Adhesive bonding composition and method of use

1. A method of adhesive bonding of an element having a surface energy of less than 50 mJ/m 2 , comprising:

a) providing an adherent structure including one or more rubber compounds on a surface of an element to be bonded, wherein the surface of the element to be bonded comprises a low energy material having a surface energy of less than 50 mJ/m 2 ;

b) placing a polymerizable adhesive composition, including at least one photoinitiator and at least one energy converting material, in contact with the adherent structure and two or more components to be bonded to form an assembly;

c) irradiating the assembly with radiation at a first wavelength, capable of conversion by the at least one energy converting material to a second wavelength capable of activating the at least one photoinitiator to produce from the polymerizable adhesive composition a cured adhesive composition; and

d) adhesively joining the two or more components by way of the adherent structure and the cured adhesive composition.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one energy converting material is a downconverting material.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said downconverting material comprises inorganic particulates selected from the group consisting of: metal oxides; metal sulfides; doped metal oxides; and mixed metal chalcogenides.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said downconverting material comprises at least one of Y 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 2 S, NaYF 4 , NaYbF 4 , YAG, YAP, Nd 2 O 3 , LaF 3 , LaCl 3 , La 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , LuPO 4 , YVO 4 , YbF 3 , YF 3 , Na-doped YbF 3 , ZnS; ZnSe; MgS; CaS; ZnSe x S y ; ZnSe x S y :Cu, Ag, Ce, Tb; and alkali lead silicate including compositions of SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , Na 2 O, K 2 O, PbO, MgO, or Ag, and combinations or alloys or layers thereof and organic phosphors.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein said first wavelength of radiation is at least one of X-rays, electron beams, and UV light.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an adherent structure comprises:

providing a solution containing natural or synthetic rubber compounds in a solvent on said surface of the element to be bonded;

removing said solvent;

polymerizing said rubber compounds.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the polymerization comprises exposing the rubber compounds to at least one of x-rays, e-beam, or UV flux.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the exposing comprises breaking double bonds in the rubber compounds followed by bonding of the rubber compounds to the surface of the element to be bonded.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the solution is provided with a concentration of the natural or synthetic rubber compounds between 33% and 45%.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an adherent structure comprises applying a primer to said surface of the element to be bonded.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the primer comprises a two-component urethane-based primer.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the two-component urethane-based primer comprises a moisture activated primer.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one energy converting material comprises an upconverting material.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said upconverting material comprises at least one of Y 2 O 3 , Y 2 O 2 S, NaYF 4 , NaYbF 4 , YAG, YAP, Nd 2 O 3 , LaF 3 , LaCl 3 , La 2 O 3 , TiO 2 , LuPO 4 , YVO 4 , YbF 3 , YF 3 , Na-doped YbF 3 , or SiO 2 or alloys or layers thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the surface of the element to be bonded comprises at least one of a polytetrafluoroethylene, a poly(perfluoroalkylacrylate), a polystyrene, a polyacrylate, a poly(methyl methacrylate), a poly(dimethylsiloxane), a polyethylene, a polychlorotrifluoroethylene, a polypropylene, a polyvinyl chloride, a polyvinyl fluoride, a polyvinylidenedichloride, a polyvinylidenedifluoride, a polyacrylamide, a polyethylene terephthalate, a poly(6-aminocoproicacid), a poly(11-aminoundecaroicacid), silicone, and a poly (dimethyl siloxane).

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing an adherent structure comprises modifying said surface of the element to increase a surface energy thereof.

17. A method of adhesive bonding, comprising:

a) providing an adherent structure including one or more rubber compounds on each of respective surfaces to be adhesively joined;

b) contacting the surfaces together having the one or more rubber compounds therebetween; and

c) irradiating the adherent structure with radiation capable of directly or indirectly cross-linking the one or more rubber compounds on each of the surfaces to one another.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein contacting the surfaces together comprises:

applying the one or more rubber compounds to a release substrate;

contacting the release substrate to one of the respective surfaces; and

removing the release substrate and leaving the one or more rubber compounds disposed on said one of the respective surfaces.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the release substrate comprises mylar.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the release substrate is silicone coated.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein contacting the surfaces together comprises:

applying the one or more rubber compounds to a release substrate by immersing the release substrate in a solution of the one or more rubber compounds.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein irradiating comprises irradiating a sulfur-containing compound.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the sulfur-containing compound comprises at least one of CaS, ZnSeS, and iron sulfate.

24. The method of claim 17 , wherein irradiating comprises irradiating with at least one of x-rays, e-beam, or infrared radiation.

25. The method of claim 17 , wherein irradiating comprises irradiating an energy converting material comprising at least one of a downconverting material and an up converting material.