Surface structuring


'Nanoscale Sculpturing' for high-strength bonding

With our novel surface structuring method  - the 'Nanoscale Sculpturing' process - the surface of many metals and alloys can be structured in order to increase the mechanical stability of junctions between

  • metal - polymer
  • metall - metal

The METALANGELO-system

Cold bonding of metals - better than welding

The Metalangelo-system is a modular two-step joining-system designed for mobile application in ship- and car manufacturing, aerospace as well as in equipment engineering in order to replace or to complement welding.

 

 

1. Surface structuring

The base of the Metalangelo-system is given by the nanoscale-sculpturing process which is registered for patent approval. Here, an etching process causes billions of barb-structures in the micrometer range on the aluminum-surface to be joined.

2. Bonding of the components

The second step contains the actual bonding process where the initially structured aluminum-surface is glued to the component to be joined. The special developed holder system allows an exact joining on the initially structured surface which causes ideal and reproducible gluing conditions.


Cold bonding of metals with Metalangelo – the advantages in overview

1.

Area of application

curable & workhardened Al-alloys, also for non-weldable alloys like  AA7175

6.

Modular system

compact and light-weight (max. 30 kg, size around 0.9 m x 0.5 m x 0.3 m)


2.

High strength and calculable bonding

~ 500 kg shear-strenght with 3.5 times  safety (for an area of 6 cm²)

7.

No thermal load of components

no heat affected zone, no component distortion etc.


3.

Perfect bonding

spot-fidelity between structured surface and bonding, defined gap etc.

8.

No welding related problems

no hot cracking, no  pore-formation in the weldseam


4.

Optically attractive bonding

no weldseam, no postprocessing necessary

9.

Usable at hard to access areas

like edges or over head-positions


5.

Easy to handle

due to partial automatisation no professional knowledge necessary

10.

Already lacquered or coated areas

can be processed by METALANGELO


The Metalangelo-system, which is registered for patent approval, is a collaborative development from scientists of the working group Functional Nanomaterials from Kiel University  and the scientific team of the Phi-Stone AG.