Cooper and platinum films were deposited by evaporation and sputtering techniques onto prepared substrates of alumina, sapphire (cut along an a or c axis) and yttria stabilized zirconia. The films are then bombarded with ions of H, He, Ne and Kr at energies within and outside the ion beam mixing regime. Ion beam induced modification in adhesion and its thermal stability were measured by three techniques - a scratch test, a pull test and a peel test. Adhesive energies of these solid-solid systems were determined by contact angle measurements using scanning electron microscopy. The resistance of the films to chemical attack is modified by ion bombardment and will be shown to correlate with adhesion alterations.