Miklós Berczeli

57193391650

Publications - 7

Optimizing adhesion in aluminum alloys: A cross-disciplinary approach to surface treatment and bond strength

Zoltán Weltsch Miklós Berczeli Ferenc Tajti

Publication Name: International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives

Publication Date: 2025-09-01

Volume: 142

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

As the use of aluminum structures grows due to their lightweight properties and sustainability advantages, optimizing bonding technologies is essential for ensuring strong and durable joints. This study systematically evaluates fourteen surface treatment methods applied to aluminum sheets and L-section joints, assessing their influence on adhesion performance. Surface preparation significantly impacted bond strength. Veil sanding combined with Sika® Primer-207 led to an 82 % increase in tensile strength and a 258 % increase in shear strength compared to untreated surfaces. Laser and hot deionized water treatments resulted in the highest measured surface energy (88 mN/m), improving wettability and adhesive-substrate interaction. To analyze bonding performance, a flexible polyurethane adhesive was applied to structural joints, which were tested under tensile and shear stress conditions. The results demonstrated that surface roughness, free energy, and chemical modification strongly influence failure modes. While untreated surfaces predominantly exhibited adhesive failure, optimized treatments shifted failure toward cohesive failure, indicating a stronger interfacial bond. Additionally, the correlation between surface free energy, surface roughness, and adhesive strength was examined to understand their combined effects on joint performance. The findings highlight the importance of selecting appropriate surface modification techniques to maximize adhesion and joint durability. This research provides practical insights for industries relying on aluminum bonding, offering guidance on optimizing surface treatment protocols to enhance structural integrity and long-term reliability in demanding applications.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijadhadh.2025.104068

Relationship between the developed interfacial area ratio and the adhesion of the bonded joint

Zoltán Weltsch Miklós Berczeli Benjámin Körömi

Publication Name: Journal of Advanced Joining Processes

Publication Date: 2025-06-01

Volume: 11

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Bonding technologies have evolved significantly over the past decades, playing a crucial role in the field of joining technologies. To date, however, there is no consensus among research groups as to whether surface texture or surface wettability, or both, affect the strength of bonded joints. Bonded joints, as a bonding technique, are highly dependent on the chemical composition of the adhesive or binder. It is also important to note that the strength and the quality of a bonded joint is greatly influenced by surface adhesion and its related phenomena. From a materials science perspective, surface adhesion is characterised by the level of surface wetting and the total surface energy. In addition, microtopographies and other geometrical features play a key role in bond formation. In this research, the goal is to create controlled microtopographies on DP600 steel surfaces, mainly using femtosecond pulsed laser surface treatment techniques. The ability of adhesives to fill microtopographies specifically, the extent and manner in which micro-scale geometries and structures are filled is also investigated. This allows for the establishment of correlations between the strength of adhesive bonds and the shape characteristics of the microtopography, both in the surface-activated and non-surface-activated states.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.jajp.2025.100310

Literature Review of the Behaviour of Adhesive Joint Fatigue Performance

Zoltán Weltsch Miklós Berczeli Péter Péczi-Kovács

Publication Name: Materials Science Forum

Publication Date: 2025-01-01

Volume: 1153

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 23-32

Description:

Adhesive joints are essential in modern engineering, offering lightweight, durable and efficient solutions for bonding in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and renewable energy. However, their fatigue performance under cyclic loading remains a critical challenge, shaped by a complex interplay of geometrical, material, environmental, and loading factors. This review explores the mechanisms of fatigue failure, highlighting the importance of joint design, material optimization, and surface preparation in mitigating stress concentrations and enhancing durability. Advances in toughened adhesives, surface treatments, and environmental protection methods are highlighted, along with predictive models ranging from empirical S-N curves to advanced finite element simulations and probabilistic approaches. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in integrating these techniques for real-world applications, particularly under variable loading and harsh environmental conditions. Future research must focus on hybrid methodologies, adaptive materials, and standardized protocols to bridge the gap between laboratory insights and practical implementations. This comprehensive review provides a foundation for improving the fatigue performance of adhesive joints, ensuring their reliability and effectiveness in critical engineering systems.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.4028/p-F2MUdc

