Laser-and-catalysis-assisted direct bonding of metal and non-reactive polymer for industrially durable multimaterial manufacturing

Abstract

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is an ideal coating material with superior chemical resistance, lubrication, and hydrophobicity. Multimaterial manufacturing with metal and PTFE is desirable for their complementary strengths, but non-robust bonding at the interface remains a significant challenge for durability. Here, we devise a strategy combining iron catalyst deposition and thermostatic control on a high-power laser to directly bond steel and pure PTFE. As a result, we achieve unprecedented peel strength surpassing 3.5 N/mm and stable chemical bond formation between the two materials. Furthermore, manufacturing a 10-ton truck's loading box with steel-PTFE composites proves the ultra-durable lubrication effect that enables zero load waste and 10.7 % CO2 reduction during repetitive soil transportation. Our novel method to control polymer decomposition at the metal-polymer interface should facilitate multimaterial manufacturing with superior mechanochemical durability.