| This study examined the change in bond strength for various concentrations of glass fiber in polyphthalamide samples. Four formulations with glass concentrations of 0, 15%, 30%, and 45% were injection molded, ultrasonically welded, and tested to determine the effects of the glass fillers on the performance of the ultrasonically welded joint. Test samples were welded using a shear joint design and the shear strength of the weld was measured. The test results showed that the shear strength of the ultrasonically welded bond is maximized for the 15% glass reinforced grade of polyphthalamide (PPA). Further observations revealed that the neat formulation of polyphthalamide had the best ultrasonic weld strength retention factor as compared to the shear strength of the bulk material. Models generated using the test data indicated that maximum weld bond strength could be reached using an 18% glass fiber reinforced grade of PPA. |
