Despite its technological importance, there
appear to have been few publications addressing
the overall fundamental science occurring at the
interfaces during the formation of such bonds.
Improved understanding of the bonding processes
is hindered by the fact that the adhesive system
works so effectively, and consequently access to the
interfaces can not be achieved without some kind of
treatment. Although there are reports of the analysis
of failure surfaces produced, for example, by electrochemical
(cathodic) treatment [2], or by destructive
adhesion tests [3], these do not directly address
the actual nature of the interactions occurring during
the bonding process. This problem is common to
much of adhesion research. One possible way around
this problem is to study relatively simple model
systems.