Laser Metal-Polymer Bonding

Fraunhofer has thoroughly investigated and developed a unique laser bonding process for joining of dissimilar materials. Biocompatible polymers such as polyurethane or polymide can be laser bonded to titanium or stainless steel. Laser heating has high spatial and temporal control to maintain the critical specific bonding temperature required to establish chemical bonds between the materials and to avoid degradation of the polymers.

In cooperation with Wayne State University in Detroit, joint characteristics such as strength, hermeticity, bio-compatibility and long-term joint degradation in bodily fluid conditions for implant applications were successfully tested.

Advantages

• Bonding of dissimilar materials
• Localized joining for heat sensitive components
• Hermetic sealing of joints
• Bio-compatible joints
• Very small joint widths (<0.2 mm) possible

• Metal-polymer joining
• Glass-polymer joining
• Implantable sensors
• MEMS packaging

• Bio-medical implants
• Medical devices
• Opto-electronic devices

• Stainless Steels
• Titanium
• Nitinol
• Chromium
• Polyurethane
• Polymide
• PEBAX
• PEEK
• Imidex
• Titanium coated glass
  

• R. Patwa, H. J. Herfurth, S. Heinemann, G. Newaz, “Laser transmission microjoining technology for packaging of MEMS”,  SME Micromanufacturing Conference, Minneapolis, MN, April 1-2, 2009.

• T. Sultana,  G.L. Georgiev, R.J. Baird, G.W. Auner, G. Newaz, R. Patwa, H.J. Herfurth, 2008,  “XPS analysis of laser transmission micro-joint between polyvinylidene fluoride and titanium”, Applied Surface Science, 255, pp. 2569–2573.

• A. P. Dhorajiya, M. S. Mayeed, G. W. Auner, R. J. Baird, G. M. Newaz, R. Patwa, and H. Herfurth, 2010, “Finite element thermal/mechanical analysis of transmission laser microjoining of titanium and polyimide”, Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology, 132, 011004.