ABSTRACT
Adhesion phenomena are relevant to many scientific and technological areas and in recent years have become a very important field of study.
The main application of adhesion is bonding by adhesives, which is replacing, at least partially, more classical mechanical attachment techniques such as bolting or riveting. It is considered to be competitive primarily because it saves weight, ensures better stress distribution, and offers better aesthetics because the glue line is practically invisible. Applications of bonding by adhesives can be found in many industries, particularly in advanced technological domains such as the aeronautical and space industries, automobile manufacture, and electronics. Adhesives have also been introduced in areas such as dentistry and surgery.
