Laser-Engineered Bonding
Project Overview
University
Year
About
Joining metals to polymers usually requires adhesives, primers or fasteners, adding weight, chemicals and manufacturing steps. This project uses lasers to create microscopic grooves in metal surfaces. During joining, softened polymer flows into these patterns and locks into place as it cools, forming a strong mechanical bond. Tests with aluminium and PMMA achieved shear strengths of about 27 MPa, and aluminium-PEEK prototypes carried loads near 3,000
- The approach could enable lighter, cleaner hybrid components for aerospace, transport, medical devices and advanced manufacturing.
Team
Osama Taqatqa
Osama Taqatqa is a PhD candidate in Materials Science and Engineering at the American University of Sharjah. His research addresses a fundamental challenge in joining dissimilar materials by developing laser-enabled, adhesive-free metal–polymer joining technologies. By engineering metal surfaces to improve interfacial bonding, his work seeks to produce lightweight hybrid structures with enhanced mechanical performance and durability. This approach could support more sustainable manufacturing in applications where reducing weight, simplifying assembly, and improving material integration are critical. His background in physics, engineering, and laboratory safety complements his research and strengthens his ability to translate materials innovation into practical engineering solutions.