From fundamental concepts to recent developments in the adhesive bonding technology: a general view

Adhesive bonding is a constantly developing technique, and the volume of its industrial applications is rapidly increasing, which, in turn, requires improving the compatibility and performance of joining methods in specific applications. The industrial growth of adhesive bonding has also been linked to the broader implementation of composite materials and the increasing number of applications requiring joining dissimilar materials. Compared to traditional joining methods, adhesive bonding does not require local heating of the substrates or introducing holes or notches to them. It is instead a continuous joining method that promotes fewer regions of discontinuities and uniformity of the stress fields. Due to the industrial interest in this method, a substantial effort has been made to expand its range of applications and to provide the design tools that ensure it is a safe, reproducible, reliable, and durable process. The adhesive bonding research field is broad, ranging from adhesive formulation to evaluation of the final bonded structure. The present paper collects the relevant literature and discusses fundamental concepts and recent developments in the adhesive bonding technology, covering three essential topics: adhesive materials, joint designs and joint manufacturing methods, and joint modelling methods. Citing a wealth of relevant review papers, original papers, and book chapters, the paper intends to provide a coherent view of the state of the art, so the reader can identify the opportunities originating from the recent progresses in adhesive bonding.