Changing the High Strength Steel Surface Properties with Femtosecond Laser Beam

Zoltán Weltsch G. Juhász Miklós Berczeli Ferenc Tajti

Publication Name: Optics and Laser Technology

Publication Date: 2024-07-01

Volume: 174

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

Today, the automotive industry is undergoing rapid change. While manufacturers are constantly switching to fully or semi-electric hybrid models, the weight of the vehicles also increases significantly due to the extra weight of the batteries. Since the weight of vehicles has the most significant influence on their consumption and, with it, harmful emissions (even indirectly far from the place of use), manufacturers strive to keep weight under control with continuous improvements. One of the main directions of the developments is the use of new light but at the same time heavy-duty materials with a wide variety of material combinations. These new material pairings pose challenges to knitting technology solutions, which need to be developed similarly. In the course of our research, we are investigating how the surface properties can be optimized in the case of steel with increased strength for the automotive industry, without additional added material and changes visible to the naked eye. We subject the examined DP600 material to a short-pulse laser beam treatment, and we manage to change the surface structure so that the interface properties measured by wetting are significantly improved. The results are confirmed by electron microscopic examinations.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1016/j.optlastec.2024.110556

DEVELOPMENT OF THE BONDING TECHNOLOGY OF MODERN AUTOMOTIVE MATERIALS WITH ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS

Zoltán Weltsch Miklós Berczeli Ferenc Tajti

Publication Name: Communications Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 26

Issue: 2

Page Range: B135-B141

Description:

The significance of bonding technology for modern vehicle structural materials is increasingly acknowledged, driven by the adoption of new materials to reduce weight. This is important not only for quality and economic reasons but to address environmental pollution, as well. Traditional joining methods like riveting, screwing, welding, and brazing, are often unsuitable or limited for modern materials. Soldering, an economical and almost waste-free technology, is becoming more widespread. Through optimization, it achieves a strong, durable bond. There is a potential to favourably alter interface properties, including using high energy density surface treatments. Research showed that the laser surface treatment of high-strength steel sheets could improve the mechanical properties of soldered joints.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.26552/com.C.2024.026

EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ON CURING OF POLYURETHANE ADHESIVE INVESTIGATED WITH FTIR ANALYSIS

Zoltán Weltsch Miklós Berczeli Péter Kovács

Publication Name: Communications Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 26

Issue: 2

Page Range: B118-B127

Description:

The use and significance of adhesives in various industries are explored, highlighting the growth of the adhesive market and the crucial role of time in adhesive bonding. The composition of adhesives, particularly polyurethane adhesives (PUR), is detailed, emphasizing their sensitivity to environmental factors, like moisture and UV radiation. Various factors influencing adhesive properties, such as reactivity and curing-induced shrinkage, are discussed, along with the importance of catalysts in adjusting reaction rates. One-component moisture-curable PUR adhesives are presented as versatile and continually improving alternatives in structural adhesive applications. The research's focus was to investigate the curing speed of Sikaflex-252 1-component PUR structural adhesive under different conditions, including room temperature, room temperature with ~30% humidity, and room temperature with ~100% humidity.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.26552/com.C.2024.024

Investigation of the Tensile Strength of Adhesive-Bonded Steels Using Surface Treatments

Zoltán Weltsch Miklós Berczeli Péter Kovács Benjámin Körömi

Publication Name: Materials

Publication Date: 2023-12-01

Volume: 16

Issue: 24

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

This study explores the tensile strength of adhesive joints in steel, focusing on the influence of heat treatment and diverse surface modifications. Results indicate a notable relationship between annealing temperature and tensile strength, with the most favorable outcomes identified at 90 min and 165 °C. Particularly, surfaces treated through turning, sandblasting, and plasma treatment (type C) consistently outperformed other methods. A standout revelation emerged from the turned, sandblasted, and plasma-treated surface (C), showcasing an exceptional tensile strength of 69.06 MPa. Load-holding tests underscored its resilience under diverse load conditions. Surface analyses, including roughness measurements, wetting characteristics, and Scanning Electron Microscope imaging, provided valuable insights into structural transformations induced by different treatments. Chemical composition examinations unveiled significant alterations post-plasma treatment, impacting surface chemistry and contributing to an outstanding tensile strength of 67.63 MPa. In essence, this research offers a glimpse into the nuanced factors influencing adhesive joint strength in steel. The turned, sandblasted, and plasma-treated surface emerges as a promising avenue, sparking further curiosity into the underlying mechanisms propelling superior tensile strength in adhesive joints.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/ma16247663