New Ideas Concerning the Strength of Adhesive Joints of Polymers

The review was written by J. J. Bikerman specially for "Uspekhi Khimii". Bikerman is one of the leading U.S. specialists in the theory and practical aspects of surface phenomena and adhesion in polymers and solids and therefore the presentation of his views on the nature and strength of adhesive joints is of very considerable interest.
It is noteworthy that the views developed by the author depart widely from those common in the USSR and therefore his review is of special interest for the Soviet reader. Putting forward a number of interesting and well founded postulates of the rheological theory of adhesion, the author essentially ignores the molecular nature of adhesion phenomena, the chemical nature of adhesives as such, and the polymer nature of adhesives, which are not discussed in the review at all. Also ignored are the thermodynamic criteria of adhesion, the effects of the flexibility of the polymer chain and its structure on adhesion, etc. All these factors make the author's approach to adhesion somewhat one-sided and biased. However, this is compensated by a purposeful approach to the problem, a polemical presentation, and a number of postulates which are of very great practical value for all those concerned with adhesion and adhesive joints.
The bibliography includes 75 references.