Test standards Alpine supports: ASTM D429, ISO 813
Adhesion testing measures the strength of the bond between two materials, typically rubber bonded to rubber or rubber to metal by applying force until the bond fails. The test is performed by pulling or peeling the bonded specimen in a controlled manner to determine the force required to separate the materials.
In addition to quantifying bond strength, this test includes a visual inspection to determine the mode of failure, such as adhesive, primer, or substrate failure. Ideally, the sample reaches 100% rubber tear, indicating that the bond is stronger than the material itself. This is especially important in situations such as oilfields, since bonded elastomers there are under extreme temperatures, pressures, and chemicals. Results from some bond tests are shown below.
Alpine conducts adhesion testing using industry standards and custom methods. Our testing helps customers evaluate bonding processes, qualify materials, and ensure the durability of assemblies under real-world service conditions. Alpine also offers In-Situ Testing, our patent pending technology that allows for bond testing while samples are immersed in aging environments. Alpine is the only lab in the industry that offers this service.
Alpine Expanded Capabilities
Test conditions we support:
- In-Situ Testing options available
- Custom specimen preparation
- Instron capabilities up to 135,000 lbs.
- Aging in acids, bases, brines, hydrocarbons, and extreme pressure
- Cryogenic to 400°C aging capabilities
- Seven Instron machines to increase workflow efficiency and cost effectiveness
- Instron coolers and ovens for temperatures from to 300°C on the machine
Alpine offers advanced bond testing with custom specimen preparation to accommodate a range of adhesives, elastomers, plastics, and composites, with Instron capabilities up to 135,000 lbs. for rigorous pull and shear evaluations. Bonded samples can be aged in acids, bases, brines, hydrocarbons, and extreme pressures, with cryogenic to 400°C aging capabilities to evaluate performance across demanding service environments. With seven Instron machines and integrated coolers and ovens enabling temperatures up to 300°C on the machine, Alpine ensures high-throughput, cost-effective bond testing while delivering accurate, actionable data for qualification and material development programs. In-situ testing options are also available, allowing bond pull and shear tests to be performed while the sample remains under pressure, temperature, and chemical exposure, providing a true picture of bond performance in service-like conditions.
Testing Details
In a bond test, a specimen is bonded either to a rigid structure (such as a metal) or to another rubber sample. There are several different methods described in ASTM D429, including different peel angles, tensile tests, and shear tests.
Tensile bond testing involves a sample sandwiched between two pieces of metal that has been bonded. The fixture is then pulled apart at a constant rate until the bond breaks or the rubber ruptures.
For peel angles, one end of a specimen is bonded to a metal and put into a claw. The other end of the specimen is clamped, and the displacement is steadily applied along the defined angle. Force vs displacement is measured along the line of the bond.
In addition to ASTM D429, ASTM D903 is used for adhesive bonds where flexible materials are bonded to rigid or flexible substrates, providing broader peel strength evaluation across adhesives beyond rubber systems. ISO 813 specifies a method for measuring the adhesion of vulcanized rubber to rigid substrates under tension.