a grinding wheel and degreasing the surface with special cleaners. The research was conducted on samples of the composite material «multimetal steel 1018» manufactured by Diamant Metal Plastics GmbH (Germany). The tests were performed on the RM20 tensile machine in the laboratory of the PSTU Department of MMCM. The main results showed that the durability of equipment repaired with composites largely depends on the conditions of material application to the metal surface. At high humidity and low temperature, moisture condenses on the surface layers of the metal, which leads to corrosion processes and a decrease in the adhesive strength of the metal-composite joint. To increase the adhesion strength, it is recommended to use a liquid multimetal as the first adhesive layer or to heat a paste multimetal. Additionally, the possibility of degreasing surfaces with acetone is considered, which is more affordable, although branded cleaners show better results in conditions of long-term use. The conclusions of the article confirm the need to take into account external factors when carrying out repair work using polymer composites. Further research should be aimed at studying the effect of other external factors, such as mechanical stress and chemical aggression, on the properties of composite materials