Progress on Metal-composite Spot Joints Produced With Frictional Heating - a Literature Review

Friction-based spot joining of polymer-metal hybrid structures is a new research field introduced by the author and contributors in the past few years through patents, academic theses and technical publications. Its main advantages include short joining cycles, absent or reduced need for pre- or post-joining treatments, and improved mechanical performance in comparison to state-of-the-art adhesive bonding. This work addresses recent developments on Friction Spot Joining (FSpJ) – a further development to the refill friction stir spot welding for metal-thermoplastic composite overlap joints – patented by Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, HZG, Germany (Amancio-Filho and dos Santos, US 8,567,032, B2 and EP 2 329 905 B1). Emphasis will be given on the review of recent published work at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz, Austria) and HZG reporting on following aircraft material joint’s properties: quasi-static, fatigue and impact mechanical performance, as well as the influence of accelerated ageing on engineering corrosion behavior and spot joint mechanical strength.