Overview of joining dissimilar materials : metals and polymers

This literature overview could serve to further understand the processes involved and how to optimize the techniques for obtaining enhanced metal to-polymer hybrid joints. There were analysed: mechanical fastening, adhesive bonding, surface functionalisation and different kinds of welding. Using the laser welding technology, different types of joints could be produced, that are difficult to be achieved by conventional joining methods, such as adhesive-bonding, mechanical fastening and thermal pressing. The best performances were observed for surface functionalisation of the metallic part combined with laser welding.