Laser transmission joint between PET and titanium for biomedical application

Laser transmission joint between biocompatible, dissimilar materials have the potential for application in biomedical and their encapsulation process. This process may involve photochemical reaction, and alter the chemical compositions of the interface and chemical bonds form at the interface. Understanding the laser joint at material interfaces is essential for the advancement in the laser joining application. This paper is devoted to laser transmission joint between 0.1 mm thick PET films and 0.1 mm thick Titanium. We have found processing conditions for successful joining of titanium with PET using near-infrared diode lasers. Laser joint samples were tested in microtester under tensile loading to determine joint strengths. The joint strength was found to be 65.46-90 MPa. The PET/titanium interfaces thus obtained were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and microscopy techniques. The results give evidence for the formation of Ti-C chemical bonds in a sharp interfacial region between the two sides. These chemical bonds are believed to be responsible for the observed mechanical strength of the joints. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.