Adhesive bonding/joining through microwave radiation curing has been evaluated as an alternative processing technology. This technique significantly reduces the required curing time for the adhesive while maintaining equivalent physical characteristics as the adhesive material is polymerized (crosslinked). This results in an improvement in the economics of the process. Testing of samples cured via microwave radiation for evaluation of mechanical properties indicated that the obtained values from the single lap-shear test are in the range of the conventionally cured samples. In general, the ultimate tensile strength, OB, for the microwave processed samples subjected to this single lap-shear test was slightly higher than for conventionally cured samples. This technology shows promise for being applicable to a wide range of high volume, consumer goods industries, where plastics and polymer composites will be processed.
