On the use of scanning Kelvin probe for assessing in situ the delamination of adhesively bonded joints

In this paper we report on the delamination of a real closed adhesive joint geometry investigated by means of Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP). The potential distribution at the metal/polymer interface was measured through a thin layer of glass. Quantitative measurements of the delamination kinetics were performed, accompanied by XPS inspection of the fracture surfaces. The delamination rate was found to be hundred times slower than in an open joint geometry. Furthermore, the delamination-limiting step for the open joint is the transport of cations, whereas for the closed joint is limited by the ingress of oxygen along the interphase.